I have always had a hard time deciding on what to hang on my walls. In fact, most of the walls of my last apartment remained bare for a year or more before I could decide on something that just seemed “right.”
For my next naked walls, I think I’ll have less of a problem. I’ve become transfixed with the Toronto word maps of Dave Murray. Not only do they combine two of my favourites – Toronto neighbourhoods & well, words – they are hella cool.
According to blogTO, here’s how it works:
First the illustrator surveys a given neighbourhood on foot and records all the words that he sees. Once this raw data is collected, he uses a computer program to transform it into word clouds, which place greater visual emphasis on text recorded more frequently. From there, Murray uses other software programs to organize the information in a manner that spatially represents the neighbourhood in question.
He’s completed maps of the Ossington strip and Queen St W & Parkdale, but I think my favourite has to be Kensington Market. I have my fingers crossed he’ll map my neighbourhood next!
Check him out here.
Images: Dave Murray Illustration
