5 Jul 2017

Clockwork Bees

Portion of a mural featuring a bee gather pollen, with clockwork elements in the background

Location: Queen St. E. at Saulter
Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

This gorgeous bee is one small element in a vibrant mural gracing a wall in the Riverside neighbourhood east of the Don Valley. The mural by artist Nick Sweetman blends two themes: bees and clocks. The bees represent the green spaces throughout the Riverside neighbourhood and the growing practice of bee-keeping in this area. The clocks and gears are a tribute to Albert Edelstein who worked as a clockmaker and jeweller and was one of the initiators of the Riverside Business Improvement Area. Disparate as these two themes may seem, their blending is explained as follows:  "...the Gears in the mural represent small things working together to make big things happen - like bees in a hive, or a community in a neighbourhood..."

For me, the moment I saw this mural, I was reminded of a book called Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. You’ll have to read it to find out why. Don’t worry, you’ll love it! 

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