Donato Dalayoan in front of the window of The Chamber offices which he designed. (The Chamber photo)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jonato Dalayoan transforms Portage & Main’s barricades
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
If you feel homesick when you see the barricades at Portage and Main, it’s because you’re seeing something Filipino design-inspired.
A new mural painted on the barricades was designed by local artist Jonato Dalayoan.
The mural’s design came from the traditional woven patterns in Cree, Metis, Ukrainian, Filipino, African and Norwegian cultures.
Dalayoan said his inspiration came from the coming and going of people through the intersection, which reminded him of weaving, according to a ctvnews.ca report.
“The word ‘pulse’ was part of the inspiration for the design and refers to what we as a community all have in common,” Dalayoan, who owns 4two Design Inc., said in a statement. “Whether rich or poor or different ethnicities, we all have the same colour blood and we all have a pulse,” he added.
Pam Hardman, the director of marketing, engagement and communications with Downtown Winnipeg Biz, said she hopes the new art will give more energy to the intersection while being inclusive and celebrating the community.
“We are always hopeful that the intersection will be open to pedestrians someday, but in the meantime, adding some vibrancy to this intersection where business, arts and culture come together is really important for the community and helps to make it more vibrant and joyful for people who are using it,” she also said in the report.
Dalayoan’s 4two Design Inc. is a Winnipeg-based Graphic Design company.
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, where he is a member, also commissioned him to create a mural for its office window to coincide with its Reimagine campaign.
For this project, Dalayoan said his inspiration and direction were all about the city and how businesses and the people have reimagined their businesses and lives.
“This mural isn’t about me, it was for the people of Winnipeg. My inspiration came from asking myself, what do we as a city need right now?,” he said of the project.
As a businessman, Dalayoan stands out with his passion for giving back.
Portions of his commissioned pieces go to different charities to help bring awareness to important initiatives.
He had donated a portion of the Reimagine mural proceeds to the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities.