Our Picks for Top 6 Outdoor Art Installations
Summer’s here, and with COVID cases declining and some restrictions being lifted, you may feel ready to rejoin the world. But, if you prefer baby steps – outdoor experiences only – it’s totally understandable.
So, to help you reconnect with your city, and to rediscover Toronto’s vibrancy, here are six of our favourite outdoor art installations.
THE WATER GUARDIANS, Canary District – West Donlands
Designed by Daniel Borins and Jennifer Marmon, The Water Guardians integrates art, landscape and play in a concept that is both serious and whimsical. With bouncy ground plane and graphic form and colour, the artwork’s aesthetic speaks readily to children in a playful way. The artwork acts also acts as a bridge between the nearby man-made water feature and the real Don River that flows beyond the end of Front Street, while the absence of actual water hints at a natural resource to be protected.
BANKSY, Goose Island Brewhouse – The Esplanade
Anonymous street artist, Banksy, has left his mark on Toronto’s downtown several times over the years. While most have been painted over, this one survived. Located in a little alley on the west side of Church Street, just north of The Esplanade, it was discovered, authenticated and protected under plexiglass. Surprisingly, despite its renowned pedigree, it may be the city’s most overlooked piece of art, as thousands of people walk past it daily without ever taking notice.
SYMBOLIC PEACE, Distillery District – Downtown
Symbolic Peace is a laser cut, cold rolled steel sculpture by Studio Rosenblatt and located in a laneway in the Distillery History District. It is representative of individuals and communities living together despite their superficial differences. In the wake of the horrific events in London, Ontario this spring, it serves as a poignant reminder of what make Canada one of the best countries in the world. Let’s do our part to protect those values.
STARGATE, 150 + 155 Redpath – Mid-town
At the south-west and south-east corners of Redpath and Broadway, in Toronto’s Yonge-Eglinton neighbourhood, sits STARGATE, an alien-inspired installation by Toronto/Krakow based artist Blue Republic. Consisting of yellow and blue interstellar creatures, each weighing thousands of pounds, STARGATE draws its inspiration from Toronto’s diversity. It is one of the most distinct and boundary pushing installations you’ll find in the 416.
LIMELIGHT, Lee-Lifeson Art Park – Willowdale
Limelight is a glass mosaic sculpture by Paul Raff Studio based on the principle of the parabolic reflector. The complex, shell-like form captures the sound of the performers on stage and projects it towards the audience. A mysterious presence in the park, Limelight invokes the communicative power of performance.
SCULPTURE GARDEN, York Cemetery – North York
Hidden at the far west end of York Cemetery between off Senlac Road, sits a stunning sculpture garden in a Chinese Buddhist style. Currently it’s unmarked and there’s no writeup on the cemetery website, so we can’t say much about its origins. However, with its idyllic setting atop the West Don Ravine, the sculpture garden offers respite from the city and an oft-needed opportunity for quiet reflection.
