From Spacing Wire:
February 26th, 2008
Fort York public art competition open house
Posted by Shawn Micallef
Fort York’s formidable fortifications seem small and defenseless next to the great span of the Gardiner Expressway — but our favorite flying freeway actually marks the original shoreline of Lake Ontario. Though it’s possible for one to interpret its blue-green turquoise underbelly as reference to the clean and sparking waters that attacking American ships sailed in on during the War of 1812, the City of Toronto has initiated a public art competition to better mark the shoreline, and the winning and short-listed entries are on view this Thursday during an open house.
Most remarkable about this competition is that the Gardiner itself is being used in the selected artwork. Though it may send shivers down the engineering and roads departments from a technical point of view, this is a major first step in activating the underside of the Gardiner and hopefully more sections will follow. Once that happens, and the underside of the expressway is made pedestrian friendly and welcoming, we might just forget it’s up there.
WHEN: Thursday, February 28, 4 to 7pm (4:30pm – remarks by Councillor Pantalone)
WHERE: Blue Barracks, Fort York — just steps from Bathurst Street via the east entrance bridge
The City of Toronto will host an open house at Fort York National Historic Site to exhibit the winning submission, and the short listed proposals, of a public art competition. Councillor Joe Pantalone (Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina) will join City staff and the public to view the winning concept, WATERTABLE, a light and sound work by Toronto artists Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak, which will be a permanent fixture along the north side of Fort York Boulevard.
The concept WATERTABLE reveals the original shoreline of Lake Ontario and creates the look of shimmering water, appearing to float under the surface of the Gardiner Expressway. It is a beacon not only for the new entrance to Fort York, but also for the revitalization now underway of its entire underdeveloped 43-acre site in anticipation of the Bicentennial celebrations of the War of 1812. Fort York, the birthplace of Toronto, is being restored and redeveloped to reflect its enormous importance as a national historic site and to provide much needed parkland for the communities rapidly emerging around it.
Toronto Culture initiated the commission of a permanent public art work at this historical site, and for the first time, invited artists to incorporate lighting and new media technologies in their concepts. The other finalists were: Tony Stallard (Brentwood, UK); Robert Youds and Daniel Laskarin (Victoria, BC); Maha Mustafa (Toronto, ON); Melissa Shiff (Toronto, ON). All of the finalists’ proposals will also be on display.
Top photo by worldwidewebdomination — bottom renderings of Watertable by artists.
AoD
