After a successful inaugural year, Ice Breakers is returning to Toronto’s Waterfront. The Waterfront BIA has again enlisted WinterStations Inc. to bring five temporary, public art installations to various sights between Lower Spadina Ave. and York St. for five weeks, commencing Friday, January 19, 2018.
Ice Breakers is an initiative of Toronto’s Waterfront Business Improvement Area (BIA), developed and coordinated by Winter Stations Inc., the team behind the annual Winter Stations International Design Competition bringing temporary public art installations to Toronto’s Beach.
Ice Breakers is now embarking on its second-year of producing and exhibiting temporary public art works along Queens Quay within Toronto, Canada’s Waterfront for winter 2018. For this year, the international design competition will see the selection of five (5) artist teams to provide installations for five (5) unique sites. The exhibition is to run February 3, 2018 until March 25, 2018.
This is a single-stage open international competition, welcoming artists, designers, architects and landscape architects to submit concept proposals for Ice Breakers’ temporary artwork installations.
For Ice Breaker’s second year the theme is “Constellation”. This can be interpreted in various ways, but the organizers hope to see work that is challenging, while also accessible, reminding the public that public art can be fun and engaging. Artists may choose to converse with the winter constellations of the Northern Hemisphere, playing with astrology, mythology, history and with stellar form and earthly representation. The intention is to bring colour, warmth and activity to the water’s edge, inviting people out of their buildings to take a winter walk along the waterfront and appreciate the unique Toronto landscape at this time of year.
There is no limit to the size of the installation, but included in the jurors’ instructions will be guidelines regarding durability and constructibility. Installations cannot exceed the total cost outlined. Installations may consist of a singular object or a configuration of dispersed elements.
Winning teams will be provided with an allowance for travel and accommodation to spend time in Toronto during the installation and the activities surrounding the opening on February 3, 2018.
The five locations are:
HTO Park West – 339 Queens Quay West
Maple Leaf Quay bridge (north side) – 370 Queens Quay West
HTO Park East – 339 Queens Quay West
Simcoe Wave Deck (flat eastern portion) – 243 Queens Quay West
east of Ontario Square (in front of We Brew Café) -235 Queens Quay West
The deadline for submissions is October 13, 2017. For competition rules, regulations and submission requirements and site resources, please visit the Winter Stations website, linked here.