Jiggity-Jig

Location: Dundas at Augusta Ave.
Date photo taken: 30 August 2013

This cat striding across a globe is one of several pieces commissioned by the TTC in the late 1990s and placed around the periphery of Kensington Market. Each piece features either a cat, a globe, a chair or some combination of these elements. The works were created by Shirley Yanover in collaboration with David Hlynsky. Originally, the pole on which it was mounted was painted orange and featured a sign for Kensington Market. The upgrade from the original to this colourful robot happened about four years ago. Moses Kofi, an artist known for his work with recycled materials, was commissioned to add the arms, and Javid JAH, a graffiti artist, did the painting.

Cat

Location: Hickson Street, near Brock & Dundas
Date photo taken: 8 October 2015
Image 19 in the Mural Series

This cat makes up the better part of a large mural on the south side of the Elite Plumbing & Heating Supplies building at the corner of Dundas and Brock. What I've elected to crop out of the image is the rat on which this fellow is so focused, in part because it's rendered in much more mundane colours, and in part because even though it's a rat, you can't help but feel a little bad about what's coming. The piece isn't signed and I'm still searching for the name of the artist - if you know, please leave a comment.

UPDATE: Thanks to Jenny Finkelshtain, one of the building owners, for providing the missing information. The mural was done in September 2015 by Toronto artists Ratbath and Jonny Cakes.

Bird of Spring

 

Location: Ryerson Community Park, near Gerrard and Victoria

Date photo taken: 31 October 2015

 

This bronze bird stretching its wings in Ryerson's quad measures 7 feet tall, has a wingspan of over 8 feet, and weighs more than a 1000 pounds. It started out life much smaller however. Back in the 1970s, the Devonian Group had an idea. They wanted to create Inuit sculpture parks across Canada to help bring this uniquely Canadian style of art to a broader audience. A number of soapstone sculptures were chosen from their collection and using a complicated technique and a machine invented in Canada, they created the mould for this large bronze from the original six-inch green soapstone sculpture. The original artist, Etungat, was flown in from Cape Dorset, Baffin Island, to provide approval before the final bronze was cast. Unfortunately, the idea of the cross-Canada sculpture gardens never happened and the Bird of Spring was the only mould created through this process. The bronze was donated to Ryerson in 1978 and sat as the centre-piece of a fountain at Dundas and Victoria until the redevelopment of Yonge-Dundas Square required its removal. It was then relocated to its current resting spot. Another copy of the sculpture can be found on the steps of Vancouver's Art Gallery.

 

Thanks to Lynn Mackenzie and the Ryerson University Archives & Special Collections for providing some great source material.

David Bowie

Location: High up on north-facing wall of building just east of Bloor and Bathurst, visible when exiting the Bathurst TTC station
Date image taken: 27 August 2013

This image was not something I ever intended to use on this blog. I find the pipes and wires and overpainting distracting, but to mark his passing, here it is. A little bit of Bowie here in Toronto.

BB-8

Location: Bell store, Yonge & Eglinton

Date photo taken: 21 December 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened in December, and unsurprisingly, the city is now awash in Star Wars imagery. The franchise pioneered the idea of the merchandise tie-in and with this new movie it seems everyone wants a piece, even if their product or service doesn't have an obvious link. Bell is one such company, but I give them full marks for their store displays. They've gone beyond window wraps and posters and have placed  BB-8 replicas like this one in Bell store windows around the city.

Happy New Year!

Location: The Bay Queen Street
Date photo taken: 23 December 2015

Whether you get all decked out to ring in the new year or celebrate in your pjs, have a wonderful New Year's Eve and a healthy, happy and productive 2016.

Distillery District Christmas Tree

Location: Distillery District
Date photo taken: 23 December 2015

The Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery may be over for another year, but many of the decorations, including the stunning Christmas tree, are still place. This massive tree is kept securely in place by a substantial metal and concrete base, a permanent fixture which extends over four feet into the ground and which most of the year sits quietly hidden, covered over by bricks.

Happy Holidays!!