Avengers fans, mark your calendars! The Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. Exhibit is officially opening to the public in Toronto.
With the pandemic cases dropping and vaccination numbers rising, we can now get excited about visiting Yorkdale mall to check out the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. this month!
News of the exhibit was first announced back in September 2020 with an opening date set for November 2020. This eventually got pushed to New Year’s Eve and was ultimately cancelled for the foreseeable future.
William Correia, Yorkdale Shopping Centre director, speaks about the upcoming launch, “Tickets sold quickly when the exhibit was first announced, and we know that Avengers fans and ticket holders have been eagerly anticipating the opening.”
Once in the exhibit, you’ll find full rooms dedicated to some of your fave Marvel characters including Black Widow, The Hulk, Ironman, Thor, Black Panther, and more.
The space is 25,000 square feet and everything is properly spread out, so you can feel safe while exploring. Plus, there will be health screenings and mandatory face masks.
You can now purchase slotted tickets for the Avengers exhibit, which start at $29 for adults.
Any tickets that were bought before the lockdown occurred will be honoured.
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By now, you’ve definitely scrolled past – and maybe even “liked” – photos of your friends, family, acquaintances, and people you barely know striking their most Instagram-worthy pose in front of the larger-than-life installations at The Happy Place.
The traveling exhibit of all things “happy” – which can accurately be described as an Instagram playland – took over the space at Harbourfront Centre (245 Queens Quay W) on November 1, where it will remain until January 1.
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Here, you can frolic in the middle of the world’s largest confetti dome, leap through a larger-than-life rainbow into a pot of happiness (colourful plastic balls), hop inside the signature rubber ducky bathtub of fun, pose next to seven-foot tall stilettos made out of a million candies, mow down on a gooey rainbow grilled cheese, or sip Happy Hot Chocolate.
The common theme is photo ops – and likely snapping them in front of a dozen people who are waiting for you to finish so that they can do the same.
If you didn’t quite get enough of your ‘like’-worthy photo fix at The Happy Place, you’ll find more Instagram material over in the St. Lawrence Market neighborhood at the shiny new Museum of Illusions (132 Front St. E). The spot – which opened its doors to the public on November 7 – admittedly doesn’t look like much from the outside, with an unassuming turquoise sign. Inside, however, is a different story, as the large-scale optical illusions blow your mind and offer the perfect backdrop for a photo.
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In the 80+ exhibits – which are all based on science, math, and psychology – include things like trippy vortex tunnels (you may want to take advantage of the legalization of weed beforehand), tilted rooms, reverse rooms, an infinity room, and other holograms and illusions. But, I likely don’t have to describe these, as the photo ops they offer have already started to grace your Instagram feed. The museum – which has locations in 14 cities around the world – has been met with massive popularity since its first location opened in 2015 in 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia.
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On the topic of massive popularity, by now you may have heard that there is currently a crowdfunding campaign underway to bring a permanent infinity room to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), following the success of its “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” exhibition. The hugely Instagram friendly – and perpetually sold-out – exhibit of seemingly never-ending mirrored rooms hit the AGO last spring. Now, fans have until November 30 to help the gallery reach its target of $1.3 million toward the $2-million purchase of the permanent room. The AGO has secured $1 million for the plan but needs public’s assistance to produce $300,000 to help pay for ancillaries.
Of course, it isn’t just the exhibitions that cater to Instagram in Toronto.
We are designing for the photo op when it comes to everything from food and bathrooms at new restaurants, to the design of our public space.
Whether becoming a social media-saturated city has its benefits – especially when it comes to tourism and supporting local businesses (like the ones with the over-the-top ice cream cones) – at what cost are we designing for the gram, resulting in homogenous, ultimately uncreative content for everyone who buys into it (and I am definitely guilty of buying into it myself)?
At very least, I think we can all agree that the “Instagram bait” has its appeal when it’s new and fresh. But after a while, most of us are sick of seeing the same backdrops on our newsfeed, with the only difference between the snaps being a new person striking a (slightly) different pose. In other words, if you want to check out The Happy Place or The Museum of Illusions, I recommend you do so now while the content is still relatively “fresh.”
Featured image: Instagram/ @wearehappyplace
If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve probably already seen a ton of stylish pictures taken in front of a mysterious construction in Toronto. The construction called “Unzipped Toronto” is located on King West and represents the neighborhood’s future.
This massive interactive installation was designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) as part of an annual architectural program at the Serpentine Galleries in London. The structure has been made of 1,802 fibreglass ‘blocks’ that create a wall at the top, which undulates to the bottom.
“Unzipped” stands at 14 metres (46 feet) tall, 12 metres (39 feet) wide, and 27 metres (88.5 feet) long and represents large-scale models of 10 Westbank projects.
The temporary exhibit is free to the public and will stay open until November 2018. Book free tickets at unzippedtoronto.com and don’t forget to bring your camera.
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Have you checked it out yet? Let us know in the comment section.
Featured image: Instagram/ @devasia.renju
One of the most anticipated art events of the summer is finally here.
The Art of Banksy has arrived in Toronto in all of its graffiti-filled glory and – appropriately – is already making its rounds on social media.
Curated by Steve Lazarides, Banksy’s former agent, the $35 million-dollar exhibit features 80 original works by Banksy, making it the world’s largest display of his work ever exhibited. It features sculptures, prints, canvasses, and multimedia pieces from the secretive graffiti artist – one of the most talked-about artists of modern history.
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The exhibition features pieces like the iconic “Balloon Girl” – ranked in 2017 as “The United Kingdom’s number one favourite artwork” – in addition to “Flag Wall,” an urbanized take on the famous picture of soldiers raising the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima.
Other notable talking points include the controversial and witty work “Laugh Now” – a graffiti piece that depicts a monkey with a sign hanging from his neck with the words: “Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge” (a sentiment, dare I say, that rings particularly true in today’s political climate). Also noteworthy is a stencil on a garage door shutter.
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Not surprisingly, the exhibit is a hot ticket and extended hours have been announced thanks to overwhelming demand. More than 50,000 tickets initially sold for its month-long run. As much as it is a hot ticket, it’s also a controversial one. Critics have pointed out that the unauthorized exhibit has nothing to do with Banksy himself, who has disowned the show and slammed it for its lack of representation of he and his work.
Once the exhibit wraps, the artwork will be returned to 40 different private art collectors around the world, including three from a former Toronto resident who now lives in Hong Kong. Of course, this means that the odds of ever seeing them displayed together again are slim.
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The exhibition runs from June 13 to July 11, 2018 at 213 Sterling Road (Lansdowne TTC stop.)
So, 2018 is clearly off to a brutal start weather-wise in Toronto. While the appeal of a hibernation season of perpetual sweatpants, Netflix, and a comfy couch is real, so is the stir-craziness when it all gets old.
The good news is, the city is full of unique activities that you’ll only find in Toronto – ones worth posting about and taking a break from the Netflix binge for.
Check Out One of the World’s Most Instagram-Worthy Art Exhibits
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Just before the ice begins to thaw in Toronto, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors will take over the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) with its floor-to-ceiling, mirror-lined, and totally Instagram-worthy (check out the #infinitekusama hashtag) kaleidoscopic rooms from March 3 to May 27. After sold-out stints in Washington, D.C., Seattle and Los Angeles in the past year, the immersive exhibit is one of the hottest tickets in Toronto this winter (as in, you’re lucky to get your hands on a pair unless you have connections). Read more about the exhibit here.
Experience Dracula in a Whole New Way
Toronto is about to get a theatrical experience that is unlike anything else the city has seen to date. Inspired by – and with the cast from – New York City’s smash-hit theatrical dance experience Sleep No More, Eve of St. George is a voyeuristic and immersive recreation of Bram Stoker’s captivating tale of Dracula. It’s the type of theatre even the theatre newbies will appreciate, as the audience is masked and set free to roam four levels of The Great Hall while the story unfolds around and interacts with them. There will be four performances beginning January 26.
Acquaint Yourself with the Vikings
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Get up close and personal with everything Viking-related at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) now through April 2. Vikings: The Exhibition offers a fresh and contemporary view into the Viking Age, exploring the facts, myths, and stereotypes associated with the ancient culture. Featuring objects rarely displayed outside of Scandinavia, it offers insight into the lifestyle, religion, and daily lives of the vikings, providing an educational date night or outing with the niece and nephew.
Hit the Distillery District for a Light Show Full of Photo Ops
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Aside from the comfort dish-filled restaurants, you have another reason to hit the Distillery District this winter. Returning for the second year in a row is the Toronto Light Festival, the city’s largest light art festival and one of the largest open-air galleries in North America. The festival features more than 30 light art installations from both local and international artists and runs January 10 to March 4, starting at sundown daily. The event is free to the public (always a welcome bonus).
See Lifeguard Stations Transformed into Works of Art
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Layer up and hit the beach for Toronto’s annual Winter Stations Design Competition. The playful, photo-worthy exhibit transforms existing lifeguard stations into interesting and conversation-provoking art installations. With a theme of RIOT for 2018, artists are asked to push back and act out after a year of chaos and uncertainty. Winter Stations runs February 19 to April 1.
Experience a Revitalized Ontario Place
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The once defunct (but still super nostalgic) grounds of Ontario Place have been given new life. Winter at Ontario Place transforms Toronto’s waterfront into an interactive event with perks that include a Winter Light Exhibition featuring 12 illuminated installations from local artists, film screenings, skating, a bonfire, and an assortment of other winter-themed activities. Programming runs through March 18 and admission is free.
Did we miss any unique experiences taking place in Toronto this winter? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image: Instagram/ @romtoronto
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