Most of the manhole cover lovers (er, methinks we need a new word for “manhole”) out there are well aware of this already, but last night at Toronto Free Gallery the City announced its winners for the Regent Park Grounds For Art Competition. They are:
Xin Xu, sanitary cover design
Rene Zamic, water valve cover design
DeMuth Flake, storm cover design
You can see the shorlisted entrants by clicking here or by visiting the exhibition of same at the TFG until January 21 (this Sunday). You’ll also be able to see them all over Regent Park as the development there continues.
And if you prefer your art on solid waste rather than liquid waste infrastructures (hey people, no judgment, we’re all part of the spectrum!) look out for these sweet “vine people” on trash and other materials around Bloor and Lansdowne.
The viners are part of a Spot Culture project by Dyan Marie, an artist and curator who lives in the area and founded the DIG IN neighbourhood activist group. On one level it’s nice because the vine people’s leaves are based on those of trees, shrubs and vines found in the nabe. And on another level it’s nice to see graffiti on something other than a wall. Let macho abstract artistes use the hard brick. I’ll take the humble yet poignantly powerful graffiti mattress! (Bet Tracy Emin wishes she had done it first.)
Images from City of Toronto website and Dyan Marie.
3 comments
Ah art… what a joy to see someone’s future gallery piece & c.v. blurb on the mattress of an evictee.
The manhole covers are beautiful though.
Some of the most beautiful grate covers are to be found in Japan.
And for that matter, the sidewalks of Havana, Cuba also have beautiful mosaics in them.
that is really cool