Nuit Blanche

Toronto’s cityscape in lights

These life-sized plastic people were spread throughout downtown, passed along from individual to individual. They are meant to shed light on how we treat strangers, or something. The message – “I am an Outsider. If you find me, take me with you, take a photo, pass me on”. I molested it–as I would any stranger–and then we gave it to a woman who expressed interest in keeping him in her backyard.

Last night was Nuit Blanch–Toronto’s all night art thing. From sunset to sunrise, we wandered the streets looking at contemporary art installations throughout the city. The art isn’t all that remarkable, but the vibe is. Mostly, it’s an excuse for people to get trashed and stay out all night…but hey, what’s wrong with that?

The parking garage below city hall played host to Douglas Copeland’s Museum for the End of the World–an expansive series of tableuxs and signs that envision a post-apocoalyptic world.

A post-apocolyptic bunker, complete with 21st century artificacts

The future of real estate

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Survival of the fittest! There was a live-action scenario playing out for a crowd. A couple vacated their spot, leaving a sweet opening up front and I glided in to check it out. Some guy with his girlfriend grudgingly muttered, “Yeah, we weren’t trying to get in there…”. I don’t think he understood the distinction between a crowd and a lineup. I smiled and said, “Guess you should have tried harder”. After searching for the perfect thing to say, he said – “I’m not that much of a douche”. I make friends wherever I go, you see. I said, “Well, I guess that’s why you’re back there and I’m up here”. Every man for himself–it’s the end of the world.

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At Yonge and Dundas square, there was an installation called “Talk 2 Strangers”. In an age of electronic communication, this  helpful project offered signs to help guide us through the process of interacting face to face.

All good tips.

We stood in the designated area, and soon enough we were talking to strangers. We met a British guy who had been here for only 4 weeks, and a Russian guy named Roman.  The signs really work to validate the experience and take out the awkwardness of approaching random people because you know that everyone in that area is there for the same purpose. I think these ‘talk to strangers’ signs should be stationed throughout the city on a permanent basis.

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One of my favourite exhibits was the photocopier dance party. It was a darkened space with a live DJ and photocopiers functioned as disco lights. This appealed to my vanity as I was able to collect a nice series of photocopy portraits.

I was pretty proud of this one

People discarded their photocopies, throwing them on the floor, which created this really creepy mosaic of dark faces and ghostly hands looking up from the ground.

I had a fun night. It gave me the illusion of being a tourist in my own city.