Since opening in 1981, the Toronto Sculpture Garden (TSG) commissioned temporary artworks by more than 80 artists in a small City of Toronto park opposite St. James Cathedral on King Street East. Until 2014, it was operated as a partnership between the City of Toronto and the Louis L. Odette Family, benefactors who created the non-profit L.L.O. Sculpture Garden Foundation which funded and administered the exhibitions. Under the direction of Rina Greer, the TSG allowed artists to explore issues of scale and materials, as well as engage with the local community and visitors to the neighbourhood. For some, the expansion of their practice beyond the studio led to major public artworks elsewhere.
The TSG is now managed by the City of Toronto and acts as a stepping stone between studio work and public art, providing artists with the opportunity to work experimentally in public space. Exhibitions change twice per year, typically in the spring and fall.
October 19, 2026, to April 12, 2027
This installation highlights togetherness between different cultures and how we can learn and work with one another in our increasingly diverse communities. Rooted in the architectural style of Malaysian and Singaporean village houses, “kita semua” stems from an experience at the Rumah Uda Manap, a village house situated in an artist residency called Rimbun Dahan, located in Kuang, Malaysia. During this time, a home visit led to a walk in Woodlands Mangrove forest in Singapore. Mangrove trees play a crucial role in Singapore’s coastal ecosystem, helping to mitigate floods and erosion — issues that have become increasingly relevant given recent flooding in Ontario. Upon returning to Toronto, the artist reflected on how the concepts of village architecture and tropical plant species could intertwine with Ontario’s evolving climate challenges. The elevated stilts serve not only to withstand heavy rain but also to offer varying perspectives of the sculpture as viewers approach it. The sculpture’s foundation is inspired by the distinct shapes of mangrove roots, which will be crafted from cast aluminum and aluminum tubing to echo the resilience of these trees adapted to the Canadian climate. kita semua is a place for gatherings made from the hands and minds within a community. Togetherness is not only embodied in the title, but in the process and cultural exchanges of the sculpture itself. Not only does kita semua invite the viewers to reflect on the power of collaboration, but addresses the shared responsibility and climate challenges in our communities.
Kristi Chen is an interdisciplinary artist based in T’karonto (Toronto). She explores fading ancient rituals and crafts by rediscovery in familial archives. Chen’s practice is based on her turbulent relocation experience shaping her understanding of belonging amid complex cultural influences. Through Chen’s work, she explores the complexities of her ancestral history, connecting it with her own diasporic experience across shifting environments. Chen’s work and research has been presented in galleries, workshops, residencies across Canada, Malaysia and China. Notable exhibitions include Articule (Montréal), McClure Gallery (Montréal), Zalucky Contemporary (Toronto) and Capsules Artist Resources (Toronto). Chen will be participating in the 2027 CAFKA Biennial in Kitchener+Area.
Kristi would like to thank the following people for their assistance in this project:
The TSG is located at 115 King Street East, just east of Church Street, directly across the street from St. James Cathedral and between two of the oldest buildings in the city, dating from the 1840s.
The park is approximately 80′ by 100′ (25m x 30m). With its proximity to King Street to the north and the St. Lawrence market neighbourhood to the south, the park serves a wide variety of users, from those who live and work in the area to visitors to the neighbourhood and the City, people of all ages, those seeking out art and those coming across it by accident.