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H
Hydrogen
Guest
^With no more hubby and no kiddies, she's ready for that and more - followed by an appearance at the Celebrity Rehab Festival.
JasonParis
Moderator
avatarreb
Active Member
I had a great time!! Last year I spent most of my time in Zone B, this year it was Zone A (guess where next year?).
Some random pix i took:
Some random pix i took:
B
bare-bone
Guest
The list of films that were played?
i didnt catch a name to a film i really liked and its bothering me now
because id love to watch it again
is there a way i can find the listing of films played in the park?
i didnt catch a name to a film i really liked and its bothering me now
because id love to watch it againis there a way i can find the listing of films played in the park?
Try clicking around at scotiabanknuitblanche.com
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doady
Senior Member
I waited 30 minutes to get into Lower Bay station and these girls cut in front of me at the entrance, but luckily for them and I was having very good time and didn't notice them and so they only had to deal with my girlfriend instead.
It was a little underwhelming overall, but did not go to many of the ones I wanted to because I couldn't stay the whole night, but I wish I could have.
It was a little underwhelming overall, but did not go to many of the ones I wanted to because I couldn't stay the whole night, but I wish I could have.
BuildTO
Active Member
I find myself thankful I missed it last year. From the reports here, it seems most people (not all) who went with expectations were disappointed. For me, it was a wonderful night and I was lucky to have spent it with friends who struck a nice balance between criticism and optimism as we wandered the city, knowing we couldn't cover it all, but seeing how much we could fit in.
Yes, many of the exhibits really were lame ("Ghost", starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore at the Metro Reference Library!), but I really enjoyed the experience as a whole. There were a number of really bright spots - some of them non-sanctioned exhibits which defined the spirit of the night: that people want to get out, enjoy ourselves with friends, see new things, and appreciate this wonderful city we live in. Trinity Bellwoods, as a great example, was full of people - some making great music, others dancing, still others just enjoying and appreciating the atmosphere.
I'm surprised more people didn't see the humour in the alien crash site (what about the menorahs?).
A big thanks to my UrbanTO brothers who showed me a good time!
Yes, many of the exhibits really were lame ("Ghost", starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore at the Metro Reference Library!), but I really enjoyed the experience as a whole. There were a number of really bright spots - some of them non-sanctioned exhibits which defined the spirit of the night: that people want to get out, enjoy ourselves with friends, see new things, and appreciate this wonderful city we live in. Trinity Bellwoods, as a great example, was full of people - some making great music, others dancing, still others just enjoying and appreciating the atmosphere.
I'm surprised more people didn't see the humour in the alien crash site (what about the menorahs?).
A big thanks to my UrbanTO brothers who showed me a good time!
FutureMayor
Active Member
Toronto's Nuit Blanche was supposed to be all about art. It wasn't
Um, basically confirmed my take on the whole event:
Louroz
Toronto's Nuit Blanche was supposed to be all about art. It wasn't
RUSSELL SMITH
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
E-mail Russell Smith | Read Bio | Latest Columns
October 4, 2007 at 12:00 AM EDT
In 2002, an all-night art festival was held in Paris. The idea was to keep galleries and public art spaces open all night, and to have outdoor installations and activities in the streets. It was called Nuit Blanche (a French idiom for “sleepless nightâ€), and that name was kept when Toronto copied the event last year. That night was such a fabulous success – such a magical evening of wonder and fun and dazzled crowds – that everybody in Toronto was looking forward to a repeat event, held last weekend. Indeed, we were so proud of the sophistication of last year's event – when the great museums were open all night long and there were sudden performances in parks and on street corners, projection screens everywhere – we were so proud of this we were sure that cities across Canada would start copying the model, that this country would be known for its annual art orgies.
But this year, the mood the next day was widely disappointed. Almost everybody I spoke to was disgruntled: The crowds had tripled, the art had dwindled. Everybody was stuck in traffic human or vehicular, the whole night. The city was in total immobile gridlock. And where was the art? Every now and then, you'd pass a gallery that was open and it would be so jammed with people you'd be exhausted just contemplating working your way in. There were queues outside some of the big university buildings so long that it would take you half an hour even to find out what you were queuing for.
In the parks and on the streets were mostly just a bunch of goofy things – people dressed in costumes or singing silly songs. There were balloons holding up strings of lights. Whatever. It was a great night for quirk.
What had changed? Well, for one thing, the name was never abbreviated this year. The organizers and the city were very careful to insist on the technical name for the event in all the publicity and signage. It wasn't Nuit Blanche, it was the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. The bank's logo was on every marquee and banner – as were a dozen other logos. It's funny, there was a marathon on the same weekend, also sponsored by Scotiabank. The whole town seemed owned and run by Scotiabank, whose name and emblem were repeated like the flags of an insecure political party. “It was a lovely weekend,†said a weary friend the next day. “Was the full moon brought to us by Scotiabank?â€
The Royal Ontario Museum, which had had such brilliant and eclectic show last year, and which had been so lovely to see all full of suburban kids marvelling at contemporary installations and arguing about what it meant, was closed for a private party. On the steps, behind the velvet ropes, a few corpulent gentlemen in dark suits had come out to smoke cigars and survey the unlucky throng on the street.
The people outside had various tents to shuffle through, all offering some kind of brief video under the proud banners of corporate sponsors. And all around – particularly in the tony Yorkville zone – were things pretending to be art that weren't. There were DJs playing rather standard house music, paid for by some company or other. Some stores were open late, to sell things. There was an interesting art piece inside an old meeting hall – a series of “secular confession booths†for those who wanted to anonymously confess sins. I couldn't get in because of the lengthy queue, and also because I was so annoyed by the event's sponsors. This event was brought to us by Ritter Sport chocolates, and a good 10 metres of sidewalk outside the show were taken up by their noisy promotions. Their shills were slapping stickers on cars, giving away chocolates, trying to get people to fill out surveys, and just shouting.
Irritated already by the terrible ratio of art to product, I got angry. Who the hell gave away 10 metres of public space to this company, and what did we get in return? On this night of all nights – it was supposed to be about art. It was just unseemly, unseemly and rude, to dominate this evening of intellectual and aesthetic activity with aggressive selling. I resolved never to buy Ritter chocolates again. (This won't be difficult, as they aren't good chocolates.) Yes, I know the art wouldn't be put on at all if it weren't for these generous sponsors. But we must remember, when we're signing these deals, that our patrons will take as much as we give them. It's up to us to strike harder bargains with these corporate friends. We have to start telling them that if they want to become involved with art, they must let the art take centre stage. We will affix their logo and use their name and that's it: no pitching a huge sales counter outside. It's not a damn mall.
Of course, some people remember a time when the state used to fund these things in their entirety, and we didn't have to give up control of our art and our public spaces to corporations. Ridiculous, I know.
Um, basically confirmed my take on the whole event:
Louroz
Toronto's Nuit Blanche was supposed to be all about art. It wasn't
RUSSELL SMITH
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
E-mail Russell Smith | Read Bio | Latest Columns
October 4, 2007 at 12:00 AM EDT
In 2002, an all-night art festival was held in Paris. The idea was to keep galleries and public art spaces open all night, and to have outdoor installations and activities in the streets. It was called Nuit Blanche (a French idiom for “sleepless nightâ€), and that name was kept when Toronto copied the event last year. That night was such a fabulous success – such a magical evening of wonder and fun and dazzled crowds – that everybody in Toronto was looking forward to a repeat event, held last weekend. Indeed, we were so proud of the sophistication of last year's event – when the great museums were open all night long and there were sudden performances in parks and on street corners, projection screens everywhere – we were so proud of this we were sure that cities across Canada would start copying the model, that this country would be known for its annual art orgies.
But this year, the mood the next day was widely disappointed. Almost everybody I spoke to was disgruntled: The crowds had tripled, the art had dwindled. Everybody was stuck in traffic human or vehicular, the whole night. The city was in total immobile gridlock. And where was the art? Every now and then, you'd pass a gallery that was open and it would be so jammed with people you'd be exhausted just contemplating working your way in. There were queues outside some of the big university buildings so long that it would take you half an hour even to find out what you were queuing for.
In the parks and on the streets were mostly just a bunch of goofy things – people dressed in costumes or singing silly songs. There were balloons holding up strings of lights. Whatever. It was a great night for quirk.
What had changed? Well, for one thing, the name was never abbreviated this year. The organizers and the city were very careful to insist on the technical name for the event in all the publicity and signage. It wasn't Nuit Blanche, it was the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. The bank's logo was on every marquee and banner – as were a dozen other logos. It's funny, there was a marathon on the same weekend, also sponsored by Scotiabank. The whole town seemed owned and run by Scotiabank, whose name and emblem were repeated like the flags of an insecure political party. “It was a lovely weekend,†said a weary friend the next day. “Was the full moon brought to us by Scotiabank?â€
The Royal Ontario Museum, which had had such brilliant and eclectic show last year, and which had been so lovely to see all full of suburban kids marvelling at contemporary installations and arguing about what it meant, was closed for a private party. On the steps, behind the velvet ropes, a few corpulent gentlemen in dark suits had come out to smoke cigars and survey the unlucky throng on the street.
The people outside had various tents to shuffle through, all offering some kind of brief video under the proud banners of corporate sponsors. And all around – particularly in the tony Yorkville zone – were things pretending to be art that weren't. There were DJs playing rather standard house music, paid for by some company or other. Some stores were open late, to sell things. There was an interesting art piece inside an old meeting hall – a series of “secular confession booths†for those who wanted to anonymously confess sins. I couldn't get in because of the lengthy queue, and also because I was so annoyed by the event's sponsors. This event was brought to us by Ritter Sport chocolates, and a good 10 metres of sidewalk outside the show were taken up by their noisy promotions. Their shills were slapping stickers on cars, giving away chocolates, trying to get people to fill out surveys, and just shouting.
Irritated already by the terrible ratio of art to product, I got angry. Who the hell gave away 10 metres of public space to this company, and what did we get in return? On this night of all nights – it was supposed to be about art. It was just unseemly, unseemly and rude, to dominate this evening of intellectual and aesthetic activity with aggressive selling. I resolved never to buy Ritter chocolates again. (This won't be difficult, as they aren't good chocolates.) Yes, I know the art wouldn't be put on at all if it weren't for these generous sponsors. But we must remember, when we're signing these deals, that our patrons will take as much as we give them. It's up to us to strike harder bargains with these corporate friends. We have to start telling them that if they want to become involved with art, they must let the art take centre stage. We will affix their logo and use their name and that's it: no pitching a huge sales counter outside. It's not a damn mall.
Of course, some people remember a time when the state used to fund these things in their entirety, and we didn't have to give up control of our art and our public spaces to corporations. Ridiculous, I know.
M
MajorComplainer
Guest
Is there ANY Toronto event that's ORIGINAL and NOT copied from other cities???
Who cares if it's copied? We can't all live in Paris.
I only care if the time I give over to something is worthwhile or not. I want it to work right, and work right for Toronto.
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I only care if the time I give over to something is worthwhile or not. I want it to work right, and work right for Toronto.
42
Jdot
Active Member
There are several cities who have put on a Nuit Blanche, but aside from the original in Paris, I think Toronto is the only city that has done it to such overwhelming success.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
I took my time, I saw many great things, lined up a few times (the worst was ghost station). I also saw some questionable installations (that's art?), and I saw some downright lame crap but that's just my opinion. I don't care that Scotiabank had their name and logo everywhere, I'm glad the event has strong sponsorship to make it all happen. There were huge crowds on Cumberland & Queen W. (any attendance figures yet?) but I didn't find myself gridlocked anywhere, I started out fairly early in Yorkville at about 10pm. I quite enjoyed walking among the happy masses. I avoid some events like the Greek Festival as it became a victim of it's own success several years ago, mainly because it's in such a small area given the huge crowds that cram the street.
Like any event of this size there's room for improvement and things could have been better but I'll still peg this one as my favorate Toronto event of 2007. Close to Buskerfest in my mind.
Like any event of this size there's room for improvement and things could have been better but I'll still peg this one as my favorate Toronto event of 2007. Close to Buskerfest in my mind.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I hope this thing won't descend to the level of becoming just another BIA-sponsored "cultural" festival like Buy Up The Danforth.
If that were to happen, promoting it as an arts event would be wholly fraudulent. People who rarely if ever visit galleries, theatres or exhibitions wouldn't be exposed to anything original or thought-provoking at all and would develop a very jaundiced view of what art is all about.
If that were to happen, promoting it as an arts event would be wholly fraudulent. People who rarely if ever visit galleries, theatres or exhibitions wouldn't be exposed to anything original or thought-provoking at all and would develop a very jaundiced view of what art is all about.
jaborandi
Active Member
I believe the public pillow fights are original to Toronto though if I'm wrong, please correct me.