A week of the arts in Toronto
Seven events from the last week in the city of creativity.
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Nuit Blanche 2010: Aurora
Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s all-night arts event with giant installations and independent projects scattered across the city.
I must confess that we were a little bemused by the programme. After wandering down Queen East without finding much, we couldn’t help laughing when one slightly worse-for-wear Torontonian stopped another in the street at around 2am to ask, "Where is the art?"
However, we did manage to find some fantastic pieces. The highlight was Aurora, an interactive piece made from lights, dangling wires, feathery shapes and glass. The Royal Conservatory of Music was too crowded for the sculpture to properly respond to the individual viewers, but it was an impressive spectacle nonetheless.
Toronto Sculpture Garden: Primary Prototypes
Randall Anderson’s new exhibition opened at the Toronto Sculpture Garden on October 6th. Despite being present with an official-looking notebook in hand, I failed to blag my way into the launch party (free cheese and wine on the terrace).
However, I did get to the see the exhibit. It consists of three large geometric shapes in the primary colours rested on silver trailers. An exploration of mobility and the incessant movement of people, information and meaning, I initially wanted to describe them as oversized children’s toys. And perhaps I was not so far from the truth. Anderson claims in his notes to the piece that he was inspired by his near-nomadic lifestyle when growing up.
Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s all-night arts event with giant installations and independent projects scattered across the city.
I must confess that we were a little bemused by the programme. After wandering down Queen East without finding much, we couldn’t help laughing when one slightly worse-for-wear Torontonian stopped another in the street at around 2am to ask, "Where is the art?"
However, we did manage to find some fantastic pieces. The highlight was Aurora, an interactive piece made from lights, dangling wires, feathery shapes and glass. The Royal Conservatory of Music was too crowded for the sculpture to properly respond to the individual viewers, but it was an impressive spectacle nonetheless.
Toronto Sculpture Garden: Primary Prototypes
Randall Anderson’s new exhibition opened at the Toronto Sculpture Garden on October 6th. Despite being present with an official-looking notebook in hand, I failed to blag my way into the launch party (free cheese and wine on the terrace).
However, I did get to the see the exhibit. It consists of three large geometric shapes in the primary colours rested on silver trailers. An exploration of mobility and the incessant movement of people, information and meaning, I initially wanted to describe them as oversized children’s toys. And perhaps I was not so far from the truth. Anderson claims in his notes to the piece that he was inspired by his near-nomadic lifestyle when growing up.
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Thompson Landry Gallery: Jean-Pierre LaFrance’s Identity
Widely considered to be Montreal’s greatest abstract artist, LaFrance’s new series Identity is a departure from some of his earlier works. By allowing human figures to rise to the surface, he has created a range of dynamic, haunting pieces. Half-faces and sculpted heads peer out, and some of the works still have the paintbrushes attached.
Jean-Pierre attended the Nuit Blanche preview, looking suitably comfortable surrounded by interested collectors and art enthusiasts, and trailed by a journalist. A full exhibition will open in the Co-operage Space on November 11th.
Widely considered to be Montreal’s greatest abstract artist, LaFrance’s new series Identity is a departure from some of his earlier works. By allowing human figures to rise to the surface, he has created a range of dynamic, haunting pieces. Half-faces and sculpted heads peer out, and some of the works still have the paintbrushes attached.
Jean-Pierre attended the Nuit Blanche preview, looking suitably comfortable surrounded by interested collectors and art enthusiasts, and trailed by a journalist. A full exhibition will open in the Co-operage Space on November 11th.
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Royal Ontario Museum: El Anatsui and the Terracotta Army
The ROM won me over long ago with its stunning reef tank. I’m easily entertained. But during my visit this week I tore myself away to enjoy the current special exhibits.
When I Last Wrote To You About Africa is a retrospective of the career of El Anatsui, an artist I had not previously encountered. He works mainly with discarded materials, making bottle tops into drapes, lumps of wood into sculptures orphans and milk can lids into mountains and waves. His pieces are reflective, colourful and playful, leaving lots of creative freedom to the installers (as is evident in this video). The appeal of the pieces is in their texture – sharp metal is used to make soft curving shapes that draw the eye to their dips and bends. My personal favourite is Open(ing) Market, in which rows and rows of tiny boxes are displayed partially open. Each individual box is a commission from a local artist, and they are decorated both inside and out. The effect is stunning – visually exciting and intricate – if a little hypnotising.
The Chinese Terracotta Army was equally impressive, although only a few members were in attendance. Imagining the full number, size and scale is mind-boggling.
The ROM won me over long ago with its stunning reef tank. I’m easily entertained. But during my visit this week I tore myself away to enjoy the current special exhibits.
When I Last Wrote To You About Africa is a retrospective of the career of El Anatsui, an artist I had not previously encountered. He works mainly with discarded materials, making bottle tops into drapes, lumps of wood into sculptures orphans and milk can lids into mountains and waves. His pieces are reflective, colourful and playful, leaving lots of creative freedom to the installers (as is evident in this video). The appeal of the pieces is in their texture – sharp metal is used to make soft curving shapes that draw the eye to their dips and bends. My personal favourite is Open(ing) Market, in which rows and rows of tiny boxes are displayed partially open. Each individual box is a commission from a local artist, and they are decorated both inside and out. The effect is stunning – visually exciting and intricate – if a little hypnotising.
The Chinese Terracotta Army was equally impressive, although only a few members were in attendance. Imagining the full number, size and scale is mind-boggling.
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Spacing Toronto: Launch Party Fall 2010
When my all-new favourite magazine announced that they were holding a launch party to celebrate the release of their latest edition, I couldn’t resist joining them. Cocktails, Lego, mayoral hopefuls… what more could you ask for in a night out?
Spacing is interested in urban issues and public space – as are its devoted readers. I had enjoyed a psychogeographic stroll with Senior Editor Shawn Micallef earlier in the month at the Word on the Street festival, and his new book Stroll is a must for Toronto-based flâneurs.
Now I am ploughing through a pile of back-issues and adding their iconic TTC buttons to my Christmas list.
When my all-new favourite magazine announced that they were holding a launch party to celebrate the release of their latest edition, I couldn’t resist joining them. Cocktails, Lego, mayoral hopefuls… what more could you ask for in a night out?
Spacing is interested in urban issues and public space – as are its devoted readers. I had enjoyed a psychogeographic stroll with Senior Editor Shawn Micallef earlier in the month at the Word on the Street festival, and his new book Stroll is a must for Toronto-based flâneurs.
Now I am ploughing through a pile of back-issues and adding their iconic TTC buttons to my Christmas list.
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Magic Lantern Theatre, Carlton Street: Exit Through the Giftshop
Flicking through Toronto Life magazine, I noticed an article announcing that the Carlton Cinema had been re-opened. I was over-joyed. Not that I was here before it had closen, or re-opened, but because I saw that they offer tickets on Tuesday’s for $5. I was also interested to read that "the stereo and projection equipment hail from this century" and that "tellingly, no 3-D technology has been installed". So I dutifully went along to check it out for myself, and it was even better that I had been hoping for. Making attending the cinema an event again, we were greeted at the door by the sound of life piano music coming. We then nestled down to the 9.40pm screening of the latest Banksy film, with the entire screen to ourselves. While it was a luxury to be able to spread out, chat, and rustle during the film, it is a shame that more people weren’t making the most of the great prices.
If I had seen the trailer for the film beforehand, I might not have bothered to go. In fact, it turned out to be well worth the ninety minutes. Funny, absurd and intriguing, it tells the story of the recent street art phenomenon by telling the story of Thierry Guetta. Banksy turns the camera back on the faux-documentary maker to share his bizarre story. If you think you have never heard of Thierry Guetta, perhaps you will recognise this image, which he recently designed? Part of the joy of the film is its surprising arch and unexpected twists, so I shall refrain from revealing any of the plot. Suffice to say, it is odd and it will make you laugh.
Flicking through Toronto Life magazine, I noticed an article announcing that the Carlton Cinema had been re-opened. I was over-joyed. Not that I was here before it had closen, or re-opened, but because I saw that they offer tickets on Tuesday’s for $5. I was also interested to read that "the stereo and projection equipment hail from this century" and that "tellingly, no 3-D technology has been installed". So I dutifully went along to check it out for myself, and it was even better that I had been hoping for. Making attending the cinema an event again, we were greeted at the door by the sound of life piano music coming. We then nestled down to the 9.40pm screening of the latest Banksy film, with the entire screen to ourselves. While it was a luxury to be able to spread out, chat, and rustle during the film, it is a shame that more people weren’t making the most of the great prices.
If I had seen the trailer for the film beforehand, I might not have bothered to go. In fact, it turned out to be well worth the ninety minutes. Funny, absurd and intriguing, it tells the story of the recent street art phenomenon by telling the story of Thierry Guetta. Banksy turns the camera back on the faux-documentary maker to share his bizarre story. If you think you have never heard of Thierry Guetta, perhaps you will recognise this image, which he recently designed? Part of the joy of the film is its surprising arch and unexpected twists, so I shall refrain from revealing any of the plot. Suffice to say, it is odd and it will make you laugh.
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Thought Exchange: The Architecture of Culture with Professor Jennifer Carter
Thought Exchange is a new venture for Toronto Public Libraries, and it seems to be working. This week there was a good turn-out to hear Prof. Jennifer Carter (University of Toronto), who has devoted her career thus far to the study of cultural storehouses. In this lecture, subtitled ‘From Space to Place in Toronto’s Cultural Institutions’, she outlined the recent architectural Renaissance which the city has undergone in its bid to be defined not by its industry, but by its creativity. She took as case studies Toronto’s major museum, the ROM, and its major art gallery, the AGO.
The first has recently had its giant crystal addition, designed by Daniel Liebeskind. I have my own fondness for the Crystal, because when I very first approached the ROM from Queens Park Crescent (the site of main entrance during the 1930s), I commented on how unobtrusive it was. “You almost wouldn’t know that it was a museum”, I remarked. On turning the corner, I realised my mistake. The crystal is unmissable, jutting out over Bloor and creating a mini-plaza in front of the museum entrance.
I was particularly interested to make the connection between the outer face of the museum and the inner treasures. The ROM began is life partly as a palaeontology museum and it houses a remarkable collection of fossils from the Burgess Shale. Scientists study them in order to better understand a phenomenon called the Cambrian Explosion. So imagine my surprise in listening to Liebeskind on Radio 4, when co-guest Richard Weston compared the recent surge in absurd and elaborate architecture with the Cambrian Explosion. (Listen online in the In Our Time archive.)
I also love spending time in the Spirit House inside the crystal, particularly at 17.17pm, when the heavenly Qui is played:
"[Qui is] a 24-part canon […] inspired by the 15th-century choral piece Qui Habitat by Josquin Desprez. The voices behind Qui incorporate the many languages spoken by Canadians, according to those listed in 2002 census. One operatic tenor sings in Korean, another tenor born in South Africa sings a second alto part in Zulu, while someone else may sing in Romanian or
Finnish."
Dr. Carter then came on to discuss the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). It was redesigned by Frank Gehry, the man often held responsible for “the Biblao effect”. His re-design includes plenty of winding wooden staircases, and the upper floor opens up into a glass galleria, allowing stunning views of the city. Another visit is the first thing on my list of art events for the next week…
Thought Exchange is a new venture for Toronto Public Libraries, and it seems to be working. This week there was a good turn-out to hear Prof. Jennifer Carter (University of Toronto), who has devoted her career thus far to the study of cultural storehouses. In this lecture, subtitled ‘From Space to Place in Toronto’s Cultural Institutions’, she outlined the recent architectural Renaissance which the city has undergone in its bid to be defined not by its industry, but by its creativity. She took as case studies Toronto’s major museum, the ROM, and its major art gallery, the AGO.
The first has recently had its giant crystal addition, designed by Daniel Liebeskind. I have my own fondness for the Crystal, because when I very first approached the ROM from Queens Park Crescent (the site of main entrance during the 1930s), I commented on how unobtrusive it was. “You almost wouldn’t know that it was a museum”, I remarked. On turning the corner, I realised my mistake. The crystal is unmissable, jutting out over Bloor and creating a mini-plaza in front of the museum entrance.
I was particularly interested to make the connection between the outer face of the museum and the inner treasures. The ROM began is life partly as a palaeontology museum and it houses a remarkable collection of fossils from the Burgess Shale. Scientists study them in order to better understand a phenomenon called the Cambrian Explosion. So imagine my surprise in listening to Liebeskind on Radio 4, when co-guest Richard Weston compared the recent surge in absurd and elaborate architecture with the Cambrian Explosion. (Listen online in the In Our Time archive.)
I also love spending time in the Spirit House inside the crystal, particularly at 17.17pm, when the heavenly Qui is played:
"[Qui is] a 24-part canon […] inspired by the 15th-century choral piece Qui Habitat by Josquin Desprez. The voices behind Qui incorporate the many languages spoken by Canadians, according to those listed in 2002 census. One operatic tenor sings in Korean, another tenor born in South Africa sings a second alto part in Zulu, while someone else may sing in Romanian or
Finnish."
Dr. Carter then came on to discuss the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). It was redesigned by Frank Gehry, the man often held responsible for “the Biblao effect”. His re-design includes plenty of winding wooden staircases, and the upper floor opens up into a glass galleria, allowing stunning views of the city. Another visit is the first thing on my list of art events for the next week…
