by St. & Co.
Victoria Nip, Shirelle Belmont, Mannat Multani
St. & Co, is inspired by Toronto’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic because the city was able to hold its urban fabric together in a time that threatened to unravel its threads. As students at the Ryerson School of Interior Design (RSID), we want to share the stories of individuals working or studying in the field of design.
The installtion website explores the duality of isolation and connection and how these two emotions interface with the ways we use our spaces. At a moment when the connectivity of our city is compromised, we look to the urban fabric that remains intact, though inevitably altered.
Several motifs emulate the nature of this urban experience. Interconnectivity is shown through a map of Toronto and its transit routes, while public expression is displayed in graffiti inspired by iconic street art around the city. A face mask motif stands as visual noise, that parallels the way it has embedded itself into the urban fabric.
Through testimonials from our design community’s varied experiences, we see that isolation and connection can coexist. By telling these stories, our team hopes to shed light on the common threads that hold our urban fabric and people together.
Victoria is a first-year RSID student with a background in traditional art that includes acrylic painting, life drawing and graphite drawings. She is enamoured by how spaces can change one's experiences, so she is constantly evolving her own space based on her needs and inspirations. For this installation, she takes on the role of a coder, illustrator and researcher.
Shirelle is a first-year RSID student with a passion for visual art and design. After many years of creating analog art, she is exploring the world of digital art. She is excited for the opportunity to hone those skills in her role as illustrator and coder for this installation. Shirelle is also completing a degree in Mathematical Sciences from McMaster University.
Mannat is a fourth-year RSID student with experience in programming graphic visuals important to interior design with prior education in fine art. She finds inspiration from graphic art and museum spaces which ignites her passion for this installation to come to life in its illustrations and concept.