Inspired by her own experience as a newcomer to Canada, Shellie Zhang’s Beacons glows with the dusk and dawn-time colours of Toronto’s skyline in winter, a reminder of the passage of time, and the warmth we draw from our community during these dark, frozen months.
For thousands of years, humans have gathered around sources of light for moments of pause, ritual, and protection; as well as the collective sharing of food, knowledge, and stories. Under the sun’s cycle of rejuvenation, we’ve formed notions of time, rest, and growth. Eventually, the power of light was harnessed to direct us and instill hope. Stars guide us in navigation, lighthouses draw travelers towards their destination, and lanterns shed light on the unfamiliar.
Beacons consists of five sculptural pillars of light and a constellation of public programs around them. In Zhang’s conversations with newcomer friends and The Bentway community, and in recalling her own experience of moving to Canada, first winters were characterized by the cold and long periods of darkness, but also by the warmth of welcome and communal solidarity. Inspired by these experiences, Zhang’s Beacons is a set of glowing gradient beams scattered throughout The Bentway Skate Trail, drawing audiences’ eyes up the Gardiner’s concrete columns and transforming these bents into mesmerizing and welcoming signals. The colours of the sculptures and projected lights are inspired by the dusk and dawn-time colours of Toronto’s skyline in winter, a reminder of the passage of time, and the warmth of gatherings during the cold winter months.
Completed by a range of programming that explored the newcomer experience in Canada, the artwork illuminates The Bentway’s role as a public gathering space that offers audiences a moment of reflection, enchantment, and joy but also reminds us of the ongoing momentum needed to keep our collective light aglow.
Commissioned by The Bentway with support from TD Bank Group.
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TD Bank
