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Arts

Astral's info-less pillars given a makeshift makeover

Posted by Derek Flack / January 8, 2012

19 Comments

Astral info pillar street art TorontoIf there were standardized criteria for what makes for good street art, this impromptu update to Astral's much-criticized info pillars would probably win on all levels. Spotted near College and Bathurst by Scott Snider on his way to the No Pants Subway Ride (more on that tomorrow), the ad-heavy pillar now sports chalkboards on either side that invite those walking by to add some, well, info to this little bit of street furniture.

So about that criteria. Not only is this intervention ultimately removable (and thus not pure vandalism per se), but it's also a subtle political critique and interactive in nature. Given how much activity had been recorded when Scott stopped by this afternoon, I'd tentatively say it's a hit with the public as well.

What do you think?

Street Art TorontoStreet Art TorontoStreet Art TorontoPhotos by Scott Snider

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19 Comments

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Captain Toronto / January 8, 2012 at 09:49 pm
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Next up: a midnight pickaxe through the middle of the sign.
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Decoy replying to a comment from Captain Toronto / January 8, 2012 at 10:42 pm
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Is that a request, or an offer?
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Marlon / January 8, 2012 at 11:10 pm
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Thank fuck. These eyesore monstrosities pop up claiming info coming soon but they have been stand alone billboards that serve zero purpose other then to provide ad space. Has anyone seen one with actual information? We are all waiting...
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Jordan / January 9, 2012 at 01:01 am
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Great idea - though is there anyway we can get these permenantly removed? How'd we get those megabins removed back in the day?
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Antisthenes / January 9, 2012 at 02:59 am
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Astral media must die, and the politicians getting the kick-back.
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Yes / January 9, 2012 at 07:51 am
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Chalk one up to the good guys!
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auditorydamage / January 9, 2012 at 09:32 am
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"Info pillars"???? That's seriously the name for those sidewalk-blocking, electricity-sucking ad monstrosities??? Excuse me while I suppress an urge to buy a sledgehammer and engage in some urban renewal. Does anyone remember the giant ad displays that were intended to double as poorly-designed trash cans some years back? Geez, at least those eyesores had a (barely-justified) public purpose. I'm guessing Astral isn't paying the city all that much for their privatization of public space, given the bleating about budget problems.
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auditorydamage replying to a comment from Jordan / January 9, 2012 at 09:35 am
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IIRC, they never really had to be removed, as the project never progressed past the test phase due to vociferous negative response from residents. One or two are still out there, somewhere. These billboards-in-all-but-name, OTOH... ugh. I wondered why sidewalks along the Danforth were being torn up through fall 2011, only to see these things sprout like weeds.
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Brandon / January 9, 2012 at 04:54 pm
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Seen a lot of these pop up recently in the Yonge/Eglinton area - except they all feature Bell advertisements... When I say "pop up", I mean literally installed in the last couple months. Concrete dust still present from the drilling.
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Brent / January 9, 2012 at 11:03 pm
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I don't know how booming the advertising business can be these days. Seems like every other ad in Astral's TTC shelters is either for the City, or an Astral-related entity (i.e. non-revenue generating for Astral).

"Criteria" is plural. "Criterion" is singular.
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Greg replying to a comment from Brent / January 10, 2012 at 01:55 am
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Hopefully these appear all over the city. Also, what's with the grammar Nazi who doesn't know how to read? The plural form is correct usage above as the blogger refers to "levels" (note the "s") and later lists off the various qualities of the piece he describes. Or were you just pointing that out for the sake of it with no reference to the article above?
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Realist (mostly) / January 10, 2012 at 08:29 am
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I've been waiting for someone to vandalize those goddamn things.
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the lemur replying to a comment from Greg / January 10, 2012 at 09:08 am
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'The plural form is correct usage above as the blogger refers to "levels" (note the "s")'

Let's look at what the article actually says:

'If there were standardized criteria' = correct

'So about that criteria' = not correct

Nothing to do with 'levels'.
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Derek replying to a comment from the lemur / January 10, 2012 at 11:10 am
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I don't normally weigh in on things like this (because, really, what's the point?), but this one gets annoying. If I wrote "So about that criterion" in the sentence you cite, my point that the installation checks off a number of *criteria* (namely removability, political critique, and interactivity) would obviously be an idiotic mess. Get it together, anonymous commenters.
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the lemur replying to a comment from Derek / January 10, 2012 at 11:39 am
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Then why not just write 'So, about those criteria'? Your point is that you are writing about how the installation meets more than just one criterion, right?
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Frank Popper / January 10, 2012 at 01:39 pm
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aw, canada
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Frank Popper / January 10, 2012 at 01:39 pm
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aw, canada
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Bryan / March 31, 2012 at 10:10 pm
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Three months later and the comment in the bottom left corner regarding the Leafs still holds true...
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