Part of the research process for this residency has been thinking about where and how to engage the public realm along the waterfront with new temporary artworks. It’s a narrow stretch of land with big seasonal ebbs and flows of visitors. Its public spaces tend to be tucked between the buildings, and along the lake’s inlets, each one with its own character and activity, all with expansive views onto the lake and Toronto Island beyond. Where are the spaces that people will most meaningfully encounter an artwork? The busyness of the waterfront, particularly in the summer, means lots of people passing by, and yet I’m quite drawn to some of the little quiet pockets too, and the views from the water’s edge.
Walking along the waterfront with Tim from the Waterfront BIA has been an insightful exploration into what could be possible, particularly given the BIA and Waterfront Toronto’s networks in the neighbourhood. We talk about sculptures, projections, activations, banners, events, even the waterfront’s Seabin program. There is certainly a lot of opportunity to experiment with unconventional approaches to finding places that could host artworks.
