June 27th 2013
The first stop on the tour was at Stanley Park for an interactive re-interpretation of Swan Lake, swapping out the traditional Russian setting for the artist's native Saskatchewan. The playful work, titled We are the Champions was by performance artist Humboldt Magnusson and curated by Heather Nicol with dance assistance from Jimmy Danger and Alex Beriault.
Our second stop took us to a dead end street in Liberty Village for John Oswald's incredibly moving site-specific performance piece titled Crowd Passage. The work had over 40 nude performers slowly approach and move through the audience to the beautifully eerie sounds of Christine Duncan and the Element Choir.
Our tour kicked off at Trinity Bellwoods Park with tune-ups from our wonderful friends over at Bike Pirates. We were also joined from the PARC youth group who installed their own artwork in the park, as well as providing an 'art-up-your-bike' station where people could get flags for their bikes made from recycled materials.
After the park we set out on the tour led for the first time by our emcee Shamez Amlani of Pedestrian Sundays and saxophonist Brody West, with John Cairnes providing beats for the group with his bicycle sound system.
Following Liberty Village we headed over to Historic Fort York for Improvisation in Light and Sound in the Blue Barracks. The music improvised by Somewhere There Collective members Arnd Jurgensson, Michael Kahler, Amrose Pottie and Paul Newman were inspired by the visual projections done live by lightsweetcrude's Jason Steidman.
Our gallery stop took us to Walnut Contemporary, welcomed by gallery director Amanda MacDonald who spoke about recent work on view by Catto Houghton. We then ended the tour at Walnut Studios for our after-party where Art Spinners had the chance to tour the studios and speak with some of artists who work there. Outside we were serenaded by the beautiful ambient music of Treeotica while Navid Taslimi entertained the group with his interactive bicycle-powered slot car races. Jason Steidman joined us again to create live-projections. Inside the studios we had the chance to see work by the kids of Blank Canvases, an after school art program at Walnut. The kids created imaginative artworks that were bicycle themed just for us.Many thanks go out to Lilly's Lunches who provided fresh panini sandwiches for the group, and Will Pimenta for bartending the evening.
More thanks to Jason Martins for hosting us at Walnut Studios, Leanna Manning from Blank Canvases and Robert Kerr from Fort York - be sure to visit the fort during it's 200 year anniversary. Thanks go out to Martin Neale from Hoopdriver for his sponsorship, Steve Reble from
Kronenbourg for their donation and Rafi Ghanaghounian from Keep6 for his generous sponsorship for our printed material. We would also like to acknowledge the Toronto Arts Council for another year of support from them.
Finally we'd like to thank our invaluable volunteer bike marshalls who joined us to help usher the ride and keep our participants safe.
PHOTOS
Participants art-up their bikes with 'Bicycle Bunting' created by PARC youth.
Participants art-up their bikes with 'Bicycle Bunting' created by PARC youth.
Artworks by PARC youth installed in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
PARC youth at our starting point in Trinity Bellwoods.
Participants art-up their bikes with 'Bicycle Bunting' created by PARC youth.
'Bicycle Bunting' flags made of recycled material by PARC youth.
Participants art-up their bikes with 'Bicycle Bunting' created by PARC youth.
Artworks by PARC youth installed in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
Participants art-up their bikes with 'Bicycle Bunting' created by PARC youth.
PARC youth artist talks with Art Spin participants about their work.
Artwork by PARC youth installed in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
David from Bike Pirates and Brody West, our saxophone player, take a test ride in the cargo bike.
Participants gather in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
'Bicycle Bunting' by PARC youth.
Shamez Amlani, our new emcee for 2013 gives some welcome announcements.
Shamez Amlani, our emcee.
Shamez Amlani - emcee, with Rui Pimenta and Layne Hinton, Art Spin organizers.
Shamez Amlani, our emcee, and Brody West on saxophone lead the tour down Gore Vale.
Art Spinners heading towards Queen St.
The group ride crosses Queen St.
'Bicycle Bunting' by PARC youth on participants bikes.
Guest curator Heather Nichol introduces We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
Audience members hand out flags for We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
We Are the Champions by Humboldt Magnusson.
PARTNERS
