It's safe to say that the past year has been a challenging one, especially as stay-at-home orders have kept residents indoors for months.
And while the darkest days of winter will soon be behind us, Torontonians can find the light at the end of the COVID-19 (and winter) tunnel by checking out a new outdoor light exhibition that will illuminate The Beaches neighbourhood.
Starting on March 13, Luminosity will take over the city's east end as the first-ever, COVID-safe, outdoor art exhibition on Queen Street East.
The public exhibition, which runs until April 11, will feature eight diverse light art installations from Canadian artists along Queen Street East in the Beach, between Neville Park Boulevard and Coxwell Avenue.
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The installations will transform familiar spaces into unique works of urban art and will welcome Torontonians to explore their city.
The varying installations will allow visitors to experience the warmth of the light, through artist interpretation, and act as a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, following a difficult winter with COVID-19.
“This has been a very difficult time for everyone. Art and light have a way of making people look at things differently and our hope is that this exhibition will bring optimism and joy to those who see them,” says Marg Gillespie, Chair of the Beach Village BIA.
The inaugural year of Luminosity boasts impressive talent, shining a light on artists from within Toronto and beyond.
The Luminosity Artists have created pieces for other light festivals across the city and province, including LightsON in Stratford, Ontario, and the Winter Light Exhibition at Ontario Place.
The exhibit also features artists who have shown and installed highly acclaimed public artworks internationally, in cities like Dallas, Washington, and Sydney, Australia.
Tying all the exhibits together are neon hearts in the windows of the businesses for the 3-km stretch of the BIA, with MOSS LED partnering with the Beach Village BIA to provide this synchronicity between each exhibit.
“We are thrilled to be bringing this unique, COVID-safe exhibition to Queen Street for the first time. The installations will provide a great opportunity for visitors to explore the Beach, just as stay-at-home orders are lifted,” says Anna Sebert, Executive Director of the Beach Village BIA.
While this was undoubtedly a challenging winter for all, there is a light at the end of the tunnel... and it just so happens to be on Toronto's own Queen Street East.
