Playing in Public is a neighbourhood exhibition that explores the history and future of play, and its role in shaping decisions about public space. A wide variety of artists, educators, technologists, planners, and community organizers have created works that address questions like:
How does space shape the rules of play, and how can non-traditional spaces teach us to play differently? How does play influence our interactions in public space? How has the nature of play changed in a mid/post-COVID city?
As we begin to emerge from this pandemic and look towards recovery, we can use play as a guide for reengaging with the city, and with each other.
We will play again together.
#playinginpublic
we all speak play.
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Bruce Horak
Summer 2020Canadian artist Bruce Horak lost 90% of his eyesight to cancer as a baby and identifies as Legally Blind. His work seeks to explore the unique way he sees the world, experimenting in visual art, performance, storytelling, and music/sound design. He delights in shifting perspectives and inspiring others to do the same.
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Hiba Abdallah
Summer 2020Deeply rooted in a socially engaged ethos, Hiba Abdallah’s work examines and responds to issues directly experienced in diverse communities. Her practice aims to re-imagine the cities and places that we encounter by using locality, civic narratives and political structures as tools for fostering collective agency. She has created work across media – from public…
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Malcolm-Emilio
Summer 2020For the past 10 years Malcolm-Emilio has consistently created work that inspires new perspectives on how to communicate and navigate in diverse cultural landscapes.
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Anahita Dehbonehie
Summer 2020Anahita Dehbonehie is an Iranian performance designer, creator and installation artist. Currently based in Toronto, her practice is founded on the principle that truths are communicated most powerfully through evocative sensory experiences. She is drawn specifically to work that questions form and content while creating space for contemporary conversation. The evolving relationship between participant, creator…
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Peter Morin
Summer 2020Peter Morin is a grandson of Tahltan Nation ancestor artists. Throughout his artistic practice, Morin investigates the impact zones that occur when Indigenous practices collide with Western-settler colonialism.
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Nicole Taylor
Summer 2020Nicole “Nico” Taylor is the Executive Director of Governance & Communications for the BSAM Canada Institute. Nicole is a writer, scholar, dancer, cosplayer and activist who uses feminism and critical race theory to dissect social constructions surrounding race and representation, especially as they pertain to how we make sense of the images that surround us.
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Will Kwan
Summer 2020Will Kwan is a Hong Kong-born, Toronto-based artist and educator. In 2018, he completed a half-kilometre long public mural along Toronto’s lower Don River valley for Evergreen’s public art program.
plan your play walk
Locations
Installations
- Dream Street by The Street Society
- Walk Walk Dance by Daily tous les jours
- Big Red by Assemble
- Double Dribble by Esmaa Mohamoud
- Nil:Nil by Studio F Minus
- Play Public by Thomas Mailaender & Erik Kessels
- Jax by Pierre Poussin
- Midsummer Mix Vol.1 by Nelson Wu & biosphere
Tiny Games
9. Find Jimmy! by Kris Piotrowski
10. Before They’re Gone by Droqen
11. A Serpent Slumbers by Allison Cole
12. Dance Anatomy by Alicia Payne
13. The Garrison and the Gardiner by Kaelan Doyle Myerscough
14. Secret Landscape by Diana Andrea Guzmán Valencia
Bike Shares
Twelve locations throughout the Play Path and neighbouring spaces.
Landmarks
15. The Bentway
16. Fort York National Historic Site
17. Garrison Crossing
18. The Bentway Studio & Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre
19. Canoe Landing Park
20. Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre
supporters
Playing in Public is presented in partnership with the City of Toronto & Waterfront BIA
Special thanks to The Bentway’s local neighbours, artists, play partners, and: Fort York National Historic Site, TAS, Concord Place, Craft PR, Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, Cossette.
Supporters include Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, the Government of Ontario, Ontario arts Council, Balsam Foundation, Fondation de France, Park People, TD, Hal Jackman Foundation, The McLean Foundation, Partners in Art, Smirmoff Berry Blast, Consulat Général de France à Toronto, The Michael Young Family Foundation, RBC Foundation, Cityplace FortYork, Waterfront Toronto, ArtworxTO.
Playing in Public is presented as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021-22.