Unionnale
Sponsored by TD
As part of ArtworxTO
You say ale, we say alley. Unionnale was designed as a special art “alley” that captures colour and artworks inspired by all the neighbourhoods of Toronto. The space presents visual storytelling and artistry through a fun and creative artistic installation in the heart of the station. As part of Union’s continuing contemporary programming and ArtworxTO’s public art initiative, the art selection in Unionnale will rotate every two years, with artists chosen through a juried selection process.
Presenting Flux by Esmond Lee
Flux examines the relationships between everyday moments, spaces, and materials found within Toronto and beyond to reveal a fantastical, yet familiar world. From quiet industrial sites to bustling streetscapes, the qualities of urban, suburban, and rural spaces are blended together to reveal their hidden connectedness. Cultures and norms conventionally understood as fixed to specific locations are untethered to form new, imaginative landscapes free from the boundaries of time and space. The photo-collages of various shapes and sizes invite viewers to experience both the many details and the whole together, without using any particular framing or perspectives. Viewers are encouraged to experience these artworks from any spot and viewing angle: roam slowly to see the various parts, pause to examine particular details, or stand back to see the work in its entirety. Places conventionally understood as fragments can now be understood through their commonalities, negotiations, and entanglements, asking: how do seemingly far-reaching places operate together on a continuum of complex, interwoven landscapes? Flux challenges the very tensions and conflicts produced by political and economic boundaries that divide our landscape – and its people – into abstract, disparate spaces. Whether for leisure, opportunity, or by force: the bodily movement and gesture of people shapes and creates space, just as space shapes and informs the movement of people in a reciprocal, dynamic relationship under continuous flux.
About the Artist
Esmond Lee is an artist, researcher, and architect based in Scarborough, Toronto. He holds a Master of Architecture and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Critical Human Geography. Drawing from professional, academic, and personal backgrounds, Lee examines migration, settlement, identity, belonging, and nuanced cultural and political borders in the built environment. His recent public artworks include installations for Nuit Blanche Toronto (2019, 2022) and CONTACT Photography Festival, nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Award in Public History. Lee is currently creating two photobooks about Scarborough: Below the City, recognized by an honourable mention in the 2020 Burtynsky Grant, and a community co-creation as the Toronto Public Library Artist-in-Residence at Woodside Square.
About Union
Union is committed to reflecting the diversity of Canadians in all our programs and operations. Our programming vision encourages and celebrates creativity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Our goal is to strengthen the connection between public art and civic engagement ultimately striving to create connectedness amongst our communities.
About ArtworxTO
The City of Toronto’s new 10-Year of Public Art Strategy was launched by ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021-2022, signaling Toronto’s renewed commitment to public art. The program celebrates Toronto’s incredible collection of public art and the artists behind it, supports artists and art projects that reflect Toronto’s diversity, and creates more opportunities for the public to engage with art in their everyday lives. Toronto’s commitment to this exciting new program underscores a dedication to the arts sector as an essential component of a vibrant city.
About TD
Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank’s corporate citizenship platform, TD supports Arts and Culture experiences and initiatives that foster shared connections while amplifying diverse voices and perspectives.
