Toronto Sculpture Garden
115 King Street E, Toronto, ON
Avant-garde art installations spring to life in this unexpected chunk of downtown.
Category:
Recreation Location
Where:
| Neighbourhood | | Downtown |
| Getting There | | King Streetcar |
| Cross Street | | King Street East and Church Street |
When:
| Daylight |
Profile Last Updated: August 19, 2008
For the City
Since 1981, this small park has brought innovative contemporary sculpture to a bustling part of the downtown core. For participating artists, it provides an opportunity to exhibit outdoors and explore the urban environment’s relationship to art. For the public, it’s a chance to engage with the creative output of Toronto artists without setting foot in a gallery or other private space.
For the Artist
For many of the artists exhibiting at the Sculpture Gallery, it’s their first public commission – an auspicious career development for those who proceed to reap greater success in the field. The location, near Church Street and opposite St. James’ Cathedral, is an intersection that provides a contemplative atmosphere amidst the hubbub.
Greatness in the Grass
Toronto Sculpture Garden is operated by the City of Toronto, with the funding courtesy of a non-profit foundation run by the family of Louis Odette – a prominent businessman who was devoted to promoting sculpture in the public domain. While the initial exhibitions were group shows using existing artwork in a gravel atmosphere, a grassier setting was established to accommodate individual artists.
Pacing the Progress
Setting up the exhibits can take several weeks, and providing public access to the installation process is part of the Sculpture Garden’s interactive mandate and charm. Notable exhibitions have included:
“Flashlight” by Luis Jacob, where solar power paid homage to the disco era, “There’s a New Boulder in Town” by Maura Doyle, which was dedicated to the big wandering rocks found in Toronto parks, and “The Tower” by Euan Macdonald, a full-scale replica of the otherwise inaccessible top 25 feet of the nearby CN Tower.
Truly, you can never predict what might inspire the next exhibition at the Toronto Sculpture Garden.
Since 1981, this small park has brought innovative contemporary sculpture to a bustling part of the downtown core. For participating artists, it provides an opportunity to exhibit outdoors and explore the urban environment’s relationship to art. For the public, it’s a chance to engage with the creative output of Toronto artists without setting foot in a gallery or other private space.
For the Artist
For many of the artists exhibiting at the Sculpture Gallery, it’s their first public commission – an auspicious career development for those who proceed to reap greater success in the field. The location, near Church Street and opposite St. James’ Cathedral, is an intersection that provides a contemplative atmosphere amidst the hubbub.
Greatness in the Grass
Toronto Sculpture Garden is operated by the City of Toronto, with the funding courtesy of a non-profit foundation run by the family of Louis Odette – a prominent businessman who was devoted to promoting sculpture in the public domain. While the initial exhibitions were group shows using existing artwork in a gravel atmosphere, a grassier setting was established to accommodate individual artists.
Pacing the Progress
Setting up the exhibits can take several weeks, and providing public access to the installation process is part of the Sculpture Garden’s interactive mandate and charm. Notable exhibitions have included:
Truly, you can never predict what might inspire the next exhibition at the Toronto Sculpture Garden.
Details
Admission: Free!
