Explore Toronto: Bathurst Station Gets Honest Ed-ified!

Honest Ed's Art Installation at TTC Bathurst Station Review

The building at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst Streets, covered in tacky bright lights and funny hand-painted signs, need no introduction - every Torontonian knows of the giant discount retail store Honest Ed's. Whether you love it or hate it, Honest Ed's has become a huge part of Toronto's landscape and found a place within the city's heart. The long lines to purchase one of the coveted hand-painted signs are a testament to how far people will go to get a piece of Honest Ed's.

As a tribute to the iconic landmark, the TTC has transformed Bathurst Station, into a 'Honest Ed's-style installation commemorating the retail store and its former owner Ed Mirvish, and the impact that they had on the community and the city of Toronto.

Event!: An All-Night Art Party!

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto Recap

Last Saturday night was one of my favourite annual Toronto events - Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. I have been going to Nuit Blanche since I moved back to Toronto almost eight years ago and it fast became one my never-miss events. It's an all-night celebration of contemporary art and the Toronto itself - two of my favourite things!

Over the years, I have seen some amazing installations and some that just made me scratch my head. I always strive to visit at least ten large installations and if I enjoyed half of them, I call the night a success. I usually see more than ten, stopping along my way at small renegade installations that dot the city's major walkways.

Explore Toronto: Coupland and The City!

Several Toronto Public Art Installations by Douglas Coupland Review

Now that is had been a few months since the ending of the Douglas Coupland invasion of Toronto with two major exhibitions at MOCCA and the ROM, you might be going through Coupland withdrawal. Don't fret, I've got you covered!

Monument to The War of 1812, 2008

There are so many amazing pubic art installations in Toronto, especially downtown. A while back I had the opportunity to join a walking art tour organized by MOCCA, and tour a small part of Toronto and learn about some of Douglas Coupland's amazing art displayed for all to see!

Explore Toronto: Hauntingly Beautiful Memorial to Irish Immigrants!

Ireland Park Review

Along the waterfront, at the bottom of Bathurst Street lies one of my favourite public art installations in Toronto. Nestled between the abandoned Canada Malting Silos, Lake Ontario and a construction barricade is one of the most serene and heartbreaking places in Toronto - Ireland Park.

Until recently, I was among the many that never knew Ireland Park even existed. It opened in 2007 and then closed in 2010 for several years due to surrounding construction. A few months ago, I heard about an Irish monument down by the harbourfront, so last St. Patrick's Day a friend and I decided to go in search of it. And I'm so glad I did.

Explore Toronto: Coupland Celebrates Canadian Heroes at Canoe Landing Park!

Toronto's Canoe Landing Park and Public Art Installations Review

A few weeks ago I enjoyed a walking art tour organized by MOCCA and led by Betty Ann Jordan from Art InSite and Ben Mills from Public Art Management. The tour explored various public art installations near the Gardiner expressway that included several installations designed by Douglas Coupland. I have always known that Toronto has alot of public art (I walk by several every day), but I really had no idea of the amount of amazing art by world renowned artists are on display for free, throughout the city.

Bobber Plaza, 2009

Art tours and guided city walks are a great way to learn more about Toronto and all it has to offer. MOCCA's Douglas Coupland Tour packed in so many amazing art installations, that for this post I'm going to focus on one of my favourite outdoor spaces in Toronto from the tour - Canoe Landing Park.

Exhibit: Douglas Coupland is everywhere in Toronto!

Douglas Coupland's Gumhead and MOCCA Exhibition Review

If you have walked down Bloor Street West in Toronto's Yorkville area, you might have noticed the huge head covered in chewed up gum pieces in the new Holt Renfrew Men's store window. It's not a new and upcoming crazy fashion design, but a large bust of famous Canadian artist and writer Douglas Coupland. Beside the head are free bubble gum machines, where people are free to take a piece of gum and after chewing it, are encouraged to literally 'stick it to the man'.

Gumhead at Holt Renfrew Men

Gumhead is part of the large multi-venue exhibition Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything that is presented by both the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

Event: White Night, Big City!

Toronto Nuit Blanche Culture & Art Event Recap

Last Saturday night was one of my favourite Toronto events: Nuit Blanche. And even though I was battling a bad cold and completely exhausted from working overtime at my job, I bundled up and went out to enjoy a night of free art.

Safe Space, Drake Hotel

Since 2006, Nuit Blanche is a magical night when the city of Toronto is transformed into a giant museum. I have been going to Nuit Blanche since the second year it started here in Toronto and have seen it change and evolve into the huge event it is now.

Explore Toronto: Strolling Through the Solar System While Enjoying the Many Charms of Toronto!

Walkable Planets Community Art Project Review

There are so many cool and interesting things to do and places to explore in Toronto. So many that even Torontonians don't know about them all or haven't visited them, like the Toronto Public Labyrinth. A great way to explore and learn about this amazing city is to take part in organized tours. 

 

There are a lot of city and site specific tours that cost money, like The Steam Whistle Brewing Tour. But a unique and economical way to explore Toronto is to take advantage of one of the many free walking tours, both guided by volunteers or self-guided, organized by Jane's Walk. Jane's Walk was founded in Toronto by a group of friends and colleagues of Jane Jacobs, who "believed in walkable neighbourhoods, urban literacy, and cities planned for and by people."  Jane's Walk organizes free locally led walking tours "in which people get together to explore, talk about, and celebrate their neighbourhoods" in over 100 cities across the globe. Please visit Jane's Walk to find out more information on walks around Toronto and other cities.

Exhibit: CONTACT Displays Desert Air + Touching Strangers!

Two CONTACT Exhibitions Review

If you haven't heard during the whole month of May, Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, the world's largest photography event is happening in Toronto. There are hundreds of events, exhibition and installations happening right across the city. Over the next few weeks, I will be visiting and posting about several of the CONTACT exhibits.

Event: All Night At Toronto's Giant Museum!

Nuit Blanche Art Event Recap

Last Saturday, the city of Toronto turned into an all night art museum, free to the public from sunset to sundown. This yearly event, called Nuit Blanche, is one of the reason's I love this city. I've been participating in Nuit Blanche since 2007, the year I moved back to Toronto. And I have enjoyed this event every year since.

This I Build For You, Performance and Installation by David R. Harper

Plastic Bags Sculpture by Pascale Marthine Tayou