OTHER CITIES: VANCOUVER MONTREAL

No-Glow House

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Filed in Arts
April 17, 2005

My brother and I enjoy venturing to random art exhibits around Toronto - our recent destination being Glow House #3 (one of the current exhibitions run by The Power Plant.

The exhibit is offsite from the Power Plant gallery itself, and is a detached house located at 323 Palmerston Avenue just north of College Street. Although if we didn't have the exact address, we would have walked right on by Glow House #3.

The Power Plant description of the Glow House builds up great excitement for what lays before you. The house 'glows' by having many television sets in the house tuned to the same channel, with all the interior lights turned off. 'When the house is viewed from the street at night, the effect of each small flicker of light from every CRT is compounded, together becoming a vivid 'pulse' of light emanating from its windows.'

Vivid pulse?

While the Glow House may have seemed like an interesting endeavour, I felt a bit cheated by the experience. A few passerby's were wondering why we were staring at 'that house', and taking pictures - they took little notice to the "art" that lay before them.

The Glow House may work in a suburban community (or even better, a small town in Northern Ontario) - but with the flashing lights of Little Italy a few feet away, the urban landscape becomes much more interesting to watch.

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gosh, i couldn't disagree more. i think sticking the glowing house in the annex is the perfect place. shake things up a little. make people look around a little. besides, suburbs already glow too much with franchise signs.
i think the only disappointing thing about this show is that palmerston is the contruction constricting more passersby.
ps -- the only reason they were staring at you is that they wished they had their cameras too!

Posted by: catherine at April 18, 2005 9:26 PM

My issue with 'Glow House #3' being located in Downtown Toronto is much akin to trying to stargaze while you're in the heart of the city - it's not that impressive.

If the Glow House were in a more secluded, and dark space - it could be more appreciated. The lights from passing cars, people, and general Little Italy noise/light pollution took away from the experience.

Maybe that was the intention? I'm not one to say. You literally wouldn't know it was there unless someone stopped you in front of the house, and made you stare at the windows for a little while. I didn't find it moving, or impressive.

Posted by: Korkas at April 18, 2005 11:30 PM

i know, and that's exactly why i like it. b/c you have to look around and notice something's amiss, which i think is even more telling when that happens within its environment. it doesn't need to be removed to make a point. it's eerie b/c it is almost normal. but when you stop and look, you realize it's not right.

Posted by: catherine at April 19, 2005 12:23 AM