P006 → Toronto
I realized when building this website that all of my experiences originate in Toronto: photography, projects, modelling, djing, and other creative pursuits. Having a full page dedicated to Toronto would be redundant, considering that 80% of this website is set in Toronto. Recognizing this, I think it’s important to start a new, strategic method of storytelling my experiences in Toronto. Toronto is my home; it acts as the foundation of my cultural atmosphere. Growing up in the multicultural district of North York, I’m familiar with the cultural events of the city, every Ribfest, every concert, every pop-up, every exhibit—it’s a sixth sense to me. I’m blogging Toronto starting now, in 2025, and I plan on building from where I left off. This process feels commemorative because I’m writing about the place and people who ignited my love for art and the cultural significance of art: The AGO and my parents.
The Culture: Hip Hop & Contemporary Art In The 21st Century
It’s January 22, 2025–the coldest day of the year— the streets of Toronto an ashy grey, brittle, with tumbleweed adjacent activity. With every breath, you're surrounded with vapour, walking the same strip you’ve walked for years feels like an expedition. I took my parents to the AGO to see the newest exhibition on the 5th floor, “The Culture: Hip Hop & Contemporary Art in the 21st Century. This exhibit proves not only to be a pinnacle of black culture, but with its portentous artifacts, this shows the current cultural sphere we live in, its pop culture.
Moncler “Maya Jacket” 2000s
Take the Moncler Jacket as an example. The jacket is covered in an intimate room illuminated by yellow light, presenting the red Maya jacket. This jacket is a cultural trinket and a vital resource to hip-hop, in the affluence of wealth, rap, and fame. The Maya jacket is a puffer hip-hop listeners want; seen worn on Drake, Central Cee, and Future— it can be regarded as a hip-hop grail. In 2015, Canadian rapper Drake wore Moncler's bright red "Maya" bubble jacket in his hit music video and future meme source—"Hotline Bling" which solidified the brand's ongoing affiliation with hip-hop culture.
Telfar is the most popular black bag brand, full stop. Telfar gained it’s popularity in 2020 with the “black owned business” boom of consumerism. Telfar Clemens released his vegan leather shopping bags in over 50 colours, and it took the internet by storm. 2020 onwards the telfar bag was renowned as the go-to for style, utility and versatility. Beyonce referenced the bag in her album Renaissance. “This Telfar bag imported,” she sings. “Birkins? Them shit’s in storage.” She actualizes the belief that she buys Black, and believes in the movement.