What was once a dingy downtown corridor is now a vibrant mural after a cross-cultural exchange brought national and international artists together.

The massive mural, in the brick tunnel on King Street between Clarence and Wellington streets, was inaugurated yesterday by Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best.

Six Argentine muralists and three from Vancouver painted the work measuring about 100 metres long and more than four metres high.

The concept was conceived by members of La Raza Group, an art collective interested in the public and social dimensions of art in the urban landscape.

"Art is like food. It breaks down barriers, said Gerald Pedros of La Raza. "You don't really need to know what it's saying. I don't need to be a chef to enjoy food."

The project, proposed in June, took about two weeks to paint.

"It's amazing," said muralist Daniel Zimmermann of Buenos Aires as he stared at the final product. "It was a big project."

The mural depicts indigenous Argentine flora and fauna and also reflects the Argentines' experience in the Forest City, said Londoner Sylvia Curtis-Norcross, also of La Raza.

She and Pedros spent time in Argentina last year where they worked on murals with Canadian and local artists.

The mural has brought "culture and art" to the city and has helped revitalize the downtown, DeCicco-Best said.

"It is certainly something we are proud to display."