Nuit Blanche

Toronto turns into an exhibition of the best and worst in contemporary art
Compiled by Arts Department

Later that Night at the Drive-In
Daniel Lanois
Later that Night at the Drive-In was an immensely successful feat of surrealism and subversion. Literally taking over the entirety of Nathan Phillips Square, the larger-than-life multi-media installation simultaneously displayed works by artists, showcased the live performance of several pieces and invited viewers to involve themselves in a variety of ways. The eclectic hodgepodge of various art media and the sheer sensory overload of Lanois’ installation provided a rare instance of Nuit Blanche hype living up to all of its expectations – and then some.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT: U-Nity at Work
Jana Macalik
Part of Ryerson’s “LIGHT UP THE NIGHT” project, U-Nity promised to bring “what’s happening inside to the outside of the building” and allow the audience to “observe the activities and personalities of those inside.” But rather than a foray into voyeurism, viewers were met with a projection of a building blueprint superimposed onto the building itself. True enough, the larger-than-life scale of the project was impressive, but this novelty quickly wore off as audiences realized that its execution fell disappointingly short of what was promised. On second thought, it had nothing to do with what was promised.
Fly By Night
Group Exhibition
The Gladstone Hotel played host to a catacomb of otherwise insular projects, connected by the building structure and open-door policy that became “Fly by Night.” One room presented the viewer with a life-size plastic mould depicting arterial heart-like renderings. A large half-sphere made of tiny black speakers suspended from the ceiling had viewers looking, touching and listening. However, only by pressing one’s ear to the sphere could you hear an organic heartbeat (also interpreted as an ultrasound recording). Surrounding the walls was a tangle of twisted black balloons. The installation enveloped the partaker with an abstract experience of their own biology.
Performance Cafe? with Perforated Sides
Dan Graham
Amusing and entertaining, Performance Cafe? at Toronto’s City Hall provided some dizzying displays that triggered many a childlike fascination with optical effects. Making use of opportunistic references to drug culture that were sure to lure curious viewers, Graham was able to deliver what may overall be considered a successful piece, accompanied by some interesting lighting techniques. It’s likely that the strength of the piece lies less with Graham’s vision itself and more with its ability to interact with the architecture of City Hall while also involving viewers.
Arrivals/Departures
Michael Fernandes
In this exhibition, prompters asked the audience questions that were then transcribed onto a large blackboard. Nothing was edited or censored. Common questions elicited both simple and more complex responses: “Where have you been and where are you going?” could get as straightforward a response as one’s plans for the night or something such as “I have left my guilt behind and I am moving forward.” Through the simple act of questioning, a lot could be answered and reflected upon.
The Next Community
Jocelyn Robert
Can anyone be an individual in this society? This was the question asked in The Next Community. People formed a line to have their pictures taken throughout the night, which were then projected to create an “all-in-one picture of the crowd.” Parts of individual faces were blended together to demonstrate how we are really just one.
The Space Between
Group Exhibition
The main feature of the Drake Hotel’s group exhibition was a low-budget indie game – projected at an enormous scale onto the brick front wall of the hotel itself. Interested gamers played one-on-one matches of the game, which featured 2-D scuba-divers shooting harpoons at pixelated crabs. Filled with inexplicable power-ups and wildly random events, the game was, at the very least, a visual and auditory treat for anyone passing by on Queen West.
One at a Time
Group Exhibition
Naked sentries, a man and a woman, congested the doorway at the Hart House at the University of Toronto, insisting that you squeeze through them sideways while keeping a straight face. The exhibit reminded me of the board game Operation.
Auto Lamp
Kim Adams
At a distant first glance, the average night crawler saw a van tightly coiled in Christmas lights. Cool. But as she stepped closer, it became plain that the van was hole-punched with dif- ferent sized holes in meandering patterns (think water droplets on a leaf) and lit from the inside by a single lamp. Kim Adams’ piece was crafty and unsuspecting.
FALSE KRAFTWERK
Mark Laliberte
Four human puppets sat in front of a projection of seizure-inducing graphic art (although, to call it art would be a generous application of the term; it was more reminiscent of a high-school student’s computer science class project) while a “techno pop megamix” blared through a set of speakers. Eye-rolls aside, the hipster-chic pseudo-art succeeded at being mildly interesting, if mercilessly obnoxious.
Endgame (Coulrophobia)
Max Streicher
Endgame saw the installation of three enormous inflatable clown heads squished high above the alleyway between two high-rises on Yonge Street. The piece had the potential to invoke some eerie emotions, effectively treading the line between grand spectacle and tortured, ominous presence.
KortuneFookie
Jean-Franc?ois Lacombe
A giant fortune cookie made out of cedar sat at the head of a massive line down the middle of the street. The interactive installation gave viewers the opportunity to press a button and wait for a fortune to be printed out of the oversized device. It was definitely a hit, and many people had their fortunes read throughout the night.