In Photos: Nuit Blanche 2008

Cool! Thanks for featuring my photo 'Maid in the Mist'. I was very impressed with the exhibits at OCAD. Artist Lois Andison (Maid of the Mist) had a number of pieces which were a major highlight for me....and who could forget the horse riding installation outside OCAD...WoW!

Nuit Blanche was absolutely terrible this year. I can't imagine how they could have screwed it up so badly since 2006. I walked from 7pm until nearly 7am, and there was not a single redeeming exhibit. It was a complete waste of time and effort for everyone involved. I hope they smarten up and do something worthwhile next year. I was also surprised at the lack of Canadian art showcased, as all of the major exhibits seemed to come from overseas artists.

Well, it would have helped if at least some of the art was not installations and more accessible. I'd take an ordinary portrait painting over some of the crap showcased. I am just not sure why for example they showed experimental shorts in front of Italian Institute. Wouldn't more people enjoy seeing some regular shorts... they are art too!
Why does every exhibit have to be some sort of modern art impenetrable to majority of people or 20 page statement on something noone cares about. I wouldn't have minded seeing some sculptures for example. Or maybe some artist painting live. Also much of the art was not exactly as intended - for example that walkway was supposed to be lighted by daylight. And what disappointment waterfalls was - the picture showed a tall modern building which would have been cool, but instead we got abandoned 3 storey building destined for deconstruction soon...
1 million people, but not much to see or do. I would have loved to have the artists present to discuss their artwork and tell something about it. Next year they better do fewer exhibits, but with better artists - any old master blows away these wannabe artists.

@ Disenchanted, Lacklustre & N:

Next year, come to the Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche. There was fantastic original art and installations, the artists were there to discuss their work, and some were even creating before audience's eyes. And quite frankly, if you claim you couldn't find one redeeming exhibit after 12 hours, you weren't looking hard enough.

Great collection of shots; kudos to everyone!

I thought a few exhibits were really interesting and some were real letdowns; the ones that struck me as cool often had big lineups. Lowlight for me was the waterfall on College-it may have been better if you were able to stand a few feet away and look instead of having to squirm through the crowds and parked bikes for your 30 seconds in front. It may also have been unrealistic expectations-from the glowing advance descriptions I had the idea that the whole front of the building facing University was going to be converted; when I saw the actual piece it was underwhelming at best. Same thing with Dundas Square...oh, look, a guy with a spotlight shining on random people. It would have been a lot more interesting if a few of the screens around the square had been showing the people in the spotlight; as it was the thing looked amateurish and mundane. The Zombies were cool when there was something to see; the crowds were a bit intense though. I thought Meeky was brilliant; crowded but brilliant; definitely the coolest thing I saw.
There are an awful lot of people moaning but a lot of it sounds to me like the people who moan and groan when their favourite obscure band gets a major label deal and makes a bit of money.

As an organizer for Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche, I know how much work goes into creating this one night of beauty for the larger community. I am so very grateful to artists across Toronto for taking risks and putting their work on display.

Wow. An all night, all event, all free party and all you can do is complain. If nothing inspired you, you only have yourselves to blame. Grow the hell up- it's people like you who leave the impression that torotno is a city of haters.

postscript~ if you were not impressed by this year's art - make/do something for next year; or is the only act that Blogto readers are capable of doing is complaining.
Maybe you were the people I saw earlier saturday afternoon already writing your critiques about "nuit bland".