What muralist and artist Kevin Ledo sees in the walls of Montreal

For Kevin Ledo, the self-described 'muralist fine artist,' Montreal has served as a canvas where his monumental portraits stare back at the city they call home. But the path to becoming one of the city’s most recognizable muralists today, thanks to his works, was far from direct.

Raised in the West Island, Ledo’s early life revolved around contrasts: the traditional values of his Azorean family and the freedoms of growing up, whether that was throwing underground raves in his twenties—a part of his life he still explores in part today under the name Yo Photon!—or teaching English in Taiwan to pay off debts and recalibrate his dreams.

“Public art has power. It’s a chance to express something meaningful, whether it’s celebrating diversity or amplifying the voices of unsung heroes.”