Public Sculptures in Toronto

Toronto has many tourist attractions; for example, people often want to visit the CN Tower or go to a game at the Rogers Center. But what I find interesting is how so many natives of the city, like you and I, never take an interest at the smaller wonders and surprises that we’ve got to offer. Well here’s to the little guy, I’m going to talk about some of the public sculptures hidden around the city! So don’t book that plan ticket to a new and exotic place just yet, give Toronto a chance, and go on this tour with me!

To start things off, I just want to mention that there are many galleries throughout the city that feature some of these amazing pieces. For example, we have the Art Yard, which is a fairly new gallery that offers exposure and promotion of local artists artwork. It is located at 30 Abell Street, just off of Queen Street West and Lisgar Street.

However, I want to get into the pieces that are located all around the city! These are the sculptures that cannot be contained inside a gallery or museum; the artwork that is free for everyone to enjoy, all the while brightening up our city!

(*Image Credit: www.TorontoSnaps.com)

Let’s begin first with the Distillery District, where many different pieces can be found! For example, this beautiful area was once the home of our beloved Metal Monster, which I am sad to say is gone. However that piece brought in quiet a crowd, and sparked interest in other new sculptures to be brought it. For example the large 3-legged spider named IT. If you’re interested in stopping by and seeing a giant spider straight out of Tom Cruises War of The Worlds film, then you must stop by the Distillery District, located in the hub between Parliament and Distillery Lane.

Next, let’s move into some historical pieces, such as the Monument to The War of 1812. This piece is located just outside of condo buildings near Fort York in the city. This sculpture serves as a reminder of our countries past and how it has shaped our future. It features two large soldiers, one standing tall and one fallen over in order to represent how America stormed Fort York, burned it, and then left. Another important piece to Canadian life is our Monument to Multiculturalism. Although this piece has gotten a lot of negative publicity it calls attention to the many different cultures and races that make up our country. It is located outside of union station and has stood the test of time for almost 30 years.

Some other stand out pieces are our loveable moose statues located throughout the city (such as out front of the CN Tower) or the sculpture located outside of The Hockey Hall of Fame called Our Game; a homage to our national sport hockey.

My personal favourite is located in the Commerce Courtyard on the south side of King Street West. It is a large sculpture of a mother elephant protecting her two babies. I really like this one because it outlines the love and loyalty of a family, and I find that sometimes when bustling around downtown we forget about the simple acts of kindness.

Next time you’re out in the city look around and see what beautiful art is all around you! You don’t always have to go to an event in order to enjoy art because it’s everywhere! It’s time for you guys to try new things and enjoy your time in our city, and as always, I’ll see you there!