Smash Burger Industries
December 2024
24” x 8" paper print, $30
Available for purchase at Toronto local markets and for free pick up in Downtown Toronto. Contact the artists for times and dates.
Custom Order Canvas:
24” x 8” canvas print, $110
Other larger sizes, available for custom order.
Available for free pick up in Downtown Toronto. Contact the artist for orders and details.
Prices do not include tax.
Smash Burger Industries is inspired by a local, family-owned burger shop called Simple Burger. The illustration was created for a mural at their second location. Seyda Telli the owner of Simple Burger has always made an effort to hire folks in her community, and as an immigrant herself recognizes the barriers for people who are trying to find work. You’ll find that most of the staff at Simple Burger, and many of the people that brought the restaurants to life, are Turkish. By working as a community, they have all benefited together. Seyda’s family and restaurant helped inspire the BIG FOOD Series and the meaning behind the little purple people. I am very proud to be a small part of their story.
The BIG FOOD series was developed after the artist painted a mural for a local business called Simple Burger in 2021. The people behind this family-owned spot inspired them to develop a larger series about small businesses, immigrant culture and the love language of food.
Small businesses work above and beyond to operate their shops and produce meals. Behind all of them are people working tirelessly devoting themselves to their businesses. Food feels a lot more precious when we see all the work that has gone into it.
Food is also a love language. It falls under “Acts of Service” and yet it could be entirely its own. Many cultures use food as a form of care and to develop stronger bonds with loved ones. It is what builds our cultures and gives us space to belong to, especially for folks away from their homes. Food paves the way for our communities and often defines what home feels like.
The BIG FOOD series is an unlimited illustration series and will continue to speak to these themes and represent a vast array of cultures and people. As of 2023, the series is comprised of eight illustrations, each inspired by a specific small business or story.