ABC: Art, Biodiversity and Condos (2022)

A recent article in the Toronto Star about a new mural installed in front of a luxury condo prompted me to reflect on art and biodiversity. My first reaction:

I admit I should have said celebrating instead of enhancing. I reread the article trying to make sense of it all, to remain open minded, and I tried to understand the motivations of both the artist and the developers. I cannot.

If biodiversity is the quality or state of having a large number of plant and animal species in an area, any new buildings that use that specific area, have direct impacts in terms of destruction of habitats and more subtle effects on biodiversity such as disturbance and fragmentation.[1]

There are many problems with the placement of this artwork. First, biodiversity and luxury condos don’t go hand in hand. There is a disjunction between the two even if the developers would like us to think otherwise. If biodiversity is for everyone, luxury condos are not. Moreover, there is a direct link between the loss of biodiversity and economic inequalities.[2] In other words, economic inequality predicts biodiversity loss. [3] I don’t know if a mural on the shady side of the building might remind us of flourishing biodiversity, or is it more likely a memento mori for it. Are we supposed to consider the biodiversity of Lake Ontario and its waterfront parks before or after the mural was put up?

The artist tells us that she was thinking of horizons, the way light reflects on water at different times of day and season. It’s too bad that the mural is facing the highway. The ones who have lakeside view apartments, would be more in tune to this than the ones who gaze inland. For those driving by, in the shadow of the building, it might be a wishful reminder that everything is excellent.

On the bright side, I am happy to read that the panels are recyclable, but it is a quality that remains obscure when we talk about permanent sculpture.

New condo celebrates lakefront biodiversity with 120-metre mural along the Gardiner (February 2, 2022)

[1] http://www.businessandbiodiversity.org/construction.html

[2] https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/biodiversity-loss-linked-economic-inequality-worldwide-25398

[3] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0000444

Mirabella Luxury Condominiums

February 7, 2022

Cafe Poet at the Blackwattle – week twelve

Cette semaine: géologie VS généalogie (en anglais seulement) et une veste à damier, un cardigan à carreaux, pied de poule et plus encore | This week: Geology VS Genealogy and Checkered jacket, Argyle cardigan, houndstooth and more

Loosely based between Biloxi Blue H58 (Rodda Paint) and Eau-de-Nil (Little Greene)

Loosely based on the Theory of Colours, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
Librement inspiré par la Théorie des couleurs, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Cafe Poet at the Blackwattle – week six

Cette semaine : un petit Chihuahueño tout en couleur, des scrachittis et un rappel que la gouache est soluble dans l’eau. | This week: a colorful Chihuahueño, scrachittis makes bus travel a blind prospect and a reminder that poster paint is water soluble.

June 4 | 4 juin 2013

Loosely based between Wooden Cabin 290F-7 (Behr) and Peach Goddess 90YR 64 166 (Devoe Paint)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : Cabane en bois 290F-7 (Behr) et Déesse de pêche 90YR 64 166 (Devoe Paint)

June 2 | 2 juin 2013

Loosely based between Candy Mix 160B-5 (Behr) and Mystery Sound / 70BG 19/071 (Devoe Paint)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : Mélange Bonbons 160B-5 (Behr) et Mystère Sonore / 70BG 19/071 (Devoe Paint)

June 1 | 1er juin 2013

Loosely based between Seclusion T12 42.E4 (Taubmans) and Lunar Eclipse D56-2 (Olympic)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : isolement T12 42.E4 (Taubmans)et Éclipse Lunaire D56-2 (Olympic)

Cafe Poet at the Blackwattle – week five

Cette semaine : trois hommes souriants, une peinture de l’époque coloniale avec un pli dans le paysage et finalement Gelibolu, des soldats et des biscuits. | This week: three guys smiling, a colonial picture of Australia with a fold running in the middle of the landscape and Gelibolu, soldiers and biscuits.

May, 30 2013

Loosely based between Splish Splash (Valspar Paint) and Windsor Haze 560F-6 (Behr)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : Plouf Plouf (Valspar Paint) et Brouillard de Windsor 560F-6 (Behr)

May, 29 2013

Loosely based between Melted Copper / 1542 (Dunn-Edwards) and Laura Ashley 47-11 (Lucky Duck)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : Cuivre fondu / 1542 (Dunn-Edwards)et Laura Ashley 47-11 (Lucky Duck)

May, 24 2013

Loosely based between Payton’s Car KM3869-2 (Kelly-Moore) and Afternoon Tea / 80YR 21/226 (Devoe Paint)
Librement inspiré des couleurs : L’automobile de Payton KM3869-2 (Kelly-Moore) et Thé d’après-midi / 80YR 21/226 (Devoe Paint)

Cafe Poet at the Blackwattle – week one

May 3 | 3 mai


Entre Rêve océanique 580B-4 et Terre natale UL 170-22
Between-Ocean-Dream-580b-4-and-Native-Soil-UL 170-22

May 1 | 1 mai

Between Lucky Bamboo UL200-21 and Moss Landing 410D-6
Entre Bambou chanceux UL200-21 et Débarcadère de mousse 410D-6

May 1 | 1 mai

Between Silent Ripple 600C-2 and Rain Song 580A-3
Entre Ondulation silencieuse 600C-2 et Chanson de la pluie 580A-3