Freezing my public art off

OK, I’ll admit it; after writing a piece on art relating to climate change earlier this month, and still believing that climate change is happening (dangerously) 100 percent, I have to say I have been freezing my freakin’ art off over the past few days. Luckily, besides reassuring me that winter can still exist (for a few weeks at least) there’s a bunch of public art things going down that make the wintry weather feel a little more creative.

First, there’s B.C. artist Gordon Halloran’s ice sculptures or “Frozen Paintings” in full effect at Nathan Phillips Square. Though the City paid for the provision of freezer plates to preserve Halloran’s work in the case that our balmy December weather had continued, they won’t be needed, at least for tonight. You can skate on Halloran’s ice paintings until February 8. For more information, click here.

Next, there’s an opportunity to participate in a unique performance art piece by Diane Borsato this weekend. On Sunday, January 28, Borsato is planning, along with a team of volunteers, to move a snowbank from downtown Toronto to York University. OK, so that’s funny enough. Funnier still is that she and her snowsuited gang will be moving the snow via subway. So bring your boots if you’re riding the Spadina-University line this Sunday afternoon; there might be some art meltage in effect. For more information about the piece or volunteering for it, click here.

Finally, in a strange turn, Newmindspace is looking to raise $400 so they can purchase/create a snowmaking machine. The idea is to bring the magic of snow to little kids and grown-up kids under any and all temperature conditions. Uh, I think there’s some snow outside already… and if there isn’t it might be kind of, uh, sad to create even more greenhouse gases running some kind of machine that’s gonna create magical snow. (The carbon emissions will apparently be offset via Bullfrog Power, so you can tell me if I’m being overly cranky.) If you’re a fan of snow by any means possible, you can click here to help them out.

Of course, if you’re looking to stay indoors, the art world can provide some love for you on that point too. Tomorrow at 3pm, the Power Plant is hosting a panel on “Making a Scene” that has the potential to get a little heated as Tanya Mars, Barbara Fischer, Luis Jacob, Clive Robertson, and Jon Sasaki discuss how people land “in” and “out” of the city’s art scene. If you want to test your scenester IQ – or just rail against the existence of the word “scenester” – click here.

And speaking of scenes, until February 2 the Toronto Free Gallery will be hosting an exhibit by some art scene outsiders — young parents who have at some point been homeless. The exhibit will also travel to St. Mike’s Hospital and the NFB Mediatheque in the coming weeks. For more information click here.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, hang on to your mittens! After all, if you don’t, some artist is liable to use it in the Lost Mitten Project. Right now, they’re best installed in their conventional environment – i.e. your hands.