In Winnipeg, graffiti always pops up like little surprises scattered across the city. We found this one under the bridge near Main and Higgins. Photo: Tony Eetak
Walls We Walk By: Higgins and Main
Winnipeg is a city that keeps its artistic secrets, and no one knows this better than Tony Eetak. He’s an artist, musician, and community builder who’s often made it his mission to find the surprising splashes of graffiti tucked away across the city. Forget the big, flashy murals; Tony’s interested in the “weird, scrappy stuff”—the crooked tags, tiny characters on utility boxes, and mysterious words spray-painted in spots most people walk right past.
He’s often out with his phone, snapping pictures of these fleeting urban artworks. His photo folders are a treasure trove of “odd creatures, cryptic messages, layers of paint half-covered and painted over again.”
But it’s not just about the pictures; it’s about the temporary nature of this art. Some pieces vanish quickly, scrubbed away by the city, while others stick around for months, fading in the sun or peeling with time. It’s an ongoing search for the “secret conversations” left behind by anonymous artists who just wanted to say something, even if no one knew who they were. Tony sees it as “piecing together a strange, shifting map of the city — one that’s always changing, but still ours to find.”
Bridges: A Walk Through Winnipeg’s Connective Tissue
Tony’s artistic vision isn’t limited to graffiti. He’s also the force behind “Bridges,” a striking black and white photography exhibition. Titled Bridges of Winnipeg: Seen and Unseen, this small collection explores the quiet beauty of the city’s bridges—their skeletal structures, the way shadows play on them, and their often-overlooked corners.
“Bridges” is more than just a series of photos; it’s a “meditation.” Tony invites viewers on a “monochrome walk through the connective tissue of the city,” where each bridge isn’t just a structure but also a story waiting to be told.
Tony Eetak’s passion for art shines through his work as a photographer, musician, and visual artist. As a founding member of The Arts Incubator, he’s spent years collaborating and volunteering on various arts projects with groups like the Arviat Film Society and Global Dignity Canada. His dedication even earned him recognition as a National Role Model by Global Dignity Canada in 2023.
Building on support from organizations like the Canada Council for the Arts and the Manitoba Arts Council, Tony continues to uncover and highlight the hidden stories and unexpected beauty that make Winnipeg unique.
