OTHER CITIES: 
Artists Sought To Commemorate Original Lake Ontario Shoreline
It might be common knowledge that Toronto's shoreline has shifted numerous times since colonists first set foot here, but it isn't often that we're reminded of that fact. Unlike the city's buried ravines and creeks, which are often echoed in commemorative plaques and maps, the lost shoreline of Lake Ontario is only marked by the sudden dip in roads stretching south of Front Street.
A new initiative by the City of Toronto's Culture DIvision hopes to correct that missing tribute at one of the most important sites that used to site on the lake: Fort York. The call for submissions asks that a new art installation should "delineate the original Lake Ontario shoreline and related features, which can be traced along the north side of Fort York Boulevard." I'd love to see this kind of installation later stretched along other significant parts of the original shoreline; the more links we can make to the waterfront the better.
The Culture Division's website doesn't have the details, so I've copied them for interested artists after the jump:
Toronto Culture is seeking to commission an artwork that delineates the original Lake Ontario shoreline and related features, which can be traced along the north side of Fort York Boulevard. It is expected that the artwork will illuminate the Fort's original relationship with the lake, and act as a landmark for a new entrance to the city's most important historic site.
In recent years, this stretch of green space under the Gardiner Expressway has been identified as the "main spine" of the growing Fort York neighbourhood, and has been the focus of a major interdivisional clean up effort which included a new entrance to the national historic site.
Toronto Culture views the unique parameters of this site as an opportunity to commission an artist working with light and/or new media to develop a unique site-specific public artwork that gives this site a physical presence during both daylight and night-time hours. The art production budget including all fees, materials, technologies and fabrication for this project is $115,000.00.
Toronto Culture is inviting Artists to submit:
- a resume;
- 6-8 visuals of recent, relevant work
- Artist's statement outlining interest in the project and experience working on projects of similar scope and scale.
* While this call is not restricted to Toronto-based artists, there is no additional budget for travel or transport; interested artists must be able to attend site meetings during competition and project fabrication phases at their own expense.
* Please submit digital images on CD listing title, date, materials and dimensions for each work. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return of submission material, if desired.
Submissions must be received by September 7 2007, 4 pm.
Submissions should be sent to:
Cultural Affairs Officer - Public Art
Toronto Culture EDCT
9th floor, East Tower, City Hall
100 Queen Street West
Toronto ON M5H 2N2
culture@toronto.ca (Please include subject header: Call to Artists - Fort York Blvd)
Image from the City of Toronto, Culture Division.
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This sounds like a great idea--we need more public art in the city. However, the city should not be spending this money right now, considering the service cuts. Keeping community centres and public libraries open is more important than installing new public art.