Wherever I go in the world, I’m always on the lookout for public art and I found plenty to admire in Toronto. Some of the works were difficult to find while others are on the tourist radar. This is my latest for ForbesLife where I discuss the sculptures, art installations and street art that peppers the landscape of Toronto.
Even biking the Toronto Islands off-season is a delight. Taking a guided tour with Toronto Bicycle Tours, I discovered a pristine, undeveloped stretch of sand.
Sculptor Duane Linklater created this series of concrete gargoyles that are replicas of those found around Toronto. This series that’s set in a green space populated with box elder, maple and hickory is referred to as Monsters for Permanence, Beauty and Individuality. It’s along a section of the Lower Don Valley Trail that’s well used by everyone from walkers to cyclists.
At the Max Tanenbaum Sculpture Garden, some two dozen colorful pieces of art bedeck a terrace outside a hospital in Toronto. Created by William Lishman, each one reflects a vibrant, active human, something that’s inspirational for all.
This giant, whimsical sculpture of an Iberian lynx, an endangered species, was created by Bordalo II. It soars above a pavement in the Parque de Nacoes neighborhood in Lisbon. The artist used objects found in junkyards, including computer parts, reflecting his sensibilities on materialism and consumerism.
This is probably one of the coolest coworking spaces around. Village Underground Lisbon (VULX), a nexus of creativity, culture and art, consists of stacked shipping containers and even a pair of double-decker buses. It’s down the street from the ever popular LX Factory.
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