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Nuit Blanche: Toronto as an Art Playground
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by Jordan Yerman | October 5, 2008 at 12:44 pm
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Nuit Blanche is that magical night when Toronto becomes a playground for art installation from dusk 'til dawn. From the financial district to the outskirts of Queen West, galleries throw open their doors, installations spring up in the unlikeliest of places, and crowds of locals and tourists alike flood the streets for a taste of culture.
The term literally translates to "white night", but the actual meaning is closer to "all-nighter", and that's just what it is. Aside from event-sponsored artworks, independent exhibitors also get in on the game, and there's no way to see everything in just the one night. Last year, I stuck to the Queen West section, but this year started out in the Financial District.
My favorite of the Zone A installations was Stereoscope, the Project Blinkenlight hack of the City Hall building. Seeing such a massive wall of office windows display a game of Pong was just awesome: the lengths we will go in order to entertain ourselves- that's what humanity is all about! Another highlight of Zone A was Zombies in Condoland, which everyone was talking about, and which I didn't get a chance to see.
Zone B covered the southern end of the downtown core, and I ventured down there just as the Leafs game was wrapping up, so the crowd was twice as thick around Union Station. The station itself was host to Horroridor, a repurposing of an underpass to display looping clips from, you guessed it, horror movies.
Naturally, I gravitated back toward Zone C, as I'm more warehouse than skyscraper by nature. This year, the zone was clustered around the side-streets off of King West, and featured some really nifty stuff. My favorite was Smash! Droppin' Stuff, which was organized and performed by the Custodians of Destruction. As Bruce, the game-show-style host explained, they were dropping stuff from a hydraulic lift because: 1. It's fun 2. They can get away with it 3. It's art 4. To draw attention to just how much stuff we as a culture throw away. Each hour they'd hoist the crane and then plunk stuff to the pavement below, after which the Custodians of Destruction would move in and bash the remnants with sledgehammers. It was even more cool than it sounds.
Also noteworthy was I Promise It Will Always Be This Way, Jon Sasaki's constant sports-mascot dance routine, performed in Lamport Stadium. I liked it because it reminded me of DJ Format's We Know Something video.
I'm attaching a bunch of photos, and you'll notice how heavily the Smash! Droppin' Stuff event is represented. That's because it was awesome. I'm attaching some of my own images, and encourage any other participants to do likewise.
Nuit Blanche: when art smashes stuff up. Check it out next year.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (46)
at 13:08 on October 5th, 2008
Sounds amazing - sorry I missed it. To my knowledge, we don't have anything comparable in Vancouver - at least not with the same degree of participation and organization.
at 13:25 on October 5th, 2008
"rubber ducky, you're the one"
or in this case one of a hundred rubber ducks "freely" floating around a Ryerson University pond. As the night progressed a few people decided to bring a piece of art home and took a duck for themselves.
0kae has contributed a photo to this story.
at 13:41 on October 5th, 2008
Blinkenlights stereoscope installation displayed animation on the facade of the Toronto town hall buildings
yashrg has contributed a photo to this story.
at 14:57 on October 5th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's great stuff. Enjoyed the slide show too!
at 15:12 on October 5th, 2008
This was the third year I attended the nuit blanche, I think the whole idea was for people to visit different area and places of Toronto. Even some of the art were not very good or interesting but it was wonderful to see mass of people whom felt safe enough and walking at the middle of the night. Most of the zones I been to and the streets were packed. I like the blue transparent cone-shaped ballon by Fujiwara Takahiro of Japan at the Eaton Center.
at 15:41 on October 5th, 2008
2008 Nuit Blanche, Toronto
It was a wonderful nite to mix art & fun beyond the usual venue.
Great job the nuit blanche organiser & voluteener. Especially this girl who was the funniest zombie!
Three cheers for Toronto!
josephchan749 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:38 on October 5th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 18:51 on October 5th, 2008
Great story! I was sad to miss the event! The closest we get in Vancouver is SWARM, but it it not all an all night format.
at 18:53 on October 5th, 2008
A faux billboard being used to advertise something worthwhile. This sign was suspended over Yoko Ono's exhibit of wish trees.
Jen McKenzie has contributed a photo to this story.
at 19:04 on October 5th, 2008
Sounds like a really fun night. Toronto has a lot of artistic energy and I'm glad that there is such an amazing outlet for it. I love the crazy OCAD addition and I'm looking forward to seeing the new extension of the AGO when I'm in town next week. The city seems to be finally shaking off the horrible years of Mel and Mike. I hope those damn moose are gone.
at 19:11 on October 5th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff. sounds exciting, thrilling.
at 00:06 on October 6th, 2008
Nuit Blanche 2008 in Toronto, was a hit. Nearly 800,000 people took to the streets. Regretfully, the installations were rather disappointing. Amanta Scott invited visitors into a very warm and private space for 15 Minutes of Fame, featuring Karla Homolka's prison bed!! Into the Blue was an enormous, blue, ‘turd’-shaped balloon. More thoughts at:
http://winstoninwonderlandart.blogspot.com/2008/10/nuit-blanche-2008-in-toronto.html
at 12:51 on October 6th, 2008
I loved the Stereoscope in Zone A as well. It was my favourite piece of the night.
at 13:26 on October 6th, 2008
Hope you guys like the photo!
horatius has contributed a photo to this story.
at 14:14 on October 6th, 2008
I really enjoyed the Sweet Dreams installation, particularly the video of the helicopter hovering above the bed. So surreal!
katehanton has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:03 on October 6th, 2008
Wonderful "art thing" between OCAD and the AGO
zaal40 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:37 on October 6th, 2008
Phillip Toesev never seen that many people on streets at night!
Arthur Kantemirov has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:47 on October 6th, 2008
Tom Bendtsen's impressive "landscape" of 12,000 books he calls "Conversation #2" was a Nuit Blanche highlight.
wigamog has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:54 on October 6th, 2008
Lamport Stadium hosted "I Promise It Will Always Be This Way" and by 6am, the team mascots' spirits were indeed faltering!
I like the security guard's expression in this one.
http://www.jonsasaki.com/mascots.htm
Carlicky has contributed a photo to this story.
at 16:00 on October 6th, 2008
Nuit Blanche: Toronto
Was a great event it was nice seeing Maple Leaf Gardens once more maybe for the last time.
Gold seats only a dream of ever sitting on then at least I got to take a picture of them.
www.zoomimage.net
John Carvalho has contributed a photo to this story.
at 16:20 on October 6th, 2008
It was interesting. I think the best part was the hordes of people on the streets. Maybe next Year I can do the whole thing instead of ducking out early to go to work. I also liked Time-Piece.
at 17:41 on October 6th, 2008
tom.brasch has contributed a photo to this story.
at 17:32 on October 6th, 2008
"15 Seconds" at Yonge and Dundas Square
at 17:43 on October 6th, 2008
Disappointed I didn't take my SLR, but got this shot from my camera phone at MOCCA (Museum for Contemporary Canadian Art). A interesting night and an interesting concept.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenmulchinock/
karen.mulchinock has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:34 on October 6th, 2008
This was the installation "Conversation #2" by Tom Bendtsen. I took this around 1:25 and apparently people were being obnoxious and messing with the installation which wasn't cool. I was just trying to find an interesting angle where people wouldn't be in the way and i think it turned out pretty well.
purplepick has contributed a photo to this story.
at 18:58 on October 6th, 2008
@ the distillery
john.pelo has contributed a photo to this story.
at 19:06 on October 6th, 2008
Such a big turn out for Nuit Blanche this year. My photo was taken at Bloor and Avenue - 2sec exposure. Ibrahim Abusitta - more photos @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/braheem/
braheem has contributed a photo to this story.
at 20:00 on October 6th, 2008
This artist was working on this chalk drawing at the beginning of the Nuit Blanche night in front of Eaton Centre. Right next to this drawing, he had one already finished.
SylviaNowak has contributed a photo to this story.
at 20:06 on October 6th, 2008
Standing below Fujiwara Takahiro's "Into the Blue" in the Eaton Centre, Toronto.
Little Lebowski Urban Achiever has contributed a photo to this story.
at 20:17 on October 6th, 2008
October 4, 2008: The City Hall building at Nathan Phillip Square during Nuit Blanche featured Project Blinkenlights. Terry Tingchaleun.
tingchaleun has contributed a photo to this story.