As a scholar and photographer of urban environments, I’ve always been drawn to public art. Unlike gallery and museum exhibitions, which require intentionality in the act of visiting, public artworks are part of the sensory infrastructure of the places we call home, available to everyone who passes through them.
LVAC is fortunate to have several public artists in its ranks, among them the Nehiyaw Cree/Métis artist Rebecca Baird. Baird has been a staple of the Toronto art scene since her days as a Queen West denizen in the 1980s, which have been documented by Museum of Toronto (formerly Myseum). But in recent years, locals are more likely to have encountered her work while catching a flight at Pearson Airport or traversing the new King-Liberty pedestrian bridge.
North Star is Baird’s latest sculptural project, which was commissioned in 2022 as part of the redevelopment of Woodbine Casino. She's shared a few photos of its creation with me, which document both the scale of the process and the collective effort it requires. They’re published here with the artist’s permission.
North Star installation and completed work. Photos 1-4: Eventscape. Photo 5: Ben Mills.
