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Public Art in Toronto

This one is surely in the running for the most grotesque of Toronto's public art- 'Universal Man' by Gerald Gladstone.
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Looks like the sculptor may have been inspired by the Mr Universe contests that were a big deal in the early 70s. (Heck, they vaulted Lou Ferrigno--the original Hulk!--into minor celebrityhood.)
 

Lansdowne Underpass Art Project Call for Community Feedback


The City of Toronto, StreetARToronto invites you to share feedback on the Design Concepts for the Lansdowne Underpass Art Project.

To share your feedback, please visit https://s.cotsurvey.chkmkt.com/LansdowneUP

About this Project
The Lansdowne Underpass Art Project, will transform the east side of the Lansdowne Underpass, south of Dundas Street West with a collection of murals that share first person perspective stories that speak to the rich ongoing history of the site as home to many diverse plant and animal species and cultural communities, beginning with the Indigenous peoples of Tkaronto and Turtle Island. The Lansdowne Underpass Art Project aims to create a collaborative artwork that honours this site by telling stories of those who have and continue to live on, play on, build community on, struggle on, learn from, grow in, paint, immigrate to, contribute to, and tend to this land.

The Lansdowne Underpass Art Project aspires to include works that represent the diverse cultures, languages and heritage of street, mural and graffiti artists from the communities that have settled in what is now Ward 4 and Ward 9 over the centuries. The project aims to create an artwork that shares knowledge across communities and celebrates people coming together through compassion, cooperation, a shared sense of belonging and pride of place.
 
Ahhh, you mean Between The Eyes by Richard Deacon (no, I didn't know either, I looked it up)

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From here: https://www.toronto.ca/ext/pln/publicart/BetweenTheEyes2.jpg

I can't say this has ever worked for me either.

I had always thought of it more as a misshaped peanut......... LOL

That space is not helped by too much hardscape, miserable looking buildings; and just........blandness

This corner, part of the 'world trade centre' complex has been getting re-do, including the area around misshaped peanut, LOL

I was by here, yesterday, August 9th to take some pics of the almost complete work:

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Note that in the new landscape design there is no longer anywhere next to the art installation for people to sit, (Which was not previously the intention of the base, but it was used that way); seating has now been inserted adjacent to the interior landscape with a view of the art and the Lake. Though, no back rests, and some 'prevention' installed to deter skateboarding or napping.
 
This corner, part of the 'world trade centre' complex has been getting re-do, including the area around misshaped peanut, LOL

I was by here, yesterday, August 9th to take some pics of the almost complete work:

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Note that in the new landscape design there is no longer anywhere next to the art installation for people to sit, (Which was not previously the intention of the base, but it was used that way); seating has now been inserted adjacent to the interior landscape with a view of the art and the Lake. Though, no back rests, and some 'prevention' installed to deter skateboarding or napping.
This is, almost, the final phase of a multi-phase, multi-year project to replace the membrane over their garage. I think they still need to do the covered section outside the stores on QQ. Can't say I am terribly fond of it but it DOES look better than the bare expanse of concrete there before.
 
The main space at World Trade Centre featuring 'the peanut' (lol)........... is now substantially complete and open; and as @DSC noted above, they have now moved on to the work in front of the Queen's Quay fronting retail.

Photos taken August 25th, 2022.

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Work in progress along Queen's Quay:

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And finally the Yonge Street sidewalk contraption

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^ Despite the utilitarian design and semi-transparent mesh view of myriad waste items... these will work well as an environmental statement, and a vast improvement on the frequently over-stuffed robots 🤖 that have invaded our public realm.

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Link
 
The main space at World Trade Centre featuring 'the peanut' (lol)........... is now substantially complete and open; and as @DSC noted above, they have now moved on to the work in front of the Queen's Quay fronting retail.

Photos taken August 25th, 2022.

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Work in progress along Queen's Quay:

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And finally the Yonge Street sidewalk contraption

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I always called it a double-ended egg beater.
 
I'm plunking this here, though it could easily go in the Shabby Public Realm thread; but as I posted the POPs/Public Square re-do of the World Trade Centre Condo complex at Yonge/Queen's Quay here...........

This is why we can't have nice things:

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Standing right in the middle of the planting bed, on top of the plants..........sigh.
 
The Overlea Blvd overhall to get cycle tracks and various other changes along its length has triggered a public art investment.

There are a competing concepts being looked at, and public input is being invited.


I'm not in love with any of them, but would go for this one:

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Which invests in a more attractive sidewalk pavers vs assorted stand-alone ideas.

The details of this proposal can be found here:


The other choices can be seen in this collage:

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