Backgrounder
September 5, 2019

Nuit Blanche Toronto is made possible by generous sponsors who share a commitment to arts and culture in Toronto. Every year, sponsors have immersed themselves in the spirit of Nuit Blanche Toronto. The investment of each sponsor enables talented local, national and international artists to showcase their work publicly during the event.

Cadillac Fairview, sponsor of Chasing Red by Bekah Brown

A dynamic light installation depicting the northern lights will be created by Bekah Brown, an artist of Anishinaabe descent who grew up on Dene territory.

Location: Downtown – CF Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge, 15 Queen St. W.

Concord Adex, sponsor of Nucleus by Nathan Whitford

An illuminated orb responds to the energy and presence of bystanders. Glowing pulses of light and radiating sound offer the cycle of life, reimagined.

Location: Fort York – 38 Dan Leckie Way

Marriott International, sponsor of Halcyon by Francesca Chudnoff

Drenched in blue light, dancers will interact with a sound and video installation to explore the relationship between desire and distance.

Location: Fort York – 21 Strachan Ave.

MLSE’s Toronto Raptors, sponsor of Peace to the Past, Reach for the Future by Esmaa Mohamoud, Bryan Espiritu

As the Raptors turn 25, two Toronto artists create an 18-foot-tall (five-metre) sculpture honouring the NBA champions’ past, imagining their future and celebrating the diverse communities that support them.

Location: Downtown – Queen Street West and Bay Street

Oxford Properties – Scarborough Town Centre, sponsor of Ephemeral Artifacts by Anandam Dancetheatre / Brandy Leary

This sonic, sculptural and performance installation offers the experience of slowing time, space and the senses. The “dancing bodies” of Scarborough will be honoured here.

Extended Project Details: This project will be available for extended viewing during regular Scarborough Town Centre hours until October 13.

Location: Scarborough – Scarborough Town Centre, Centre Court, Lower Level, 300 Borough Dr.

Shiseido, sponsor of Lunar Garden by Daniel Arsham

In the largest Japanese-inspired garden he has ever created, Daniel Arsham will bring the moon to downtown Toronto, along with his iconic, brightly coloured sand and sculptures.

Extended Project Details: The Lunar Garden will be on view until October 14 through funding support from the Government of Ontario. The piece will be accompanied by an original soundscape by Charlotte Day Wilson.

Location: Downtown – Nathan Phillip Square, 100 Queen St. W.

TAS, sponsor of Anatomy of an Abattoir, That Moment, LABOOA (Licht am Bau 001) and Detritus

Anatomy of an Abattoir by Kim Morgan and Kaitlyn Bourden

Latex sculptures of objects from an old slaughterhouse will be installed in its courtyard. Lit from within, these ghostly castings will bring the building back to life.

Location: Fort York location – TAS, previously Quality Meats, 2 Tecumseth St.

That Moment by Max Dean and Jared Raab

A video installation will reveal what happens when a hand game like rock-paper-scissors turns from a playful encounter into a confrontational experience.

Location: TAS, previously Quality Meats, 2 Tecumseth St.

LABOOA (Licht am Bau 001) by Markus Heckman

Using light, video and fog, this artwork will play with the illusion of a fiery opening cut into the outside of an old garbage-incineration facility.

Location: Fort York – Wellington Destructor, City of Toronto Transportation Yard, 677 Wellington St. W.

Detritus by Jonathan Schipper

An artist-made 3D printer will create models of everyday objects out of salt crystals atop shimmering mountains of road salt in a cathedral-like storage dome.

Location: Fort York – Salt Dome, City of Toronto Transportation Yard, 677 Wellington St. W.

Animating Toronto Streets

Toronto Arts Council’s Animating Toronto Streets program has provided funding for 11 new works located throughout the city, as described here, as part of the Independent Projects program:

Scarborough: Below the City by Esmond Lee; DA’IQ FLIGHT by Evond Blake (MEDIAH); the E.W.o.C Project – Revolutions

Fort York: Daylighting (without you I would be lost) by Christine Dewancker; Eulogy for the Coffin Factory by Lake Effect Projects; Stronghold by John Notten

Downtown: Project GUNK by Reza Nik, Matthew Davis and XSITE by Javid Jah

Bloor Yorkville: Trillionth I by Tribal Crackling Wind for the Arts

West Queen West: Under Pressure by Annette Mangaard and Bay Weyman

PostScript by Noor Khan and Sean Leon has two locations in the West Queen West and Scarborough neighbourhoods.

Tim Hortons sponsored “UNFOLDING” by Community Arts Guild

This interactive installation mixes collectively created textiles, sounds and video projections to share the histories and stories of Scarborough.

Location: Scarborough – Scarborough Civic Centre’s wedding chamber, 300 Borough Dr.

About Nuit Blanche Toronto

Nuit Blanche Toronto is the city’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art, produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community and funded by the Government of Ontario and Tourism Toronto. Since 2006, this award-winning event has featured almost 1,571 art installations by approximately 5,600 artists and has generated over $398 million in economic impact for Toronto. Information and updates are available at http://toronto.ca/nuitblanche, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/nuitblancheTO, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nuitblancheTO, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/nuitblancheTO. The event hashtag is #nbTO19.

Michele Simpson
Economic Development and Culture
416-392-4467