Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2013
October 5, 2013 from sunset to sunrise
This years Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was largely concentrated in downtown. The best works I saw were on University Avenue and Nathan Phillips Square while King Street and Queen Street seemed somewhat neglected this year except for the usual Gladstone, Drake Hotel and Mocca events. There were some other installations at CAMH and in a few galleries but it wasn’t the same as through the past years.
I started out on University Avenue and Queens Park with Margaux Williamson’s How To See in The Dark. A parade of costumed young people, dancing down the street to some rhythmic sounds, on the other side of Queens Park got my attention and I joined in before returning to the more static events. 
Back at The Parade I made my way down University checking out Monster Child by Libby Hague with its spider like monster.
Monster Child by Libby Hague
(X) Static Clown Factory by Ruth Spitzer and Claire Ironside was manned by some engaging clowns.
(X) Static Clown Factory by Ruth Spitzer and Claire Ironside
(X) Static Clown Factory by Ruth Spitzer and Claire Ironside
Max Deans video Cancer is Our Story was powerful. Parallax by the Idea Tank Design Collective was fun with its stacked tubes but didn’t work as well for me. Music Box by John Dickson was pleasing but I think I arrived when it wasn’t fully functioning.
A Quack Cure by Lisa Hirmer, as DodoLab
I was soon off to Nathan Phillips Square coming upon Kim Adams clever Toaster Work Wagon with different sized bicycles mounted back to back, so riders had to collaborate to get anywhere. Little People by Workparty with its small toys in a staged demonstration was cool and tempting for many a youngster.
Little People by Workparty
Little People by Workparty
Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles with all 3,144 stacked bikes was epic and beautiful at the same time.
Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles
I made an effort to watch Crash Cars by Alain Declercq for a few moments – but found the driverless cars only slightly entertaining. Apparently some intoxicated person attempted to join the action on the ice and had to be removed by security.
Crash Cars by Alain Declercq
The Garden Tower by Tadashi Kawamata of Japan was one of my favourites and didn’t disappoint a huge line of people that lined up to walk through it and gaze upwards at the inside.
Garden Tower by Tadashi Kawamata
Garden Tower by Tadashi Kawamata
Mariner9 by Kelly Richardson of the UK was my favourite video work of Nuit Blanche with its panoramic view of a Martian landscape. Hundreds of people sat or stood mesmerized by this work.
Mariner9 by Kelly Richardson
Mariner9 by Kelly Richardson
Pink Punch by Polymetis of New York was a decorative light installation that was not as engaging as it might have been for me. The Shrine by John Notten constructed from garbage bins had more people lined up to pass through it. The Tanks sculptures by Cal Lane at Metro Hall were interesting mixtures of recycled steel oil tanks and I-beams.
Shrine by John Notten
Tanks by Cal Lane
On foot I headed to Queen Street West but was not as engaged with the displays. The streets were busy with the Saturday night regulars. There was a long line up for MOCCA which I passed on. I tried to avoid most line ups and fit in as much as possible. I checked Propeller Centre’s 13 Exhibit and liked some individual works but it didn’t flow together very well as an exhibition.
Trying to do a credible description or review of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche would be an arduous task and I am sure I missed a lot of other contributions but I had enough to be satisfied with for one outing and found that rewarding enough. I left before the rain had started. Though I find fewer things I like in Nuit Blanche as each year passes I still would miss it if it wasn’t a regular annual happening. The close to a million people and hundreds of participating artists no doubt would agree.
Text and photo: Phil Anderson