Molson M celebrates art in Canada with the completion of a paint-by-tweet mural in downtown Toronto
TORONTO, May 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ -Thanks to the 10,000 Canadians who tweeted to #MolsonM_Art, the mural commissioned by Molson M to artist Kustaa Saksi is complete. To celebrate the collaborative effort between the artist and the public, Molson M is donating $20,000 to the Canadian Art Foundation for the advancement of art in Canada: $1 for every tweet to #MolsonM_Art, along with a matching donation of $10,000.
"Canadians' response to this project has been fantastic, and we want to thank everyone who tweeted their support for art in Canada. Each tweet received played a part in bringing this masterpiece to life," says Martine Bouthillier, Senior Brand Manager, Molson M. "Celebrating artistry and mastery was the goal of this project, and one look at the intricacy and beauty of this work of art tells us we have accomplished this goal."
On a King Street wall just West of Church Street, a beautiful 40-feet-high by 100-feet-wide painted mural in the signature psychedelic style of world-renowned artist Kustaa Saksi will be on display until early June. Since April 19, approximately 10,000 Canadians have tweeted using #MolsonM_Art and with every tweet, another piece of the work of art unfolded under Saksi's direction.
"This project was an interesting way to bring art to life, and I hope the thousands of Canadians who participated are pleased with the finished piece," says Saksi. "I try to tell a story through my artwork while playing with experimental techniques and surreal imagery."
To mark the completion of the mural, a $20,000 donation was made today to the Canadian Art Foundation. The funds will be used to help carry on their work of promoting local, national and global visibility of art in Canada.
"We are completely overwhelmed by the generosity of Molson M. The Canadian Art Foundation is all about building community for artists and art enthusiasts. Connecting art and people is what we do - and this first-ever, one-of-a-kind Paint with a Tweet campaign is a great example of community collaboration," says Ann Webb, Executive Director of the Canadian Art Foundation and Publisher, Canadian Art magazine. "This support from Molson M will help us carry on our work to nurture more local, national and global visibility for the extraordinary artistic talent here in Canada."
The project has also been supported by art reproductions on bus shelters and wall murals in Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Calgary by Canadian artist Patrick Thompson, who is known for pushing the boundaries of street art throughout the world, and Canadian designer Felix Wittholz, who works in an experimental fashion with artists and musicians as well as multi-national corporations. Canadian graphic designer Belinda Love Lee was also responsible for adding the Twitter handles to the mural.
About the artists
Kustaa Saksi is a Finnish illustrator and graphic designer. He has collaborated with brands including Diesel, Ellen, the Finland Post, Microsoft, The New York Times, Nike, Nokia and Swarovski. His work is primarily digital although it has a handmade quality to it.
Felix Wittholz is co-founder of Toronto's Helios Design Labs, a multi-disciplinary design studio launched in 1990 with his brother Alex. His work is diverse, ranging from campaigns for multi-national corporations to experimental collaborations with artists and musicians. He has directed and produced moving images for television, film, online and site specific installations.
A Canadian native, Patrick Thompson is highly esteemed for pushing the boundaries of street art; he has painted outdoors throughout North and Central America, Europe, and Asia.
About the Canadian Art Foundation
Since its establishment in 1991, the Canadian Art Foundation has grown to deliver numerous educational programs in addition to the publication of Canadian Art magazine. This diversity now makes the Canadian Art Foundation the ultimate portal for the exposure of visual arts in Canada. All our efforts are dedicated to providing a destination for artists and art enthusiasts to connect and be inspired by art, in turn creating greater local, national and global visibility for the extraordinary artistic talent in Canada
About Molson Coors Canada
Molson Coors Canada is the Canadian division of Molson Coors Brewing Company, a global brewer with operations in Canada, the U.S., U.K and Asia. The Company proudly offers some of the most popular brands in Canada with an award-winning brand portfolio which includes Molson Canadian, Coors Light, Molson Export, Molson Dry, Rickard's and Molson M. Molson also partners with other leading brewers to offer such global brands as Heineken, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft, and Foster's Lager. Molson Coors Canada employs 3,000 Canadians, operates seven breweries, including boutique breweries Creemore and Granville Island, and invests in communities from coast-to-coast through its various charitable initiatives and sports and entertainment sponsorships. Molson Coors Canada is committed to promoting its products and events in a responsible manner as part of an active, healthy lifestyle.
Image with caption: "Thanks to the 10,000 Canadians who tweeted to #MolsonM_Art, Molson M is donating $20,000 to the Canadian Art Foundation for the advancement of art in Canada. From left are Martine Bouthillier, Senior Brand Manager, Molson M, mural artist Kustaa Saksi and Ann Webb, Executive Director of the Canadian Art Foundation (CNW Group/MOLSON COORS CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120523_C9871_PHOTO_EN_14058.jpg
Image with caption: "Thanks to the 10,000 Canadians who tweeted to #MolsonM_Art, Molson M is donating $20,000 to the Canadian Art Foundation for the advancement of art in Canada. Pictured pointing to his Twitter handle is world-renowned artist Kustaa Saksi, whose artistic vision was brought to life on a mural in downtown Toronto (CNW Group/MOLSON COORS CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120523_C9871_PHOTO_EN_14059.jpg
Image with caption: "Thanks to the 10,000 Canadians who tweeted to #MolsonM_Art, Molson M is donating $20,000 to the Canadian Art Foundation for the advancement of art in Canada. World-renowned artist Kustaa Saksi, top, had his vision brought to life on a mural and Canadian graphic artist Belinda Love Lee added Twitter handles (CNW Group/MOLSON COORS CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120523_C9871_PHOTO_EN_14060.jpg
Steve Presant
Paradigm Public Relations
[email protected]
416-413-5194
François Lefebvre
Molson Coors
[email protected]
514 603-8656
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