The TTC's Bay station will host a temporary mural installation by acclaimed designer Stefan Sagmeister this weekend, as the Yorkville Mural Festival expands into the transit system.
On August 22 and 23 only, the station's Cumberland exit will be taken over by a never-before-seen interactive piece, free and open to the public, according to a TTC news release.
Visitors will be invited to place a sticker in response to two questions posed by the work: "How much do you work?" and "How do you feel about the future?"
The installation brings this year's festival theme, "No empty spaces," into the subway station. Sagmeister, a New York-based graphic designer and typographer, is known for exhibitions exploring happiness and beauty, and has completed projects for The Rolling Stone, HBO and the Guggenheim Museum. He is also a two-time Grammy Award winner for his album art designs.
"Week by week, the way the news works, the world is terrible. Century by century, most of it improved. Both views are accurate and valid," said designer Stefan Sagmeister. "In a museum or gallery, everyone in the room already decided to look at art. Here, nobody has decided anything. They are trying to get to Yorkville Avenue and the work has to earn thirty seconds of their attention. I am not telling anyone what to think. I ask, and the window fills in with the answer. By Sunday night the station will have polled itself."
TTC points to growing art presence at Bay station
The transit agency said the partnership is part of a broader push to bring Toronto's arts and culture scene into its stations.
"The TTC is thrilled to be participating in the Yorkville Mural Festival this year," said TTC Chief Strategy and Customer Experience Officer Josh Colle. "We're always looking for opportunities and partnerships that bring Toronto arts and culture into our transit system. I encourage everyone to take the TTC to Bay Station this weekend to experience the installation and enjoy the festival."
Bay station has already hosted several new art exhibits this year. A permanent public artwork called Confluence, by Francisco-Fernando Granados, was unveiled at the station earlier this month.
In April, the station also hosted the unveiling of HEADQUARTERS, a photography exhibition by Leala Hewak featuring the TTC's head office building. That exhibit remains on view on Bay station's concourse.
Festival-goers visiting the Cumberland exit for the Sagmeister installation are encouraged to step inside the station to see the other works while they're there.
The Cumberland exit is located on Cumberland Street between Bellair Street and Avenue Road, steps from the heart of Yorkville.
