Inside Toronto’s “Artists of Air” Event

Nike Toronto held a Nike Air Gallery for four local artists, celebrating the Air Max 270 and also serving as a platform to showcase the artists’ creativity, passion and community. Held on Air Max Day, the space held a series of art installations, interactive stations for the public, and a chance to grab a variety of Nike-branded memorabilia for $3.26 each (get the reference?). Look below to see more photos from the recent media preview session!

Introducing the Four Artists of Air:

Mike Sunday

Toronto native, Mike Sunday hates standing still. Between traveling and trying new food, he’s a product and motion designer. As a Nike Artist of Air, he wants to inspire others with his passion for sneaker culture and share his unique vision to the world.

Maria Qamar

While most kids would resort to writing a journal to deal with their feelings, Qamar turned to art, creating comic strips in her sketchbook. Today, Qamar, is known as the artist Hatecopy — whose Lichtenstein-style posts on desi oddities have racked up over one hundred thousand followers on Instagram and found fans in Mindy Kaling and Lena Dunham.

The central characters in Hatecopy are aunties — the judgmental tribe offering unsolicited advice, and the artwork hilariously depicts the struggles of south Asian immigrants in the west.

When asked about her collaboration with Nike for Air Max Day, she responded “The creative was easy – who wouldn’t want to merge their culture with Nikes!”

Corey Moranis

Corey Moranis is a Canadian artist specializing in Lucite jewelry. Her pieces are created by hand, with individual care and attention. Corey loves working with Lucite because of its playful nature and mesmerizing light effects.

The inspiration behind her collaboration with Nike came from the Air Max 270’s design and colour palette. The result is fun, modern, and translucent jewelry that echoes the look and energy of the 270’s uniquely cushioned heel.

Corey’s fabrication process uses hot and cold air to create the flowing shapes seen in her accessories. They are surprisingly light in weight and appearance and are a perfect pairing with the 270’s sleek and active qualities.

Hallie Tut

18-year old Hallie Tut is a Toronto-based multimedia artist who is inspired by nostalgic vibrant neon and the meaning of compassion in the 21st century. She is at the forefront of the city’s artistic youth movement and is incredibly passionate about giving a voice to her generation.

Inspired by 80s sci-fi graphics and the unique shape and colours of the Air Max 270, Hallie created a series of images that mesh her signature style with Nike’s vision of moving the city forward.

Peep more from the Toronto Air space below.