Junction Triangle

Last year's BIG on Bloor Festival was a BIG success (pardon the pun). Preparations are well underway for this year's festival on Saturday June 20, 2009.

One of the best parts of this festival is that it is entirely run by and for members of the community, so anyone can participate. This morning, the BIG festival coordinator Dougal Bichan sent out the following email to call for artists who may wish to participate:

The BIG on Bloor Festival is coming! Again this year, we are planning to close 2 1/2 km of Bloor Street from Christie to Lansdowne for a day of festivities.

Are you an artists with ideas looking for a space? Bring your ideas to the table! We are looking for artists to get involved with their ideas now! If you are interested, email me your ideas and a short bio as soon as possible.

We are looking for all kinds of art - visual, conceptual, performance, music, dance, drama, storytelling - whatever you do.

We are looking for art that could be site-specific, large-in-scale, participatory or collaborative, activity-based, engaging the topic of "people, place and public space" and/or address social issues specific to the neighbourhood. Make it hands-on, engage the audience. The more creative the better.

Contact me as soon as possible, by this weekend, if you can. Pass this message on to others who may be interested.

Cheers,
Dougal

BIG on Bloor Programming Coordinator

dougal@dougalco.com

The the fall of 2008, Toronto artist Joel Richardson completed a new mural on the Dupont St. railway underpass between Campbell Ave. and Lansdowne Ave. The mural is on the north side of the street, but is probably best viewed from the south, so that you can see the whole mural as one big piece.

This week, BlogTO posted a series of photos of the mural.

Talk a walk by here sometimes and have a look. What do you think of these murals, and others in the area?

Murals on the Dupont St. railway underpass between Campbell Ave. and Lansdowne Ave.

Murals by Joel Richardson, photo by Vic Gedris, 2008-11-15.

NOW Magazine is reporting that the residents of the "studio lofts" at 221-227 Sterling Rd. are facing eviction.

The speculation at this time is that the owners of the building are trying to get it re-developed and need the tenants moved out of the way.

Please read the article for details. A PDF version is also attached, in case the link dies.

Artist Joel Richardson invites you to attend the launch party for his new mural. The launch will be held at Os Piratas (Franklin and Dupont) at 7pm on Saturday, August 23rd.

More info at http://joelrichardson.com/newsvid1.html

Symington Underpass Murals

Mike Foderick, Executive Assistant to City Councillor Cesar Palacio, sent an email with photos of the new murals painted on the walls of the Symington Ave. railway underpass, just north of Dupont St. They will also be installing another mural on Dufferin St. You can read his email below, and view the attached sketch of the Dufferin St. mural.

The addition of murals in the railway underpasses around our neighbourhood is really perking up the streetscape. The Dupont and Dundas underpass murals went in several years ago (they could use a touch-up now), and we also have new murals on Bloor St. The dead-end of Rankin Ave. by Erwin Krickhan Park will also be getting a mural soon.

Want to get involved with other similar projects? Contact us to get involved with the Community Initiatives and Beautification committee.

New murals on the walls of the Symington Ave. railway underpass, just north of Dupont St.

Photos courtesy of City Councillor Cesar Palacio's office.

August 11, 2008.

New murals on the walls of the Symington Ave. railway underpass, just north of Dupont St.

Photos courtesy of City Councillor Cesar Palacio's office.

August 11, 2008.

Despite the rain, a few brave souls attended a meeting to discuss the future of the wall near Rankin Park, at Paton Ave. Dave Banerjee (me) gave an overview of the project and the process of recruiting and engaging youth, and Joel (the artist) gave the artistic vision. This was followed with a discussion about the wall itself, issues with reaching youth, and further meetings.

If you know a young person interested in being part of this project, please contact Dave at dbanerjee@rogers.com.

Please join members of the South Junction Triangle Residents' Association to discuss plans for a mural at Rankin and Paton, beside Erwin Krichhan park.

Tuesday August 5, 7pm at the wall, or at 55 Rankin in case of rain.