So I’ve been trying to change the words to Sugar Hill Gang’s Classic “Rapper’s Delight” so that it goes “Public Art Rapper’s Delight.” I won’t subject you to the results right now. But I will tell you it’s all in celebration of three rad public art-y things goin’ on today that prompted my attempt at adapted hip-hop classics:
1) A formerly Halifax-based gang of artistes has decided to claim a little bit o’ Queen Street for themselves — or a Queen Street alley garage at least. Yes, Evan Quigley, onetime proprietor of H-town’s infamous Bathroom Gallery, has gone garage with a little help from his friends… and the result is called 2nd Place, a nomadic art gallery that will be “taking over idle spaces in the city.” This particular show, Hometown Blues, is open today 12pm-4pm and by appointment until December 9th at 416-516-5912. Just check out the alley at Queen and Dovercourt behind the Great Hall.
2) Next on the public art-y list is Paint Jam, a fine-art meets graffiti-art thing at Dyan Marie Projects near Dupont and Landsdowne. Coordinated in part by Pascal Paquette, this project brings together high-end taggers and high-priced painters to complete some walls together. We’re looking forward to seeing where these walls will be displayed in the future, but you can check them out today (last day of this show!) from 12 to 5 at Dyan Marie Projects, 1444 Dupont St. Unit 31. Read more about the show here and here.
3) If you’re up at Landowne and Dupont for Paint Jam, you might as well check out a unique one weekend only show of 30,000 square foot proportions called Making Room. It runs Satuday from 11am to 11pm and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm at 224 Wallace Ave., 2nd Floor (one block west of Lansdowne, north of Bloor, south of Dupont). There are also performances at 7pm Saturday and a free open piano recital day all day on Sunday. Suggested admission is $5.
