“Music Through the Decades: 1950’s” by Matt Cohen

Parkside Student Residence
111 Carlton St, Toronto, ON

This custom painting is part of Matt Cohen’s vibrant ‘Music Through the Decades’ series that animates the walls of Parkside Student Residence. Commemorating the legendary musicians of the 1950s, this painting depicts Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Coltrane, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and Miles Davis. Matt uses the juxtaposition of disordered, vivid colours backdropped to the realist musicians in black-and-white to represent the transcendental effect of music to suspend us from the absolute properties of the physical world and evoke an unbound consciousness inspired with imagination.

This series pays tribute to the music roots of the neighbourhood, formerly home to the McClear recording studios at 225 Mutual Street, once a Toronto landmark that hosted some of the biggest names in 20th century music, including Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, James Brown, Gordon Lightfoot, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Rush, in addition to numerous CBC television programs.

“Music Through the Decades: 1960’s” by Matt Cohen

Parkside Student Residence
111 Carlton St, Toronto, ON

This custom painting is part of Matt Cohen’s ‘Music Through the Decades’ series that animates the walls of Parkside Student Residence. Commemorating the legendary musicians of the 1960s, this painting depicts The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger. Matt uses the juxtaposition of disordered, vivid colours backdropped to the realist musicians in black-and-white to represent the transcendental effect of music to suspend us from the absolute properties of the physical world and evoke an unbound consciousness inspired with imagination.

This series pays tribute to the music roots of the neighbourhood, formerly home to the McClear recording studios at 225 Mutual Street, once a Toronto landmark that hosted some of the biggest names in 20th century music, including Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, James Brown, Gordon Lightfoot, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Rush, in addition to numerous CBC television programs.

“Music Through the Decades: 1970’s” by Matt Cohen

Parkside Student Residence
111 Carlton St, Toronto, ON

This custom painting is part of Matt Cohen’s ‘Music Through the Decades’ series that animates the walls of Parkside Student Residence. Commemorating the legendary musicians of the 1970s, this painting depicts Freddie Mercury, Geddy Lee, Bob Marley, Joni Mitchell, and Marvin Gaye. Matt uses the juxtaposition of disordered, vivid colours backdropped to the realist musicians in black-and-white to represent the transcendental effect of music to suspend us from the absolute properties of the physical world and evoke an unbound consciousness inspired with imagination.

This series pays tribute to the music roots of the neighbourhood, formerly home to the McClear recording studios at 225 Mutual Street, once a Toronto landmark that hosted some of the biggest names in 20th century music, including Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, James Brown, Gordon Lightfoot, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Rush, in addition to numerous CBC television programs.

“Music Through the Decades: 1980’s” by Matt Cohen

Parkside Student Residence
111 Carlton St, Toronto, ON

This custom painting is part of Matt Cohen’s ‘Music Through the Decades’ series that animates the walls of Parkside Student Residence. Commemorating the legendary musicians of the 1980s, this painting depicts Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna. Matt uses the juxtaposition of disordered, vivid colours backdropped to the realist musicians in black-and-white to represent the transcendental effect of music to suspend us from the absolute properties of the physical world and evoke an unbound consciousness inspired with imagination.

This series pays tribute to the music roots of the neighbourhood, formerly home to the McClear recording studios at 225 Mutual Street, once a Toronto landmark that hosted some of the biggest names in 20th century music, including Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, James Brown, Gordon Lightfoot, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Rush, in addition to numerous CBC television programs.

“Music Through the Decades: 1990’s” by Matt Cohen

Parkside Student Residence
111 Carlton St, Toronto, ON

This custom painting is part of Matt Cohen’s ‘Music Through the Decades’ series that animates the walls of Parkside Student Residence. Commemorating the legendary musicians of the 1990s, this painting depicts Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Thom Yorke, Kurt Cobain, and Eddie Vedder. Matt uses the juxtaposition of disordered, vivid colours backdropped to the realist musicians in black-and-white to represent the transcendental effect of music to suspend us from the absolute properties of the physical world and evoke an unbound consciousness inspired with imagination.

This series pays tribute to the music roots of the neighbourhood, formerly home to the McClear recording studios at 225 Mutual Street, once a Toronto landmark that hosted some of the biggest names in 20th century music, including Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, James Brown, Gordon Lightfoot, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Rush, in addition to numerous CBC television programs.

About Matt Cohen

Matt Cohen is a local visual artist and designer living and working in Toronto. His mixed media and stencil-based artworks are a reflection of his love for all things pop culture from music to sports to sneakers.