Getting ready for the next exhibit in the Toronto Sculpture Garden
On my way to work today, I noticed what appear to be the beginnings of a fresh installment in the Toronto Sculpture Garden.
Nestled on the east side of La Maquette restaurant at Church and King Streets, just opposite the St. James Cathedral, this little al fresco gallery has served as home over the years to a number of artistic displays; such as an artist’s studio in the shape of a giant mushroom and, more recently, a 1970s-inspired Disco Fallout Shelter.
These structures have, over the last 12 months or so, both delighted and intrigued passers-by, as they make their way to the office or stroll around the city in hopes of discovering such gems in their role as tourists.
There’s a waterfall that flows down the side of the wall just through and to the left of the main entrance to the Sculpture Garden. It looks as if the way is being paved here (or boarded, to be more precise) for yet another sculpture; right now, there’s a wooden platform currently under construction directly beneath the waterfall.
According to the Sculpture Garden website, the soon-to-be-revealed piece of art is to be named Bear Hunt, a work by Dean Drever, a Haida artist who was born in Edmonton but who now lives in Toronto.
Drever’s piece will depict four orange bear figures as they move towards the wall, passing through the water, into the stonework, and whatever world lies beyond.
October 28 is the launch date for this new exhibit.
Update: And here are the bears!
Bear Hunt
The Disco Fallout Shelter in Toronto's Sculpture Garden
…there goes the neighbourhood!
In actual fact, it’s the latest installment for Toronto’s Sculpture Garden in downtown King East. This particular artistic iteration—by Toronto/Vancouver-based artist collective Instant Coffee—is named the Disco Fallout Shelter (DFS) and is meant to represent “a glitzed-up and powder coated re-articulation of these prolific and often makeshift mid-twentieth century places built from fear.”
As you approach the shelter, you see a video screen showing images of the (supposed) people inside, doing whatever they would normally do should the world fall under the thrall of a nuclear winter. Walking towards the DSF along the bright yellow path, you hear the deep bass sound of dance music emanating from the two sparkling doors to the shelter.
It’s really quite conspicuous as I walk by the garden on the way to work, which it’s supposed to be, I guess. It is art after all.
I wonder if I’ll see Frodo emerge one day, dressed in ’80s disco spandex?
The Mushroom Studio, by Katie Bethune-Leamen
I’ve been meaning to post this photo for some time, but my regular camera broke a few weeks ago so all I’m left with right now is the camera on my phone, and the quality isn’t too good. Anyway, it’s a photo taken in the Toronto Sculpture Garden, which I pass every day on my way to work, and it’s a giant mushroom (specifically, Amanita pantherina) currently on display, which is actually a working studio for Canadian artist Katie Bethune-Leamen. The art pieces in the garden change every 6-12 months, or so, and this is the exhibit du jour.
Isn’t that a cool place to work, even if a bit cramped? I keep expecting to see a giant, hookah-smoking caterpillar sitting on top of it one day, as I walk by on my way to the office.
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