This video by Delcan shows the Dufferin Street Underpass in Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Public art can be defined as art that is in the public realm.
- “Located throughout Toronto are more than 200 City-owned pieces of outdoor public art and historical monuments:
- situated in City parks, streets, squares and subway stations, and on the grounds of municipal buildings
- these works enrich the urban landscape with both an artistic and historic layer”
- “City of Toronto collection is diverse in medium and form
- The earliest piece in the collection, The Canadian Volunteers Memorial, dates back to 1870
- And new pieces are being added to the collection each year”
This year the following new public art will be added to our city of Toronto’s collection:
“Spirits of the Grotto”: New Dufferin Street Underpass Public Art Project
- Created by the internationally acclaimed Toronto artist Luis Jacob who
- is a long-time Parkdale resident
- has become one of Canada’s most prominent contemporary visual artists
- has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout Europe and North America, since showing his work at Germany’s prestigious Documenta exhibition in 2007
- Consists of 34 perforated-metal panels bearing colourful, mosaic eye-shaped designs that gaze down on passing cars, cyclists and pedestrians
- these open eye-shaped designs are intended to evoke the presence of spirits who observe alertly and full of neighbourly care
- arranged in two rows facing one another across the underpass, these guardian spirits animate the space as a place alive with curiosity, respect for the heritage of our past, and caring alertness towards the future
- Financing for this project came from the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division and City Planning Urban Design
Tomorrow, you are invited to the following dedication event wherein Luis Jacob will dedicate his new Dufferin Street Underpass public art project “Spirits of the Grotto” to the city:
Dufferin Underpass Public Art Installation
Luis Jacob – Spirits of the Grotto
City of Toronto Dedication Event
Friday, May 18
5:00 – 5:30 pm
Dufferin Amphitheatre Parkette
1266 Queen St. W.
The Dufferin Street Underpass
(formerly the Dufferin Jog) runs from south of Queen Street to north of Peel Avenue
Contact Info:
Phone within Toronto city limits: 311
Phone outside city limits: 416-392-CITY (2489)
(can be used within Toronto if you can’t reach 311)
TTY customers: 416-338-0TTY (0889)
Fax: 416-338-0685
E-mail: 311@toronto.ca
If your matter is urgent, please call us. We are open 24/7.
Always call 911 for emergencies.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NEWS RELEASE
May 17, 2012
Luis Jacob artfully eyes the walls of the Dufferin Street Underpass
On May 18, internationally acclaimed Toronto artist Luis Jacob will be joined by Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park) and Councillor Ana Bailão (Ward 18 Davenport) to dedicate his new Dufferin Street Underpass public art project “Spirits of the Grotto” to the city.
The public is also invited to this dedication event, which takes place at 5 p.m. at the Dufferin Amphitheatre parkette at 1266 Queen St. W. The Dufferin Street Underpass (formerly the Dufferin Jog) runs from south of Queen Street to north of Peel Avenue.
“Spirits of the Grotto” consists of 34 perforated-metal panels bearing colourful, mosaic eye-shaped designs that gaze down on passing cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Jacob, a long-time Parkdale resident, intended his open eye-shaped designs to evoke the presence of spirits who observe alertly and full of neighbourly care. Arranged in two rows facing one another across the underpass, these guardian spirits animate the space as a place alive with curiosity, respect for the heritage of our past, and caring alertness towards the future.
Jacob has become one of Canada’s most prominent contemporary visual artists. Since showing his work at Germany’s prestigious Documenta exhibition in 2007, he has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout Europe and North America. More information about the him is available at http://www.ccca.ca/artists.
Financing for this project came from the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division and City Planning Urban Design. More information about the City of Toronto’s Public Art program is available at http://www.toronto.ca/culture/public_art.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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