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Situated on the western shores of Toronto’s lakefront along the Gardiner Expressway, the colourful mural Motion In Air (Ma) now adorns the north facade of Mirabella Condos. The monumental public art installation is designed by Canadian artist Jennifer Macklem, and is a visual interpretation of the concept of environmental awareness and the location’s particular connection to water, sky, and plant life, and a major arterial connection. Now completed, its longer than the length of a football field, measuring 12.5 metres (41 ft) high by 120 metres (395 ft) wide.
Commissioned by Mirabella Development Corporation (Formerly Diamante Development) as a landmark art piece for their lakeside project at Windermere Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West, the art actually has a second function; beyond being beautiful to look at, its more than 500 recyclable and high-quality aluminum panels also serve as the building’s permanent and durable cladding.
The artwork was printed onto weather-resistant aluminum panels with a dye sublimation technique from Canadian company ALTO Aluminum, resulting in an iridescent and vibrant non-reflective surface, staying true to the artist’s original vision. The intricate 10-week installation process was completed by Triumph, with the entire art project costing over $1 million in private funds.
Julie Di Lorenzo, President of Mirabella Development Corporation spoke about the art piece, saying, “We wanted to create a high-quality surface adjacent to the busy commuter route and maximize the Art experience for the people who will see the art every day. I think we succeeded in elevating something as mundane as a parking facade into an integrated artwork offering visual relief and a brief moment of positive contemplation.” She continued, “The art wall has already become a source of pride for the future condo owners, a recognizable landmark that will become a welcomed part of the fabric of our city.”
As one of the largest public art pieces to be completed during Toronto’s Year of Public Art, the piece will be on display for more than 100,000 daily commuters including those on the LakeShore West GO route who travel to and from western outposts including Hamilton and beyond; this new landmark now signals their arrival in Toronto.
The building, designed by Scott Shields Architects is currently under construction with occupancy slated for Spring 2022. It is comprised of two 38-storey towers, joined together by a shared podium. The Mirabella Development Corporation in partnership with Fengate Capital, oversaw the art installation process, in conjunction with the continuing construction of the building being managed by PCL.
You can learn more about Mirabella from our Database file for the project, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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