Tag: Explorations

Showing 19 results

Public Art and Sustainability Initiative

October 9, 2024

In order to address the specific environmental challenges in public areas and in the presentation of public art works, in March 2024 The Bentway seeded the Public Art and Sustainability Initiative – a collaborative partnership between a national network of fellow public art curators, organizations and public space operators.

Microclimate of Winter Public Spaces

November 29, 2023

2023 Public Space Fellow Celeste Davis Meledath underscores the potential of our communal spaces to be hubs for innovative experimentation. ‘Microclimate Of Winter Public Spaces’ examines how public spaces interact with our evolving climate and offers design directives to enhance natural integration and ensure community safety.

Climate Emotions with Nocturnal Medicine

September 5, 2023

In July 2023, artist duo Nocturnal Medicine welcomed hundreds of guests to the Bentway for “Earth Dreams,” a summer party for climate grief and urgency. Here are some other recent reflections we’re turning to on how people are processing their responses to major environmental changes. The Bentway’s Beyond Concrete summer season explores the urban ecosystem […]

“Groundcover”: Transforming Archival Gardiner Photos

August 8, 2023

Brooklyn-based artist Genesis Báez gives us a closer look at Groundcover, her contribution to Beyond Concrete, and the process of its creation. The installation features archival images of the Gardiner Expressway that Baéz re-photographed and buried in the soil beneath the highway. This summer, we’re publishing a series of essays, interviews, and other stories that explore the […]

Filling In: Anjulie Rao on “vacant” urban lands

July 27, 2023

Anjulie Rao explores the cultural and historical value, agency, and stewardship of Chicago’s vacant land in this personal essay. The Bentway’s Beyond Concrete summer season explores the urban ecosystem beneath the Gardiner Expressway, where human-made infrastructure intertwines with flora and fauna. The relationship between concrete and nature is complex and interconnected. In this story series, […]

The Ecology of Concrete: An Interview with Matthew Gandy

July 18, 2023

Beyond Concrete guest editor Brian Sholis talks with Matthew Gandy, author of Natura Urbana, about the ecology of concrete, engineered versus spontaneous landscapes, and the politics of design language. The Bentway’s Beyond Concrete summer season explores the urban ecosystem beneath the Gardiner Expressway, where human-made infrastructure intertwines with flora and fauna. The relationship between concrete and […]

Exploring public space in Sāo Paulo

June 15, 2023

Felipe Morozini, president of the Parque Minhocão community association, shares the challenges of creating vibrant public spaces in Sāo Paulo. This summer, we’re publishing a series of essays, interviews, and other stories that explore the themes in our Beyond Concrete season, highlighting local and global projects that centre interconnectedness. This story is inspired by Clarice Lima’s project Woods, […]

In Conversation with Leeroy New

June 6, 2023

Beyond Concrete artist Leeroy New and Montreal-based artist Kelly Jazvac connect about the practice, poetry, and production of public art. Listen to this story Brian Sholis: The Bentway has invited me to guest edit an online publication related to “Beyond Concrete,” its summer 2023 programming season, and I’m pleased to be introducing an interview between Leeroy […]

Dive Deeper into Beyond Concrete: Editor’s Letter

June 6, 2023

Brian Sholis, guest editor, introduces our new Beyond Concrete story series, and frames this series of essays and interviews that will roll out all summer long. Listen to this story Cliché has it that the city is a “concrete jungle.” But in the popular imagination, concrete prevails. Downtown is a place of stone and glass; full […]

2023 Public Space Fellowship

May 8, 2023

The Bentway is proud to welcome our 2023 Public Space Fellows, Celeste Meledath and Ella Hough. Working with The Bentway over five months, the Fellows are exploring the intersection of sustainability and public space design, focusing on how to apply more ecological approaches to The Bentway’s work.

2022 Public Space Fellowship

September 29, 2022

Jess Misak and Faizaan Khan completed a five-month Public Space Fellowship and played a pivotal role in leading our 2022 Street Summit, an “un-symposium” that explored how cities everywhere can re-imagine their streets. With guidance from The Bentway team, the Fellows also advanced their own independent research.

Measuring the personal impact of public art with HeART Lab

November 15, 2021

With CAMH’s HeARTLab, we surveyed those who attended Pulse Topology to learn more about their perspectives on public art, mental health and wellbeing, community, and the impacts of the pandemic. From our friends at HeARTLab: “At HeART Lab, we honour the strengths and knowledge of people and communities through co-design across the research cycle. Our […]

“Heart of the City” Champions with CAMH

October 29, 2021

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and wellbeing was top of mind. Through a partnership with CAMH (the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), The Bentway and Exhibition Place  invited health care workers from across the city to help launch Pulse Topology. These health care providers nominated by their peers, were the […]

2021 Public Space Fellowship

January 13, 2021

Gelila Mekonnen and Nahomi Amberber joined our Safe in Public Space initiative, interrogating the meaning of public safety during a global pandemic and heightened focus on anti-Black racism. As emerging professionals in public health and urban planning, the Fellows helped shape editorial content and community engagement, while conducting independent research.