Groundcover
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Photographer Genesis Báez co-creates with the soil and stormwater below the Gardiner, burying film underground beneath the highway to absorb the surrounding landscape. Developing and displaying the images at large-scale reveals the reciprocal nature of the Expressway and its ecology. Co-presented with the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.
Eco-Library Pop-up
Thursdays-Saturdays until Sep 18,
A pop-up library at The Bentway Studio (55 Fort York Blvd), facing Canoe Landing Park, offers reading materials and activities for the whole family – curated with the Toronto Public Library Fort York branch, Art Metropole, and other collaborators.
Lichen
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Remarkable, powerful, and resilient, “lichen” are ancient and diverse life forms, both an individual and a community. Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson re-imagines her acclaimed short film as a multi-media installation and invites us to learn from lichen about being in relation to our environment and one another.
Communal Table 2023: Moroccan Flavours
Long-time Dep favourite, Chef Dali Chehimi brings traditional Moroccan favourites to the table for a delicious taste of the Casbah!
Experimental Photography: Lumen Printing and Phytograms with Julie Pasila and Gallery 44
Inspired by the work of season artist Genesis Báez, workshop participants will create ephemeral images in collaboration with the landscape. Together we’ll explore the environment beneath the Gardiner Expressway and Canoe Landing Park through the use of experimental photographic processes and foraged and found materials.
Loop Sessions Toronto: Bentway Sound Art Jam
Join us for a site-specific walk where you’ll learn to make field recordings and use vinyl records to create new soundscapes with Loop Sessions Toronto.
Goldenrod Foraging and Natural Dyeing Workshop with Julia Rose Sutherland
Join Julia Rose Sutherland in collaboration with The Bentway for an immersive and eco-conscious workshop where we’ll take a unique stroll under the Gardiner Expressway, exploring the urban landscape and foraging for native species of goldenrod.
Gardiner Green Pockets and Urban Nature Walk with Toronto Field Naturalists
Join the current president of Toronto Field Naturalists, Zunaid Khan and past president Ellen Schwartzel as we will explore the nature pockets in and around The Bentway.
Communal Table 2023: Mskomini Giizis (Raspberry Moon)
Join Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People) for a shared meal that originates from the sky, the water, the land and the kitchens of our families.
Communal Table 2023: Indonesian Rendang
Chef Elita of NaiNai shares a few distinctive and authentic Indonesian recipes. Home of the original “Spice Islands”, Indonesia has been a culinary destination for centuries, sharing spices like nutmeg and clove with the rest of the world while absorbing and reimagining Indian, Chinese, Arabic, Thai and Dutch influences.
Greening Your Grounds: Gardening for Birds, Butterflies and Beyond
Helping the environment starts in your balconies, backyard, and public spaces! Learn how to attract and protect native pollinators, such as Monarch butterflies and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Plus: learn how to start native wildflowers from seed in hand-decorated paper pots.
Communal Table 2023: Turkish Delight
Chef Tuba Tunç’s selection of contemporary, flavourful and inspired dishes reflect the ancient culinary tradition of Turkey, stretching back to the very beginnings of Western civilization.
City Sketching with Julie Ourceau
During this workshop you will learn to develop your sense of observation to depict a bit of everything that surrounds you in your sketchbook, this could include nature, buildings, people, market scenes, architectural details.
Communal Table 2023: Momo Party
Join Tsewang & Lhundup of TC’s Tibetan Momo, for a taste of traditional Tibetan fare. Momos — hearty dumplings of simple dough wrapped around delectable fillings, served steamed or fried with spicy sauce — are probably Tibet’s best known culinary export.
Communal Table 2023: Viva Colombia
Chef Cookie Martinez brings Colombian street food to life at this shared dining experience, featuring a classic dish from Colombia, patacón pisao – green plantain that has been fried and pressed flat, then refried until crisp and served with a range of tasty toppings!
Communal Table 2023: Mdaamiin Giizis (Corn Moon)
Join Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People) for a shared meal that originates from the sky, the water, the land and the kitchens of our families.
Bentempus Gardinus: A Long-Exposure Ecological Portrait
May 26 to Sep 24, 2023 - Viewable 24 hours a day
Geometric animal sculptures emerge from the Gardiner, representing species who’ve inhabited this place across time – from prehistoric woolly mammoths to sly modern foxes. Alex Sheriff’s speculative new work uncovers each of their stories and reconsiders our own role within natural history.
Eco-Art Workshops
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Taking inspiration from the Beyond Concrete installations, participants are invited to experiment with the same practices, materials, and ecologies showcased this season through a series of creative workshops.
Atmospheres
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What can the wind teach us about our city’s infrastructure and our own needs for comfort? Atmospheres manifests this powerful force into a series of soaring soft sculptures, sound, and video that both generates and visualizes environmental data collected under the Gardiner.
Balete Bulate Bituka
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An otherworldly creature germinates at The Bentway, its parasitic tentacles emerging from the history of waste materials used as landfill to create the solid ground where the Gardiner now sits. Woven with bamboo, living plants, and locally-sourced discarded plastics, Leeroy New’s first North American commission presents nature reasserting itself amidst concrete infrastructure.
The Bentway Animal Parade
Join a community parade honouring the resilient urban animals who persist along highways and streets, with special guest Little Amal. Local residents are invited to create their own animal mask or welcome flag celebrating Little Amal’s visit to The Bentway on June 10. Presented with Luminato Festival Toronto, with creations by Red Pepper Spectacle Arts.
The Bentway Block Party (2023)
The Bentway Block Party is back! Join us for our annual signature event with a full program of performances, music, street food and drink, art workshops, summertime vibes, and community celebration. All free, all are welcome.
Walking Workshops
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Participate in walks across the Gardiner corridor paired with hands-on learning experiences such as urban foraging, local flora and fauna identification, and exploring the sights and sounds of the Bentway.
WOODS
Saturday May 27 (performances at 1:30pm and 3:30pm) & Sunday May 28 (performances at 1:30pm and 3:30pm)
A forest of upside-down human bodies grows out of the concrete, set against Toronto’s high-rise horizon. In WOODS, performers’ bodies struggle to maintain their verticality, calling attention to the struggle faced by nature itself: How long can the body resist? How long can our forests survive?