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This mural is one piece in a larger international project, honouring the life and legacy of Portuguese artist Amália Rodrigues- known as the ‘Rainha do Fado’ (Queen of Fado). Rodrigues was instrumental in popularising fado worldwide and travelled internationally throughout her career.
The mural, located at 1087 Dundas St. West, was created by Montreal artist Matthew Cadoch in partnership with Little Portugal Toronto BIA. For those in the city’s west end, another mural has been created at the Portuguese Cultural Center of Mississauga at 53 Queen St N.
Herman Alves has spearheaded the larger project of installing twenty-five murals dedicated to Amália Rodrigues around the globe to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth. A Montreal-based businessman, Alves describes himself as someone passionate for the arts looking to share Portuguese culture with the world, starting with the iconic fadista Amália Rodrigues. Alves said the latest mural, painted in Toronto’s Little Portugal, follows previous paintings in Porto-de-Mos, Portugal and Montreal.
Over her successful career, Amália was able to popularize the iconic Portuguese sound and bring it onto the international stage with performances in France, the United States, Japan and the Soviet Union.
In a press release, Alvez said, “The name of Amália continues to be extolled with the same pride and patriotism with which the Portuguese flag is raised…..I want to share with the world our artistic talents scattered throughout the Diaspora, to give them opportunities to show what they are worth, especially in this period when so many doors were closed with the arrival of Covid-19.”
Thanks to the partners in the Little Portugal Toronto community that came together to make this happen- including IC Savings, LiUNA! and building landlord Frank Alvarez.