Posts Tagged ‘people’

Another month, another walk through Graffiti Alley.
As usual, there were some new things that I noticed and here is a sample. 

below: This big guy sits where Batman was just a few weeks ago.

Street art painting of a large rodent like creature sitting Brown, furry, little paws, small feature on face,

below:  Little town scene by Peru with a poser bunny beside.

Street art piece by Peru of the word Peru written in block letters but also used as the backbone of a city scene of stylized little houses with red roofs. The painting has a little truck in front of the houses with the word waistoid on it. Street art Poser bunny to the left.

below: The flu hating rapper

A character in a white lab coat and with spikey grey hair, street art painting. He's hold a microphone to his mouth. The words say Flu Hating Rapper

A street art painting of a man wearing a cap, he's painted standing between two windows with metal grilles over them.

below: Shanghai Toronto 2015

Bright red street art wavy and curly lines on blue and purple toned background.

below:  Lovebot is on the move

large wheatpaste lovebot on a wall that's been painted sky blue. 3D lovebot looks like he's running or jumping.

Street art, tag like painting in white with green and blue and black in the background. On a wall in an alley PHLS ATC

below: Stikman in green and grey

Stickman on a wall with green and grey spray paint on top of him and around him

The corner of a two storey building in Graffiti Alley, photo taken so that both sides of the building are visible. On one side is a group of poser bunnies in brown and white with red background on the lower flooor and a blck lovebot with red heart on the upper floor. On the other side of the corner is a Uber5000 bird above and something that's been tagged over on the bottom.

street art painting of a man with a fat cigar in his mouth, wearing a hat, carrying a briefcase, wearing a suit jacket and tie. Words written in cursive beside him say Love Smelling Daisies.

below:  Any idea what she might be holding in her hands?

Stencil graffiti, black paint on grey wall, of a seated woman holding something in her hands. At first I thought she was holding a camera close to her face but I'm not sure.

Narrow street art painting of a smoking gun sticking out of a hole in a wall.

Inside Out, a global art project
with more than 250,000 portraits in 124 countries

This project came Toronto as an extended Nuit Blanche installation.

Two men are holding up a large black and white photo of the head and shoulders of one of the men that has just been printed

Starting a few days before Nuit Blanche the Inside Out mobile Photobooth was parked at Nathan Phillips Square.  Anyone who was interested could have their picture taken – a digital copy was emailed to each participant and a large black and white copy was printed within minutes.  The photos were collected and then used to make one large image, a series of concentric circles in the center of the square.

A picture of the mobile photoprinting booth that was used for the Inside Out global art project at Nathan Phillips Square. Some people are waiting in line to have their picture taken.

Two people are holding up a black and white photo of a girl's face. She has her fingers up to her eyes in an owl face. The man holding the photo is making the same face.
below:  Getting ready for Nuit Blanche at Nathan Phillips Square

A group of young people are using brooms and sqeegees to glue blackand white photos of peoples faces onto the concrete of Nathan Phillips Square

A group of young people are using brooms and sqeegees to glue blackand white photos of peoples faces onto the concrete of Nathan Phillips Square

Concentric circles of black and white photos are being glued to the concrete at Nathan Phillips Square, overview, photo taken from the upper level.

below: Nathan Phillips Square at Nuit Blanche

a group of people is gluing pictures to the concrete while many people look on, most are behind barricades, night time

view of the Inside Out Project at Nathan Phillips Square on Nuit Blanche 2015

below: The side of the ramp to the upper level was also covered with photos.

A group of people pose beside a wall that is covered with pictures, nuit blanche, night time.

black and white photos of peoples faces glued to a wall, part of Inside Out Project in Toronto

below: … as was the south side of the 3D Toronto sign.

3D Toronto sign covered with black and white pictures of people, at night, at Nuit Blanche when there were a lot of people standing around it.

below:  The Inside Out Project remained after Nuit Blanche.

Two photos that are glued on the O of the 3D Toronto sign. One is of a man in Blue Jays T shirt and one is of a ayoung man with his hands on his cheeks and a wide eyed, open mouthed look of astonishment on his face. Toronto city hall is in the background

Three people sit on the bench beside the fountain at Nathan Phillips Square. Their backs are to the camera, they are looking towards the 3D Toronto sign that is covered with black and white photos for Inside Out project. Toronto city hall is in the background

A seagull stands on photos of people that are glued to the concrete

Nathan Phillips Square after Nuit Blanche when Inside Out projects are still on the ground, and a farmers market is going on around it.

below: There were a number of other sites around the city that participated in this project including  a wall at Mel Lastman Square in North York.

A wall alongside a sidewalk ramp is covered with black and white photos of people's faces.

below: There was also a wall on the southwest side of Coxwell subway station that was covered.

exterior concrete wall covered with black and white photos of people

exterior concrete wall covered with black and white photos of people

#IOPToronto | #snb2015 | #snbTO | #share3DTO

Lots more info about Inside Out can be found here.

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It would be fun to write a post about the winning ways of the Blue Jays and up until two days ago I could have.  After a great ending to the baseball season, the Blue Jays entered the playoffs with back to back afternoon games against the Texas Rangers here in Toronto.   Yesterday the Rangers beat us 5 to 3.  Again today, the Blue Jays lost by two runs but this time it took 14 innings, or close to 5 hours.

The Rogers Centre holds just over 49,000 people and it was filled to capacity both days.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - many people on the stairs to the east of the stadium, and many people waiting in the square below, trying to get into the stadium through gate 6.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a woman gets the words Go Jays Go painted onto her cheek in blue and white paint

young man wearing Toronto Blue Jays light blue jersey, and he's wearing a  blue jays flag as a cape that is billowing out from behind him.  Other young men are around him, on their way to baseball game.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a young man wearing a Jays grey T-shirt break dances in front of a5 man drum band who are all wearing blue Blue Jays T-shirts. There are many fans watching them play.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a group of men buy baseball caps from a vendor outside the stadium.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a man in Blue Jays shirt and cap is being interviewed by CHCH TV

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a young woman poses with a man dressed in a chicken costume and a Blue Jays T-shirt

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a sea of heads, people waiting in line to get into the stadium.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - a man watches over the crowd

A man wearing a white Blue Jays uniform plays the drums while an onlooker poses beside him for a picture.

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - security guards checking the people entering through gates 10 and 11 at the Rogers Centre for a baseball game

Before a Blue Jays baseball game at the ROgers Centre - the crowd waits in line to get into the stadium, with a statue of Ted Rogers standing over the people

The next two games of the American League Division Series are scheduled to be played in Texas on Sunday and Monday.  If a fifth game is needed (it’s a best of five series), it will played in Toronto on the 14th of October, next Wednesday.
Keep your fingers crossed!

Totally unexpected… walked past Yonge Dundas Square this afternoon and happened upon Shopper’s Drug Mart’s 15th birthday party for their Optimum program.   There was a DJ, music playing, and a couple of people dancing.  There were acrobats but I just missed their performance.  The main attraction was a large clear plastic bubble filled with many bits of coloured paper the people were lining up for…. a life sized confetti globe.

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Once inside, people were posing for photographs.

Two women stand inside a large clear plastic bubble with many bits of coloured paper. They are posing for a photograph.

Pictures were printed on the spot for those who wanted them.

A man stands inside a large clear plastic bubble with many bits of coloured paper. He is posing for a photograph. In the foreground is part of the back of the photographer, his camera, and the laptop showing the photo.

It was also part of a contest for gift cards and vacations.

A woman stands inside a large clear plastic bubble with many bits of coloured paper. She is posing for a photograph.

A boy stands inside a large clear plastic bubble with many bits of coloured paper. He is batting at the papers and smiling.

I didn’t go in the bubble but I did score a loot bag by showing my Optimum card.
I now have some candy and a small bottle of brown nail polish.

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#15daysofhappy

At Allan Lambert Gallery, Brookfield Place,
winning photos from the 58th World Press Photo Contest

Winning images chosen from 97,912 photographs taken by 5,692 photographers from 131 countries.

Three people are looking at a series of photographs on display. One of the photos is a boat carrying refugees, taken from above, the boat is packed full

below:  Taken by Andy Rocchelli of Italy, part of his series of ‘Russian Interiors’ portraits. There were 10 photographs in the series, three of which are shown here (well, two and a half).  All were of women.

Three pictures on white board on display in the Allan Lambert gallery in Brookfield Place. Behind the board is the stone facade of the old bank building.

below:  One of the multitude of Chinese migrant laborers, a factory worker in in Yiwu China. His job is to coat polystyrene snowflakes with red powder.  There are 600 factories in Yiwu and they produce 60% of the world’s Christmas decorations.  Photo by Ronghui Chen, second prize winner in the Contemporary Issues category.

A picture of a photograph taken in a red room of a young man wearing a Santa Claus hat and a blue jacket.

 

below: The three winning photographs from the Sports (Singles) category.  The predominant photo is the second prize photo; it is a photo of Odell Beckham of the New York Giants making a one handed touchdown catch, taken by Al Bello.  The winning sports photo is the one on the far left.  It is a photo of Argentine football player Lionel Messi receiving the Golden Ball trophy at the World Cup in Brazil, taken by Bao Tailiang.   In the middle is a picture of Philip Hughes, a cricket batsman who was hit on the head by a ball during a game, taken by Mark Metcalfe.

Picture taken at night. The light source is from lights in the floor. Three photographs are on display, part of a larger exhibit of winning photography from around the world. The three shown here are sports photos. The main one being a football player catching a pass.

people looking at photographs, the winning pictures from the World Press Photo contest, on display at Brookfield Place

people looking at photographs, the winning pictures from the World Press Photo contest, on display at Brookfield Place

people looking at photographs, the winning pictures from the World Press Photo contest, on display at Brookfield Place

World Press Photo contest winners, sign cautioning people that the section they are about to enter has some disturbing images in it.

people looking at photographs, the winning pictures from the World Press Photo contest, on display at Brookfield Place

below: The winning photo, by Danish photographer, Mads Nissen of Jon and Alex, a gay couple, sharing an intimate moment at Alex’s home, a small apartment in St Petersburg, Russia. (It looks better in real life!)

A photo by Mads Nissen, the winning photograph of the 58th World Press Photography Contest, Jon and Alex , two men, one lyng on his back and the other sitting beside him. The greenish curtains in the background dominate the picture.

Renfrew Place, near Queen Street West and University Avenue.

Another alley, another collection of graffiti and street art.

below: Lovebot strides over speed bump warnings.

A yellow sign warning of speed bumps in the lane has a big lovebot sticker in the middle of it. Buildings in the background.

Street art on an alley garage that covers the whole of the front including garage door and entranceway. On the entrance door is a greenish horned three eyed, big teeth monster

rasr tag on the upper story of a building in an alley . another tag under it that also covers a door.

door in an alley is covered with a street art piece in golds, reds and white

back of a building in an alley, beside a parked car, is covered with swirls of pink, orange and yellow street art. There are a couple of abstract faces in the swirls.

back of a building in an alley is covered with swirls of pink, orange and yellow street art. There are a couple of abstract faces in the swirls.

Two signs on a wall covered in street art in pinks, yellows and oranges. One sign is a Tow Zone sign, i.e. no parking. The other sign has an arrow pointing to Queen mother bar garden.

below: The Korean Grill House restaurant is at the corner of Queen West and McCaul.

The back of the Korean Grill House restaurant, and the alley that its in. There is lots of street art on it. Two red garbage bins are also in the picture and they too have graffiti on them.

below:  This mural by elicsr is on the corner of Renfrew Place and John Street.

a mural by artist elicsr on the side of a convenience store. The side of the building faces an alley. A large man and woman are in the mural and they are wearing red crowns. The woman has a young girl sitting in her arms. There is another man in the mural, he covers the back entrance to the building.

two pictures, both part of a mural by elicsr. On the left is a man in a brown and olive green adidas jacket. He is wearing a brown baseball cap with the letters ELX on it. On the right is a picture of a woman with her arm wrapped around a young girl. She is writing a letter.

A painting of Frida Kahlo on a wall. Larger than life size. She has a purple shawl around her shoulders.

line drawing of a dinosaur on a wall beside a door.

A street art piece in grey tones with some black and white, by gino.graffiti (that is how he has signed it). Done in 2015. In an alley beside a black metal door.

The back of a couple of buildings in an alley, covered with graffit, mostly tags. One says Herbs and another says Near. A beige car is parked there too.

A street art painting is wearing away revealing the red brick underneath. A pink bunny is still partly visible. The word gwap is written above the rabbit's ears.

the demolition of a building has made it easier to see some street art and signs on the upper part of the side of a building. One is the word Alveno (or maybe Alvend) written in large block letters. Another is a colourful geometric design.

On Saturday afternoon there was a small rally under the trees of Queens Park.  It was attended by a number of Toronto federal NDP candidates and it was about repealing bill C-51.   C-51 has been called the Anti-Terrorism Bill although it’s full name is:  “An Act to enact the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts.”

It was passed in June of this year by the Conservative government with support of the Liberals.  The NDP and Green party have been against this bill since the beginning.  Part of the NDP platform for the present federal election is the promise to repeal Bill C-51 if they are form the next government.

A group of NDP candidates from the GTA including Andrew Cash, Peggy Nash, Akil Sadikali, and Jennifer Hollett,are standing together. Olivia Chow is addressing the small crowd that has come to the rally to repeal Bill C 51. One of the candidates is holding a Tom Mulcair sign.

A woman reporter is talking to another woman at a protest rally. The woman being interviewed is holding a sign that says Thought Police, looks like you've had too much to think

Some people at a protest rally. Two young men are holding signs. One sign says Dump Harper Scrap CSIS. The other sign says People's needs not corporate greed.

Two women are holding up signs protesting Bill C 51.

A statue of the Canadian poet Al Purdy sitting in a park. A girl looking at a smartphone is standing by its feet.

 

 

Jesus in the City parade 
They walked north from Queens Park to Bloor, south on Yonge, and then back across College to Queens Park and they walked with exuberance and joy.

A young black man is holding a banner in a parade. He is looking upwards. Other people around him are also holding banners. The banners are gold and each one has the name of a book of the bible on it.

Many people holding a long banner at the start of a parade. The banner says Jesus in the city. This is the name of the parade.

below: The man who played Jesus was very good
The cold hard pavement couldn’t have been easy on his body.

Four men are reenacting Jesus being taken by the Romans for crucifixion. A man is on the ground while the Roman soldiers whip and beat him. A cross is lying on the ground too. A group of upset women onlookers (part of the acting) follow behind. Part of the Jesus in the city parade.

A group dressed in red t-shirts blowing horns

Four women wearing long ruffled skirts in white, red and yellow, swishing their skirts side to side as they walk in a parade

Two women in blue t-shirts are holding a banner in a parade. Others are walking with them. The banner says Jesus Christ in large red letters. There are smaller words in blue below that are a verse from Matthew that starts with Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. The group is from the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry

Three girls riding on a float in the Jesus in the CIty parade.

A man wearing a t-shirt that says Jesus in the City Celebration on the back. He is holding a young girl who is wearing a jacket with a hood that has little ears on it.

A woman poses with a red, yellow and green striped flag as she walks in a parade

A black man is wearing a yellow sign around his neck. It says Sing aloud unto God our strength make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Three young women pose with a heart that they have made out of two long skinny balloons.

A group of young people are walking in a parade. Some are waving to the camera. One girl is holding a banner with just the word Jesus on it.

Two young black women on a float in a parade. One has her arms outstretched wide as she sings along with some music. Under them is a sign that says Jesus is the Rock.

Some women are waving large coloured flags. A purple flag, and a green flag are the ones in the foreground.

some people wearing white robes and large gold angel wings are walking in a parade. Three of them are holding signs. The first signs says Jesus Saves. The second sign says Jesus is the only way to heaven. The third sign says Avoid hell repent trust Jesus today.

An older black woman with a very big smile is holding a sign that says Jesus is the Savior of the world. She is walking in the Jesus in the City parade in Toronto.

Kids dressed up in colourful costumes and walking in a parade

A group of people, mostly young and mostly Asian, are walking in a parade. One is holding a sign that says Jesus loves you. Another person is holding a sign that says Jesus is Savior.

A line of Japanese women in kimonos are carrying large open fans above the heads. The fans have big pink flowers on them as well as a pink feathery border.

An Asian man driving a truck waves to the camera.

Two boys are holding a brown banner that says Jesus is holy, love, rightousness. A group of Asian people are walking with them in a parade.

That backs of 4 young women. THey are all wearing sweaters and yellow sashes. The sashes have Korean or maybe Chinese lettering on them as well as a red cross.

Two women in a car. The driver is making a smiley face. The women in the backseat is holding a sign out the window that says

A woman is holding a shiny turquoise fabric sign with the word jehovah on it. #jitc2015

And the point of the game is this:

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How many views of the CN Tower do you think there are?
I suspect the answer is something like “bazillions” but I am willing to try to see how many I can find.

below: From far away. Looking eastward across Lake Ontario from Humber Bay park.

looking across a hazy Lake Ontario to the TOronto skyline

Some of these views you have probably seen before…  and perhaps many times before.
But, I  hope that some of these views are new to you.

below: Zipline at Canada Square, part of EpicIsOn event

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below: From the east, across Sherbourne Common, late afternoon

Sherbourne Common looking towards downtown and the CN tower. Splash pad with fountains in the foreground with late afternoon sun shining on the water

below:  And from the west

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  below: Behind a busy intersection, King and Spadina

the intersection of King and Spadina in Toronto with a wide angle lens. People are crossing the street, there is a streetcar and lots of streetcar wires. THe LCBO and Winners are in the background as well as the CN Tower
The CN tower between two skyscrapers

blog_CN_Tower_rigging

below: behind Queen St. West

Looking towards shops on Queen Street West with the CN Tower behind.

Musicians play on the rood of the Fairland grocery store in Kensington. The CN Tower is a bit hazy but it is visible in the background.

below: The CN Tower peaks out from between the pencil supports at OCAD

Looking through the pencil like supports to the black and white upper lever addition to OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design). The CN TOwer and other tall toronto buildings are in the background.

This post is a continuation of another CN Tower post, Always in the way, from last year.

Toronto Labour Day Parade 
Monday 7th September
from Queen & University to the CNE

A group walks in a labour day parade, they are carrying a red banner that says A union for everyone. THey are also carrying red unifor flags.

Two people in a labour day parade. The man is wearing wonder woman sunglasses.

A man holds a banner in the Labour day parade, only part of the banner can be seen but it is for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

A group walking in a lbaour day parade, they are carrying a large banner that says I am ready for change, the Union of hospitality workers

Two women in black caps and T-shirts are walking in a labour day parade. One of them is carrying a Canadian flag

A large group from OPSEU SEFPO union walk in a labour day parade behind a large banner stating Standing Up For Workers Rights and good jobs for all. they are wearing blue t-shirts.

Four women in purple t-shirts from SEIU healthcare union walk in a labour day parade. One woman is wearing sunglasses with agents of change written on them. Another woman has the words The Social Picketer written on the front.

Two people walking in a Labour Day parade. One of them has a small circular sign covering her face with a picture of a pair of glasses on it, and the words library worker on it.

A group of people walk in a labour day parade

I man from the shoulders up. He is wearing a camo like t-shirt and hat with the ironworkers union label, and he is standing in front of a blue ironworkers flag.

An IATSE union group walks in a parade, Stagehands according to the banner that they are carrying.

A girl in a blue hat and holding a unifor union flag sits on a flatbed truck in a labour day parade. An Asian woman sits beside her.

A group of people walks in a labour day parade wearing orange t-shirts and carrying small flags that say Vote for Historic Change

A young man waves a pennant for the ONA, Ontario Nursing Association, as he walks in labour day parade

A t-shirt hanging in the window of a car. It has a picture of Stephen Harper wearing a crown and the words No More Democracy. There is a button on the t-shirt that says Harper's last day, 19th October 2015.

Four kids with flags walking in a labour day parade with their parents.

A black woman wearing a brightly coloured hat is waving a small sign that says I am not alone. She is walking in a labour day parade with a group from local 75

workers from local 183 union walk in a labour day parade while carrying union flags

Three people stand on the sidewalk by La Abuela, a Peruvian restaurant. A young girl is holding a CBC sign above her head while her father stands beside her. A woman in black burka and white head scarf is also on the sidewalk.

A young woman is holding up a sign about youth cares about and then it lists a few things like employment, tuition fees, unions, climate and the environment, at a Labour day parade

A woman carries a purple parasol as she walks in a labor day parade. She is wearing purple sunglasses that say Agent of Change on them

A couple look at his phone while they walk down Dufferin Ave. in front of a parade. Walkers in the parade are in ornage t-shirts in the background.

A labour day parade, people in red t-shirts walk behind a red banner for Toronto ACORN, Social Justice, Economic Justice. ACORN stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

The backs of a group walking in a labour day parade, they are wearing purple t-shirts with the words The Society of Energy Professionals, IFPTE local 160. One of the women is wearing a red hat with a Canadian flag on it.

Two women walk in a Labour day parade in support of the CBC

Labour day parade - ACTRA group walking behind a banner that says respect the artist

Men walking in a labour day parade. They are wearing baseball caps. One of them has a small union flag tucked into the back of his cap. transit workers local 113

Two kids in the back of a pick up truck in a lbaour day parade. The truck is pulling a trailer with a picture of a circle of hands

men and women from IBEW (electrical workers) walk in a labour day parade

A man carried a purple flag and wears a placard on his front with a picture of man on it. Missing person, Bernardo Flores Alcazar.  The person behind him is holding a picture of Jose A. Navarrete Gonzalez

A man who is walking in a labour day parade is carrying three signs, first Pwer work union, second Settlements based on perjury is wrong and third supressing evidence is wrong

A group walks in a parade beside a large truck that is carrying more people on the back of it. They are carrying placards and banners in support of Canada Post. There is also a yellow banner that says Smash Capitalist Austerity

Two people in a labour day parade are carrying round signs, one says national health care program and the other says a fair minimum wage.

An Asian woman holds two small NDP flags as she stands on a sidewalk on Queen St. West by the Rex bar as she watches a labour day parade

Labour day parade - two marchers, one with a sign that protests agains the WSIB and the other person's sign says This person wants justice for injured workers

Group shot of union IATSE local 873, Toronto Motion Picture Technicians, prior to walking a labour day parade

Labour Day parade - hand written signs on the side of a truck that say, My work place is safe thanks to my union, and, I retired with dignity thanks to my union

A dog has a pink bandana around his neck. He is with a group walking in a labour day parade although only their legs and feet show in the picture

An Asian woman rides her bike in a labour day parade. She is wearing a CUPE 2484 shirt. Her bike has two baskets, one in front and one behind. Both are covered with artificial flowers and buttons. She has a small NDP flag in the back basket.

A man is wearing an orange T-shirt with round green stickers and buttons on it. They all say Go Vote