Posts Tagged ‘photography’

Cowboys and Indians

Posted: May 26, 2023 in events, general Toronto, public art
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below: At 460 King West (at intersection with Spadina) there is a mural on the wall and a poster in the Pattison advertising space. Both are part of the CONTACT Photography Festival.

view from parking lot on Spadina, large image on wall of adjacent building

a contact photography festival image, as a large mural, by Jake Kimble showing the artist as a young boy dressed up as a cowboy with large text added to photo that says I was told that the peace was mine to keep

Jake Kimble is a Chipewyan (Dëne Sųłıné) from Treaty 8 Territory in the Northwest Territories. The original photograph is of Kimble at age 6 or 7 and it was taken by his mother. In it he is wearing a cowboy at and apparently he was on his way to the Calgary Stampede.

“I was told that peace was mine to keep.” On the CONTACT webpage that describes this installation, this text is “the statement of a promise unfulfilled or a burden to bear. The phrase implies both that peace was his, and its opposite—that he was to be the peacekeeper”.

Power Plant happenings

Posted: May 21, 2023 in galleries
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May 2023 edition

woman sitting in a chair in an art gallery

below:  “In the Comfort of Embers” by Amartey Golding. Photography, video, objects, all in a darkened red space.

Amartey Golding installation at the Power Plant art gallery, red lights,

photograph on red wall, person helping to light a cigarette for man in a hoodie

below: “Drink from the River” by Brenda Draney – a collection of her paintings.

woman in an art gallery looking at some paintings

painting by Brenda Draney of two women at a table

below: A lime green webbed folding lawn chair on a red surface dominates this picture and overpowers the large negative space.

painting on a wall in a gallery, a man in white cap sitting beside a green lawn chair on a red table

below: “Decoded” by Joi T. Arcand.  The walls are covered by this blue and pink striped design.  Using the pink plastic hearts, one can look at the wall  and see things differently – can you find the words, can you decode the message?

pink heart shaped plastic beside a wall of blue and pink stripes

below: Black and white photographs by Anique Jordan both inside the gallery. “Glitches”, a woman on a bed holding two large chunks of watermelon.

black and white photo by Anique Jordan, woman sitting on a bed with half a watermelon, black and white

below:  … and on the exterior south wall.  “These Times 2019” by Anique Jordan

large black and white photograph on an exterior wall, black woman lying on bed with back to the camera, in white t shirt and black and white patterned shorts

two people sitting on a bench by the waterfront, beside boat with a lifeboat

Just outside the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is Ontario Square.  There is another art installation there – Double Pendulum by Maggie Groat.  Photos of that display are in a previous blog post (Double Pendulum, 19 May)

Resilience at Cedarbrae

Posted: May 4, 2023 in events, public art
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“Resilience” is a photography exhibit at Cedarbrae Library.

part of exterior wall of Cedarbrae library, part window and part photography exhibit, large photos in black and white of people

It is the creation of Scarborough Made.  This is a group founded by Alex Narvaez x Sid Naidu in 2019.  It uses photography and cinematography to document positive stories about the people of Scarborough with emphasis on identity and culture.

black and white photography, a couple standing outside a building, she in white sleeveless top and white pants, he in darker clothes

four large black and white portraits on exterior wall of glass windows Cedarbrae library, Resilience for ArtworxTO

words describing a photography exhibit, outdoors, at Cedarbrae library, Resilience by the group Scarborough Made,

“Resilience:
The ability to recover from challenges or adjust easily to change.

Resilience exists all around us.

We see it in the movers and shakers, the cultural change makers and creative instigators.

We see it in our neighbourhoods, from the small businesses to our healthcare and essential workers.

Resilience is what lives in our narratives and exists within our identity.

Our resilience as a community is stronger when we stick together.  With it, we can overcome the challenges and build towards a better future.

The portraits you see as part of this public art installation represent the many faces that embody resilience. Pulling from both past and present works of Scarborough Made artists, we’ve created this exhibit for you to see and reflect on the humanity that exists within our community.

Resilience is us
Resilience is you
Resilience is Scarborough. ”

cedarbrae library in scarborough, photography display

black and white portraits on display in windows of library

       Artists

  • Alicia Reid
  • Ferdinand Orlain
  • Millicent Amurao
  • Nithursan Elamuhilan
  • Alex Narvaez x Sid Naidu

Villiers Street with images

Posted: May 3, 2023 in construction, locations, public art, waterfront
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Part of Port Lands redevelopment.

Almost a year ago, a number of photos of the Port Lands work were installed along Villiers Street, “How to Build a River”.  This is at least the second exhibit by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker in this location.  The prior set of images can be seen in a post from 2020, “the new Cherry Street bridge“.  It was part of the Contact Photography Festival for 2022.   I realize that it is now 2023 but I had forgotten about this exhibit until last week when I was walking in the area.

Here are some of the photos along with a few other details seen on Villiers Street.

below: “Sand and Charcoal”

photo by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker of Port Lands redevelopment

a line of different coloured oil drums along a chainlink fence, wood fence behind

below: “Stratified River Ingredients”

photo by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker of Port Lands redevelopment

hydro pole with metal remnants, overgrown with vines

below: Meander

photo by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker of Port Lands redevelopment

below: Eastward on Villiers Street

north side of Villiers street, east of the Keating Channel pub

below: Crib Wall 3
photo by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker of Port Lands redevelopment

no smoking sign on link fence beside a gate locked with two chains, one rusty and one newer. Also a hand painted sign that says don't park in front of the gate

below: “Layering Membrane”

photo by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker of Port Lands redevelopment

a man in a yellow Toronto jacket rides his bike down Villiers street

below: “Transplanting #1”

large photograph by Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker mounted like a billboard on Villiers street

looking west along Villiers street to the large Lafarge cement silos at the end of the street, dirt and puddles in the median between the two lanes of traffic, a divided road

below: “Transplanting #2”

large photograph of a man transplanting plants and trees, in an orange vest, on the door of a silo

You might not be able to see these images any more. It is now May 2023 and there is another Contact Photography Festival that has just begun. Ingelevics and Walker have a newer exhibit planned which was scheduled to be installed for the 1st of May. Chances are this newer exhibit will stick around for a while too!

portraits, larger than life

Posted: May 7, 2022 in events, public art
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This year’s CONTACT Photography Festival showcases the work of a few photographers who focus on portraits.  Two of these, Tyler Mitchell and Jorian Charlton, are shown here.

First, on the west side of Spadina near King Street is this large portrait:

very large photo titles Georgia, pasted on brick wall, black woman rubbing her tummy,

It is “Georgia” by Jorian Charlton, a Toronto based photographer whose works centers around Jamaican-Canadians and their culture. There is also an exhibit of her work titled “Out of Many” at the Art Gallery of Ontario that can be seen until 7 Aug 2022.

Nearby is a series of portraits by American photographer Tyler Mitchell (b. 1995) is on display on King Street West by Metro Hall. This is “Cultural Turns”.

outdoor exhibit, portraits of black people, King St West, by Tyler Mitchell

people walking past, on sidewalk, outdoor exhibit, portraits of black people, King St West, by Tyler Mitchell

3 of the portraits in Cultural Turns exhibit outside Metro Hall, on the left a couple - man in pink shorts has his arm around the womans shoulders

Tyler Mitchell photograph of two women and a bike

part of outdoor exhibit of work of Tyler Mitchell photographer

a portrait by Tyler Mitchell of a black woman with big white sunglasses and a white jacket open enough to show lots of cleavage

There are actually three parts to this exhibition.  Unfortunately I do not have photos of the other parts but they are billboards at Dovercourt and Dupont as well as an indoor component at the CONTACT Gallery.

‘Seeing Evergreen’

Posted: May 2, 2022 in people, public art
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“To know a forest you start with the roots”

“Seeing Evergreen” is an exhibit presented by Jamii   Twelve older residents of the area were paired with local youth to share their stories.  The results of these conversations, along with portraits of the participants, are on display in David Crombie Park on The Esplanade.

small yellow concrete arch leading to a circular garden in a park, with posters as part of an art exhibit

below: All the posters have a large portrait on one side

in David Crombie Park, 3 large posters each with one large portrait, on the right is a woman holding up a pink T- shirt

below: On the other side is a small picture as well as the words written. Posters with portraits and stories of four – Victoria, Naomi, Stella, and Carol-Anne

four large poster boards on display in a park with a red brick apartment building behind

below: Nancy and Chet, their pictures and stories.

portraits and stories of nancy and chet, each on their own poster board on display outside in a park

below: Posters with the Toronto skyline behind.

3 large posters with text and a small portrait in David Crombie Park with the Toronto skyline behind

generally Dundas, from McCaul to Augusta

Posted: March 26, 2022 in alleys, graffiti and street art, intersections, locations
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Toronto is a city of surprises; a city of variety.  If you are bored with one street, just walk another block or turn at the next intersection and chances are you’ll encounter something different.  The scenery will change.  For instance, on Dundas West you leave the downtown core just after University Ave., walk past OCADU, the Art Gallery of Ontario and Grange Park… next, through a section of Chinatown at Spadina and then immediately into the Kensington Market area.   Just south of Kensington is the redevelopment of Alexandra Park….  and you’ve only walked a few blocks.

traffic signs and pedestrian crossing signs on Dundas with downtown highrise in the background and Ocadu banner on pole

below: The newly renovated OCADU annex building on the southeast corner of Dundas and McCaul is now called the Rosalie Sharp Pavilion.  The curve of the roof contrasts nicely with the sharp edges of the neighbouring buildings

Rosalie Sharp pavilion on the southeast corner of Dundas and McCaul, shiny metal facade on the building,

below: The northeast corner of Dundas and McCaul is yet another hole in the ground.  The Art Gallery of Ontario and Rosalie Sharp Pavilion are in the background.  I am beginning to feel like a broken record player when I mention yet another condo construction site (tangent – is there a 21st century equivalent to “broken record player”?).

construction site, orange plastic, hole in the ground, St. Patricks church on right, AGO in the background, at Dundas and McCaul, northeast corner

below: The demolition of the buildings on Dundas West opens up new views of St. Patricks RC Church.

on Dundas West, just east of McCaul, hoardings around a construction site with St. Patricks RC Church behind

below: Around the corner from St. Patricks, is Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and its bilingual signage and beautiful red door.

entrance doorway to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, red wood door, signs on right side in English, signs on left side in Chinese

below: Krispy Kreme (yes, they still exist!) and Jimmys Coffee on McCaul in almost identical buildings.  Like twins but with a dash of their own personality.

old buildings on McCaul street, two remaining rowhouses, three storeys, one is Krispy Kreme at street level, the other is a Jimmys Coffee. A larger squarer brick building on the right, also three storeys

below: Thing 1 and Thing 2 running down the alley

mural with Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Sr. Suess Cat in the Hat book

below: …but not this alley.   That’s a lot of stairs!

Toronto downtown alley backs of houses, exterior stairs up to third floor, fences, brick, concrete,

below: Each building has it’s own character from years of changes and modifications as people come and go.  They may not be good looking but they are often unique – someone’s little piece of the city.

back of houses in alley, tree, fence,

below: Front yard patio

loveseat and armshair outside on grey mat, door to building is double red door, storefront,

below: Critters in the window

three stuffie toys in the middle window of a bay window set in a beige stucco house, behind a wood fence, rusty metal roof on bay window

below:  An old TTC streetcar loses its load.  By the looks of it, this image will disappear once the ivy comes back to life in a few weeks.

painting on concrete wall of a TTC street car leaning over and people falling out

Super star written on the window of a hair salon in china town, large red Chinese letters too, reflection in the window

below: Put together by the ‘Long Time No See Photo Project’, “Chinatown, the Best” is a collection of portraits that highlights seniors in the Chinatown area along with their thoughts and opinions on what makes Chinatown great.

Chinatown poster series on residents, in windows and door on Dundas

below: The posters are on display over eight locations on Spadina and Dundas West.

Chinatown poster series on residents, in windows and door on Dundas

Left to right:
1. Come and work out in Chinatown.
2. Chinatown is my looking glass. Newcomers come thru finding support to enter Canada & I go back thru to understand where my ancestors and I come from. Keep Chinatown strong!
3. Chinatown is my ancestral village. In 1892 Great-Grandfather Charlie Yep laid down family roots in Montreal – but the early years of international racism gave way to self-loathing Kungfu? Chinesey food? Aiiyah!! Standing defiant in a martial arts pose is a testimony to overcoming my denial. I am Chinese-Quebecois Canadian. Au bout!
4. For making Chinatown the Best, Lily draws on her spiritual energy medicine knowledge to develop a healing relationship with the living landscape and its inhabitants to foster the restoration of the area’s sluggish energetic anatomy and amplify its vibrational health and wholeness.
5. deu say lin yeung im ah im duck!

below:  In another Chinatown window is this display – pictures of food with four old black and white pictures.

picture in window in Chinatown, collage of food photos and old black and white photos. One black and white is old Shanghai Bund

below: The picture on the far right depicts Shanghai Bund and river waterfront so it is possible that the other photos are also of Shanghai?  Or at least cities in China?

close up of a picture of sliced meat on a platter, as well as two old black and white photos. Photo on right is Shanghai Bund with boats docked along the river shore.

below: Another window with pictures – this time The Kensary, a cannabis store in Kensington.

window of the Kensary cannabis store in Kensington, full of Toronto landmarks

below: A close up of part of the window showing Casa Loma, Roy Thomson Hall, Hughs Room, the El Mocambo, the Silver Dollar, Massey Hall, and gabled Victorian era houses

close up of picture in window of The Kensary, Toronto landmarks, Casa Loma, Roy Thomson Hall,

below: Hoardings on Spadina where a skeleton reaches out for passers-by.

man on sidewalk on Spadina, walking past hoardings with graffiti and street art and adverts, one mural is a large skull with outreached bony arms,

below: Kensington view of the CN Tower

CN Tower in background, large hydro wood structure in foreground, view from Kensington

below: Facilities at Bellevue Park – more than just “all gender”

a blue and yellow porta potty covered in macabre street art, in bellevue park

in blues, mural by elicser of an older man with white beard, a hook for a hand, smoking a pipe, wearing a cap

a dead end in an alley where all the fences and gates are covered with murals, a large tree, the backs of two storey houses in different materials and colours, brick, wood,

below: Wanted poster for Putin the war criminal

two stencils on hoardings, one is a pink woman's head and the other is a wanted poster for putin, war criminal, Russian leader for his invasion of ukraine

street art on hoardings with word war, black hands and red flames, yellow building tower,

below: There’s at least one Maple Leafs fan left!

sticker on a pole, a stick figure person with a happy face and a realistic blue Maple leafs hockey jersey

bke parked at bicycle stand with graffiti slaps on it, across street from fruit and vegetable market with green walls and red and white striped awning, Kensington market area of Toronto

poster graffiti of a white skull on black background, large red border, on a pole, with alley street art in the background

a woman taking pictures of street art in an alley

below: Jumblefacefoto collages

two large jumblefacefoto collages on walls of empty storefront, open door, with large sign saying coming soon, someone has written in black marker, large letters, freedom in back

in an alley, a door painted black, part of a callligraphy mural with black writing on magenta and orange background

below: Alexandra Park redevelopment progresses. Dundas West is the northern edge of the 16 acre site owned by TCHC (Toronto Community Housing Corp). Most of the original units that were built in the 1960s are now gone.

orange digger working behind a fence, beside older brick apartment building, sign on fence that says you are not your mistakes.

on a pole, twp graffiti slaps, on top is an intricate line drawing of flowers and on the bottom is a bruha, intergalactic in many colours

below: Apparently it’s okay to be white. Actually it’s okay to be brown, or black, or any shade in between too.

on the back of street traffic signs, two slaps. On top is one with words It's okay to be white, and on the bottom a small face with a round surprised mouth

below: Anarchist piano lessons?

poster on hoardings that says Anarchist piano lessons

below: “They say death takes you to a better place but I doubt it”  Me?  I’m in no hurry to find out.

square slap graffiti, small, with text crammed into it that says They say death takes you to a better place but I doubt it

small black and white sticker of a screaming face, on a pole with street art, beside a wood utility pole with lots of orange paint

on a wooden fence, a sign that says warning CCTV cameras, surveillance, you are being watched

more than a pile of skulls

Posted: October 14, 2021 in locations, public art
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There are two public art exhibits now on display at Harbourfront’s Ontario Square.  The first is “Built on Genocide” by by Jay Soule aka CHIPPEWAR which is part of this year’s Luminato Festival ….  “In the mid-19th century, an estimated 30 to 60 million buffalo roamed the prairies, by the late 1880s, fewer than 300 remained. As the buffalo were slaughtered and the prairie ecosystem decimated, Indigenous peoples were robbed of their foods, lands, and cultures. The buffalo genocide became a genocide of the people” (quote source: Luminato website)

below: The centerpiece is a pile of Buffalo skulls.

a large pile of buffalo skulls, art installation, with glass and steel condos rising behind,

below: Surrounding the skulls are posters that highlight and criticize government policies towards First Nations including (Prime Minister) Sir John A. Macdonald and his “Magic Eraser”, i.e. the Indian Act of 1876.

people looking at large posters, part of art installation, built on genocide

below: The poster on the left references the adoption of First Nations children by non-Native families often referred to as the Sixties Scoop because it reached its peak (most adoptions) in the 1960s.  The plight of Indigenous women is the subject of the other poster – the disproportionate number of whom have been murdered or went missing.

2 posters, adoption of mass destruction, and I am a mother sister auntie grandmother, protest signs on indigenous rights and past Canadian history of abuses

a man on a bike and a woman with a large backpack standing in front of posters by Jay Soule on display outside at Harbourfront, Indigenous Rights, history of abuse, protest,

There is also a display of large photographs by Meryl McMaster.

below: What Will I Say to the Sky and the Earth II.

large photograph by Meryl McMaster on display at Canada Square at Harbourfont - woman standing in the snow

below: On the Edge of This Immensity

woman holding a small boat on her shoulders, lake in the background, large photograph by Meryl McMaster on display at Canada Square at Harbourfont

below: As Immense as the Sky

woman with back to camera on a rock ledge overlooking a green landscape large photograph by Meryl McMaster on display at Canada Square at Harbourfont

Future Perfect

Posted: October 12, 2021 in locations, public art
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on King Street West

a line of 7 large photographs as part of a display by Metro Hall on King Street

On display by Metro Hall on King Street West are a dozen large images created by Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs.  This installation is part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.

a woman stops to take a picture of a large photo on display on King Street West while a man and his black dog keep walking past the photos

The pair took photographs in the Maldives.  The fragile environment of these small islands (in the Indian Ocean) is exacerbated by the fact that they are barely above sea level.   There are more than 1000 islands that make up the Maldives and 80% are no higher than a meter above sea level.  Most are uninhabited.

people in front of a display of large photos

Onorato and Krebs have manipulated some of the prints with various methods and in doing to “they create quasi-abstract images that inventively describe their perceptions of place. Fusing reality and imagination, their suite of images are powerful fictions that confront undeniable facts. ” (quote source: Scotiabank Contact website).

three large photographs, part of Future Perfect, an installation by Nico Krebs and Taiyo Onorato,

a woman in a mask walks past photo exhibit Future Perfect by Nico Krebs and Taiyo Onorato

go for the photography, stay for the love

Posted: August 1, 2021 in events, locations, people, public art
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Yonge and Dundas and thereabouts

below: Part of a large relief sculpture on the wall of the northwest entrance to Dundas subway station of life sized figures on their way –  Terra cotta artwork by William McElcheran from 2015.

part of relief sculpture at Dundas subway station, a man holds on to his hat as he hurries along

below: Ryerson Image Centre,

photographs of famous Canadians on the outer wall of Ryerson Image Center, with woman sitting on the concrete surrounding the reflecting pool by the entrance to R I C

There is a photography exhibit outside the Ryerson Image Centre showcasing three winners of the New Generation Photography Award, Chris Donovan, Dustin Bron, and Curtiss Randolph.

below: ‘Boy in the Window’ by Chris Donovan

a black and white photo by Chris Donovan with reflections of a boy in a window and street scene below, on display outside Ryerson Image Centre

below: A second, “Objects in Mirror” also by Chris Donovan

black and white photo of cars, Chris Donovan, on exhibit

below: ‘AC 2019’ by Dustin Brons

below: ‘Horizon 2017’ by Curtiss Randolph.  First in a short series involving a staged drama at this intersection.

a coloured photo of a corner of an intersection with a gas station on it, Horizons, houses, apartment building in background

below: The statue of Egerton Ryerson is gone.  There is graffiti on the walls where the statue once stood.

place where statue of Egerton Ryerson once stood, a single tree, graffiti on the walls of the building

below: On the Bond Street side of the Ryerson building is another photography exhibit.  This is Maximum Exposure 26, an annual exhibit of pictures by Ryerson’s School of Image Arts students.   There are 28 very diverse photos included here.

large collage pf photos on wall of Ryerson Image Centre, Maximum Exposure 26, work of graduating students

below: Food Pantry.  Take what you need; Donate what you can.

Free food pantry, shelves with glass covered doors for food to exchange, it is almost empty

below: In the alley behind the Lutheran church and Ryerson.

alley behind Ryerson Image Centre with large murals of green bike and blue bike, also with a person asleep in the alley by the church

below: Peace, hearts and respect written on the green bike.

below: The old white building on the northeast corner of Victoria and Dundas is still there and the mural by Emily May Rose with its cute raccoons survives.  If only the real raccoons were as lovable!

below: Looking east on Dundas.  There is talk of renaming Dundas Street.

below: Yonge Dundas Square is now filled with hearts.  There are pink heart shaped seats to sit on and pink hearts on the ground too.  Each heart on the pavement has something about Toronto to love – street art,  endless streets to explore, the Jays, great architecture, always changing, and more.

a man stands beside his Christian religious display at Yonge Dundas square while he talks to two men about Jesus

below: Keep looking up!

Yonge Street, looking up at banners on metal poles, tops of some highrise buildings,
below: Another part of a large relief sculpture on the wall of Dundas subway station

 

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