Hello and welcome to Weekend Coffee Share #60! I’m glad you’re here. Please come on in, help yourself to a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate at my coffee station and let’s chat.
Week 10/ 52
A lovely evening outing gave me an opportunity to photograph three modern art installations in downtown Toronto. Here they are in pictures with excerpts from their information boards.
1. Visoleil
Sunlight has great potential to impact our well-being and the circadian rhythm by which we operate. Visoleil, designed by CIBC SQUARE in conjunction with Delos Labs, is a light-emitting public sculpture that simulates natural sunlight to help alleviate the negative effects caused by lack of bright light during the harsh winter months.
The 8 ft circular sculpture generates full spectrum bright light that may help improve circadian rhythm alignment, alertness, and mood by suppressing melatonin and stimulating serotonin production, helping to give observers an energized start to their day.
Visoleil at CIBC SQUARE
2. moonGARDEN
moonGARDEN traveling art installation includes a set of five giant illuminated spheres. The spheres range from six to twelve feet in height, and are filled with immersive animated shadow theatre designs. It was created by Montreal-based design firm Lucion in 2012 and has travelled to about 20 cities around the world.
The colours and light brightness of the spheres change as music plays and the animated theatre designs appear. Sometimes all the spheres show the same colour, other times they vary. It’s mesmerizing to watch the changes.
Click on the arrows to see the slides.
Storytelling with shadows originated around 1000 BC in India and China. They were used to tell local legends and caricature current events. They became a symbol of the wishful, subjective fleeting emotions; the antithesis of light and reality.
moonGARDEN’s shadow theatres are used to project an evanescent dreamlike vision. Much like the effect of music, the visual composition evokes a whimsical poetic moment reminiscent of the imagery we mused over as children.
The multiple shades of grey, the quality of the images, the ever changing positions creates abstract mandalas which flavours daydreaming.
Displayed in a cluster of extra large spheres, bathing in a magical soundtrack, the installation underlines the all inclusive nature of the Set Theory.
moonGARDEN – Lucion
3. Dreaming
Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa created Dreaming in 2017. It was installed in Toronto in September 2020. Created with polyester resin and marble dust, this sculpture is over eight meters high. At first glance, the large and powerful, white sculpture represents a portrait of a young girl with closed eyes.
As you walk around it, its look and feel changes depending on where you are standing. From some angles, the head appears giant and somehow soft. From others, it appears tall, long, and angular. The sculptor’s skills and creativity are impressive.
These art installations make me think of the sun, the moon, the galaxy and dream of peace on earth.
How has your week been?
Shared with #CellpicSunday, #LifeThisMonth, #PPAC39.
Copyright © 2024 natalietheexplorer.home.blog – All rights reserved.
Natalie the Explorer 
I love all these Natalie – especially the colour changing moon-like balls. They remind me of the colour changing garden ball we bought a few weeks ago – so soothing and pretty.
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Leanne, How nice that you have colour changing garden balls. I think they enhance a garden, especially at night. I’m glad you like the moonGARDEN spheres. Their colours and shadow theatre added a fun touch to our winter here.
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These are so cool! I’m glad you included the associated explanations. It’s fascinating to learn the artist’s intent and inspiration.
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Janet, Yes, I try to include the explanations whenever possible. I’m glad you like these art installations.
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Dreaming is a bit too creepy for me. Oh my, it is large!
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Ally, The Dreaming sculpture is huge, about 26 feet tall, so it definitely turns heads 🙂 Interesting that you find it a bit too creepy.
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These are wonderful artwork. moonGARDEN is my favourite.
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Welcome, Amila, to my blog and Weekend Coffee Share linkup, and thank you for your comment. I’m glad you like moonGARDEN. Its colours and shadow theatre designs were mesmerizing to watch.
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The face is extremely impressive, Natalie? And I can see how the other art installations bring color, warmth, and a smile to the winter scenes of Toronto. Last night, I met two brothers from Toronto here on the beach in southern Baja California. They are traveling in a small, converted car. Of course, I had to think about you and our visit to Toronto not too long ago. Other than that, my week had been pretty great in Todos Santos. 🙂
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Liesbet, The Dreaming sculpture is impressive to see IRL. I admire how the sculptor has made the materials into something dynamic and huge. Interesting that you met two brothers from Toronto. We’re everywhere 🙂 Good to hear you’re enjoying life in Todos Santos. I hope the rest of March will be wonderful for you, Mark and Maya.
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The giant shadow balls are superb. They would be a treat to watch.
Thanks Natalie.
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Gary, They were mesmerizing to watch as their colours changed and the shadow theatre designs appeared and disappeared. I’m glad you like them.
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Love the moon images, Natalie.
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Me too, Jo. Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely weekend!
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🤗💗
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I love the colors in the moonGarden, but Dreaming freaks me out a bit. Thanks for sharing!
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Jill, Interesting that Dreaming freaks you out. Ally also commented that she found it too creepy for her. I’m glad you love the colours in the moonGARDEN. They were pretty to see.
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Like the Shadow Theater and the Dreaming Sculpture. The sculpture is restful and serene.
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I’m pleased you like two out of three, Deborah.
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The moom garden looks fantastic, to bring some colour to the sometimes dull winter. Great selection!
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Thank you, Christie. The moonGARDEN was a visual and audio treat.
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Love that moonGARDEN – and yes today’s post is about peace. Thanks Natalie!
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Thank you, Barbara. I’m glad you love the moonGARDEN. The colourful spheres and theatre designs were beautiful and peaceful to see.
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I so love shadow theater! Enjoying the unexpected in your photographs, this week. Nice!
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Thank you, Lizl. I’m pleased you enjoyed my photos this week.
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I absolutely love the Dreaming sculpture, Natalie. You have captured it perfectly. Thank you for sharing these with us.
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Thank you, Donna, for your compliment. I’m glad you love the Dreaming sculpture. It evokes different reactions based on the comments I’ve received so far.
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Natalie, you and your city continue to astound me. These moons are fabulous. They remind me of a display we saw at the Aria in Las Vegas only more dreamy. The dreamer is gorgeous. Imagine using marble dust. Fabulous. I adore the entire post!
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Marsha, I feel fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful arts from international artists. moonGARDEN and Dreaming sculpture are both mesmerizing IRL. I’m so pleased that you adore my entire post 🙂
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You are fortunate, and we are fortunate vicariously. You bring a lot to the table with each post.
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It’s so much fun to participate in your PPAC. I try to contain my excitement 🙂
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You are so cute! Thanks for bringing that excitement and joy into PPAC. It wouldn’t be the same without you!
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I so like how your city is helping bring light and more to its citizens. This was a very interesting post. I liked the light simulating sun and we know how much it’s needed to help our inner rhythms and health…in severe winter seasons known to your part of the world so well. The brights of those colourful lights were a joy! I admit I have been back to our past, re-visiting March 2020-2021 this link up as a way to keep the records of “life with Covid”….Thank you for your link up. Denyse.
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Denyse, I think people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder would appreciate the Visoleil sculpture. The moonGARDEN colours and lights were wonderful to see on a winter evening here. Thank you for linking up with me. I’ll visit your blog this weekend. Have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you so much for linking up your blog post for the FIRST #LifeThisMonth Link Up on Denyse Whelan Blogs. I do hope you return for the next one: Monday 11 April 2022. Warm wishes,Denyse.
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You’re welcome Denyse. Have a great week!
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What neat art installations! I think moongarden is my favorite.
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I’m glad you like moonGARDEN. I watched it for quite a while that evening, to see the colour changes and shadow theatre designs.
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Oh. My. Goodness. This installation is everything I love. Everything.
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The artists would love your comments. I certainly did.
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Oh my goodness! these are stunning, Natalie! You caught them in their lighted glory so well! moonGARDEN is just incredible!
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Ju-Lyn, moonGARDEN is a mesmerizing audio-visual treat. I’m pleased you like it.
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I love all these multi-media installations you are sharing with us. Have I mentioned lately that Toronto rocks!!?!!!! as do you, Natalie!
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Ju-Lyn, I love your kind comments 🙂
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All the art installations are absolutely amazing. The first one, Visoleil, is quite thoughtful. Hats off to the creator. And thanks for sharing, Natalie 🙂
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Moumita, Good to hear from you. I hope you and your family have been well. Visoleil would be great for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. I like its clean and light-emitting design. I’m glad you like it.
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These all sound like amazing works of public art! I think I particularly like the Visoleil one.
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Astrid, The Visoleil sculpture would be great for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. I’m pleased you like it.
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I get that. Now that I think of it, it also may be the one I will most be able to benefit from, along with the second one, as I am still able to see light.
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Sun and Moon(s) and Dreaming – interesting sculpture and displays. I can see having a bit of sunlight in the dark city on those long winter days…
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These art displays added fun to winter. The Visoleil sculpture would be great for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
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The moon garden is marvellous! What a wonderful idea, thank you for sharing Natalie.
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Thank you, Maria, for your comment. I’m glad you like moonGARDEN.
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I would love to visit Toronto someday! I am really getting the desire to travel more. Have a great week, Natalie!
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Pam, I hope you get to visit Toronto. Lots to see and do here. Have a wonderful week!
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How lovely Natalie. I love how Toronto is so creative and promoting art for all to enjoy. Thanks for the #weekendcoffeeshare and have a great week x
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Hi Sue, I feel fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful public art. Thank you for joining me virtually. Have a wonderful week!
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Amazing g sculpture using lights and form. Beautiful.
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I’m pleased you like the artwork.
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You are so right and so very beautiful. I love those sculptures. Thanks for sharing them with us. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Patrick, I’m glad you like the sculptures. Have a great week ahead!
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Looks like you had a wonderful night Natalie. I’d love to have been there to wander around these amazing installations. I’ve said it before but the art in your city is incredible. Thanks for sharing this display
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Jennifer, These art installations were fun to see on a winter evening. I’m pleased you like them. Have a great week!
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Wow! That moon garden is really cool!!
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Yes, it was a audio and visual treat. Glad you like it.
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These are stunning! I love the visoleil!
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Thank you, Angela. Glad you love Visoleil. I like its clean and thoughtful design.
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Thanks for sharing these attractive and intriguing art works, Natalie. As a Sydneysider, it’s hard for me to appreciate the long winters and extended hours of darkness there. We often experience an excess of light and are trying to block it out, or minimise it in some way. That said, with all the rain we’ve been having this year, I am starting to relate. We had a rare sunny day, but I was really busy and couldn’t make the most of it. Then it started raining again. Indeed, it was bucketing down right when I needed to pick our daughter up from her shift at McDonalds.
Hope you have a good week.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Rowena, I hope the weather improves soon for you. Too much rain (flood) or sun (drought) is not good for the land and its inhabitants. Thank you for linking up with weekend coffee share. I’ll visit your blog shortly.
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Wow. Love those Natalie. I think the moon garden is my favorite. I feel like I could find so much visiting Portland, because it’s only 30 minutes however, in the last few years the homeless population has increased to scary levels, riots and it just doesn’t feel like a safe city anymore.
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Kirstin, Safety is a priority. Some smaller towns are charming and worth exploring, too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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I like these installations very much. I have always found art done with light to be fascinating. I love the way it changes and reflects, or causes us to reflect on our mood.
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Dan, These art installations were fun to see during a typically cold winter. I’m pleased you like them. I find light art fascinating, too. I watched the moonGARDEN for a while to see its different displays.
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The visoleil sculpture looks amazing and I could use its healing properties right about now, Natalie. A great idea and makes me wonder if tiny versions of that are available for home use. 😉
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Terri, I’m pleased you like Visoleil. I like its clean and health-conscious design. There are light therapy lamps for home use. I know someone who suffers from SAD and she uses her light therapy lamp in the winter.
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I’ve seen them, I may need one for next winter 🙂
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A good Christmas gift idea 🙂
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More beautiful Toronto culture and art. The shadows within the lovely spheres remind me of a puppet show performance I used to purchase for my students through the Center for Puppetry Arts in Florida. It was a virtual field trip and my children would make puppets afterward. Incredible how long man/woman has used shadows to tell stories.
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I’d live to visit the Centre for Puppetry Arts.
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I noticed you posted this when the U.S. was changing their clocks forward for daylights saving time. The spring forward definitely affected my wellbeing — I needed naps all weekend!
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Yes, the time change seems to affect many people. I hope you get enough sleep and feel normal again.
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A bit late for the coffee but must try and catch up more!
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It’s great to hear from you. How have you been? Let’s stay in touch. Hopefully we’ll get to meet IRL one day and catch up over a cup of coffee or tea.
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In Sevilla, hopefully. Cannot believe we almost met 2 years ago. Covid lost years!
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Yes, beautiful Sevilla! I hope to visit Spain again in 2023.
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Yes, do come!
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Woa. What beautiful installations for people to mesmerise their noons and night. It will be great to keep an eye on this museum/exhibition space. I love all of them and most of all how they can change the colors. Thanks for sharing Natalie.
Also, i stopped by just coz i realised 99 comments were there, just wanted to take a run and make a century out of it. Thanks much again.
Narayan x
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Thank you, Narayan, for your visit and ‘century’ comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the art exhibitions that I shared in this post. Have a great weekend!
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