A transformative
art experience
Ontario Place
West Island
September 15-25, 2016
Presented by Art Spin
in partnership with
Small World Music
An immersive celebration of multidisciplinary contemporary art and world music
ABOUT
in/future was by far the largest and most ambitious project Art Spin has attempted to-date. The project, presented in partnership with Small World Music, involved hundreds of artists, over 30 partner organizations, and dozens of volunteers to put it together. It was the first time the West Island of Ontario Place had been animated since its closure in 2012, with artists and partners responding to the past and future of the site to create responsive programming that was deeply rooted in this unique place. Larger than we can ever imagine, it is difficult to convey the scale and magic of this project through an archive alone, however please read on to learn about the programming and to see images and video of the event. As of 2020, the future of Ontario Place remains uncertain, but in/future no doubt brought the site back into the imagination of the public and has helped many envision what creative possibilities lie in the site.
in/future by the numbers
15,000+
attendees
45
Musical
Performances
131
Artists
50
Videos in the Cinesphere
14
acres
12
speakers
11
days
1
SWAN
BOAT
5
original IMAX films
A NOTE FROM THE CURATORS
What do we learn about ourselves in the present when we look to the past to see how we imagined the future?
This is the question in/future invites you, as it did its participating artists and creative partners, to think about as you explore the the various art projects scattered throughout the magical West Island of Ontario Place.
in/future is the culmination of 100 art projects, site-specific installations, film, video and performances, 40 musical acts from around the globe along with 32 partnering arts organizations all coming together to animate an iconic venue that was once home to amusement park rides, arcades, educational silos and pavilions.
Reflecting on Ontario Place’s genesis as a cultural hub that both looked backward to Montreal’s Expo 67 for inspiration and dreamed of future innovations, in/future examines the overlapping layers of time at play in Ontario Place’s present. The festival has invited artists to transform this once-futuristic site in order to envision the future anew and to explore the complex interpretations of time by which we open up new ways of thinking about the current moment; to investigate various aspects of Ontario Place’s character and history— from notions of play and the carnivalesque, to tensions between the natural and the manufactured; from utopian visions for technology, culture, and society, to histories of Toronto’s relationship to Ontario’s North.
in/future is well-positioned to engage in a meaningful way with an ongoing and significant shift in Toronto’s creative ecology manifesting along the waterfront. This one time event serves as an opportunity to engage this iconic space through creative thinking and productive dreaming about our future.
Co-Artistic Directors
Layne Hinton & Rui Pimenta
The site map for the West Island of Ontario Place in/future, designed by Monnet Design.
Photo by Andrew Williamson
Artworks in 'Temple Bell Plaza' with the iconic Cinesphere in the background.
Photo by Vuk Dragojevic
Festival programs
site-specific Art Projects
Presented by Art Spin & Creative Partners
Audience members were invited to wander the West Island to explore over 50 multidisciplinary art projects created and curated specially for in/future. Visitors entered the majestic and haunting silos where they encountered immersive artworks, they could explore the South Shore, the Temple Bell Plaza and the winding picturesque paths to find a wide array of outdoor installations. The Arcade and Atom Blaster Pavilions each held group exhibitions from an impressive range of artists from various disciplines.
workshops / talks / tours
Partnership organizations programmed engaging lecture series, presented by Waterfront Toronto and Onsite Gallery at OCADU, plus interactive and educational programming for kids & school groups presented by George Brown College Institute Without Boundaries, The Power Plant's Power Kids and Blank Canvases, as well as guided tours and artist talks.
Cinesphere
Presented by Air France
Opened in 1971 as the first permanent IMAX theatre in the world, the iconic Cinesphere came to life once again to showcase a daily changing schedule of 44 contemporary film & video works, and live audiovisual performances. These contemporary works were paired with the rare opportunity to see six original IMAX films from the 70s and 80's - such as the renowned North of Superior - most of which hadn't been screened for the public in over 30 years.
PERFORMANCES
Scattered across the West Island there were a wide variety of special performances scheduled daily, inclusive of contemporary dance, performance art, roving musicians, and live audiovisual experiences. Viewers could also keep one eye out for the Swan Boat Residency, with a changing roster of artists and performers in residence.
Small world music stage
presented by Exodus travels
For its 15th edition, the Small World Music Festival was proud to be part of in/future, with musical programming by Alan Davis. Showcasing the best sounds from around the world and around the corner, Small World celebrated the cultural diversity of Ontario with artists who combine tradition with a view to the future. And they brought the party to a venue with a rich musical history!
in/fo & in/store pavilion
The in/fo Pavilion held daily schedules and information for visitors. Audiences could learn about the history of the site with our Ontario Place timeline. The in/store and the Art Metropole pop-up were home to many art objects and publications, inviting folks to take home a little piece of the festival with limited edition items made by local artists inspired by in/future, curated by Casey Hinton and Leah Cooke.
PROGRAMMING
Artists, Performers, Musicians
and Creative Partners
co-Artistic Directors, co-curators
Layne Hinton & Rui Pimenta of Art Spin
CREATIVE PARTNERS
Art Metropole
Batuki Music Society
Blank Canvases
Bollywood Monster Mashup
CAFKA (Contemporary Art Forum
Kitchener and Area)
CinemaExpo67
Critical Distance Centre for Curators
Dancemakers Centre for Creation
Ed Video Media Arts Centre
FADO Performance Art Centre Gladstone Hotel
Goethe-Institut
Images Festival
Institute without Boundaries
InterAccess
Lula Music and Arts Centre
MUTEK
New Adventures in Sound Art
OCAD University
Onsite Gallery at OCAD University
Open Studio
Peggy Baker Dance Projects
Pleasure Dome
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival
Sensorium
Subtle Technologies
The Music Gallery
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
Tom Thomson Art Gallery
Trinity Square Video
Uma Nota
Vtape
Wavelength
York University School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
LeuWebb, sponsored by the Gladstone Hotel
Luke Painter
Lyla Rye
Marcia Huyer
Marco D'Andrea
Markus Heckmann
Mary Coble, presented by FADO Performance Art
Max Dean, co-presented by CONTACT Photography Festival
Michael Louis Johnson
Michael Simon
Michael Toke
Michael Trommer, presented by InterAccess
Mitchell Akiyama
New Adventures In Sound Art
Noel Middleton
Oliver Husain, presented by Images Festival
Peggy Baker Dance Projects
Peter Mettler & John Oswald
Peter Mettler & Tom Kuo
Philippe Blanchard
PVS
Rob King
Robert Hengeveld
Samantha Noseworthy
Shannon Gerrard, Danica Drago & Annyen Lam
Simone Jones
Simone Jones & Laura Millard
Studio F Minus
Tamara Gayer, presented by Critical Distance Centre for Curators
Tanya St. Pierre & Philippe-Aubert Gauthier
TH&B
Vuk Dragojevic
William Eakin
Wrik Mead
Zephyr
in/future ARTISTS – Curated and presented by Art Spin with Creative Partners listed per artist
Acapulco Collective, presented by CAFKA
Adam David Brown
Alex Beriault
Alex McLeod
Andrew Hunter
Amanda Acorn, presented by Dancemakers
Bear Witness, presented by Pleasure Dome and TSV
Ben Watt-Meyer
Caroline Doherty
Carsten Nicolai, sponsored by the Goethe Institut
Christine Duncan & The Element Choir
Clive Holden
Coman Poon
Daniel Griffin Hunt
Daniel Rotsztain
Dave Dyment
David Clark
Ed Pien
Emma Healey
Erin Poole & Walter Scott
Faye Mullen
Gareth Lichty
Gearshifting Performance Works
Greg Staats, presented by the TOM
Gwen MacGregor & Lourdes
Heather Nicol
Jamie McMillan, Maikol Pinto, Kevin Chaves, Jeffrey Royiwsky,
& Mario Arnone
Jennie Suddick & Cole Swanson
Joe Hambleton
John Dickson
Konrad Kästner
Kristiina Lahde
Labspace Studio
Lauren Schaffer
Lauren Schaffer & Nick Hooper
MUSICAL PROGRAMMING
Alan Davis of Small World Music
Kobo Town, in association with Lula Music and Arts Organiko
Fresh Snow, presented in association with Batuki Music
Fantahun Shekwanachew, presented in association with Batuki Music
Wally Badarou, presented in association with Batuki Music
Bruno Capinan, presented in association with Uma Nota
Luisa Maita, presented in association with Uma Nota
Maracatu Mar Aberto, presented in association with Uma Nota
Eucalyptus
Amai Kuda y Josephine
The Human Rights and Ammoye
Haphazard Hinges
Shanbehzadeh Ensemble
Souljazz Orchestra
Dhol Foundation
Autorickshaw Trio
Fojeba & the Sunshine Band
Jay Danley Ethiojazz Project
The Minotaurs
M.A.K.U. Soundsystem Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra
medicinemane
DJ General Eclectic
diaspora Dub, presented by B Current
Musical performances – Programmed by Small World Music with Creative Partners listed per artist
Abakos
Alysha Brilla
Vox Sambou
Kiyoshi Nagata
Mariachi Flor
Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble
Moskitto Bar
KLoX
DOOMSQUAD
Baba ZuLa
Turkwaz
Sina Bathaie
Briga
Kinnie Starr
Nano Stern
Los Poetas
los eStéreo-Tipos
Nhapitapi
Bruce Peninsula
Isla Craig, presented in association with Wavelength
Dirty Inputs, presented in association with Wavelength
Datu & Hataw, presented in association with Wavelength
7Sould, presented in association with Lula Music and Arts Organiko
Vtape - program 1: space Ages and PROGRAM II: BODIES OF WATER
Guest curated by Sam Cotter & Fraser McCallum for Cinesphere
With works by:
Susan Britton
Nina Levitt
Gillian Dykeman
Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen
Saskia Holmkvist
Richard Fung
Shani Mootoo
Keesic Douglas
Vera Frenkel
Expanded cinema: expo 67 Reconstructions and other finds
Guest curated by Janine Marchessault for Cinesphere
With works by:
Jenn E. Norton
Vincent Vaitiekunas
Francis Thompson and Alexander Hammid
Nick and Ann Chaparos
Graeme Ferguson
Robert Cordier
Steve Palmer
George Dunning
Vid Ingelevics
John Oswald
Phil Hoffman and Eva Kolcze
David Clark
Colin Low and Roman Kroitor
Slipstreams
A video program guest curated by Shani Parsons of Critical Distance Centre for Curators for Cinesphere
With works by:
Morehshin Allahyari
Maria Flawia Litwin
Manual Saiz
Marianna Milhorat
Terence Nance
FUTURE CITIES LECTURES
Panel discussion presented by Waterfront Toronto in Cinesphere
Speakers:
William Fleissig
Eb Zeidler
Margie Zeidler
Vass Bednar
Lisa Tziona Switkin
Karen Carter
Susan Blight
Katerina Cizek
MUTEK AUDIOVISUAL PROGRAM
Guest presented by MUTEK Montreal
Performers:
Herman Kolgen
Maotik + Metametric
Martin Messier
Nicolas Bernier
ORIGINAL IMAX FILMS
Titles from the Ontario Place archive from the 70s and 80s
North of Superior - directed by Graeme Ferguson
Man Belongs to Earth - directed by Graeme Ferguson
Labyrinth (IV) - directed by Roman Kroitor + Colin Low + Hugh O'Connor
Journey of Discovery - directed by John Sebert
Silent Sky - directed by David Mackay + Laszlo George
OPD Newspaper
Onsite newspaper created by OCADU Publication Department
led by Shannon Gerard
Artists: Ashlee Cunningham, Bethuné Grey, Francis Tomkins, Jacqueline Remo, Laura Rojas, Lucas Cantoni Jose, Michelle Luong, Reece McCrone, Tetyana Herych, Victoria Van Runt, Yasmin Emery, Zi Wang
LECTURES for the end of the world
Speaker series by Onsite Gallery at OCADU
Speakers:
Wanda Nanibush
Jordan Veira
Gabriel Allahdua
Rouzbeh Akhbari
in/store
Art, craft & design curated by Casey Hinton and Leah Cooke.
Artists: Ben Bouwman & Kira Lodder, Linda Columbus, Robin Classon
Janet Hinkle, Arounna Khounnoraj (Bookhou), Kristen Lim Tung, Corey Moranis, Daniel Rotsztain, Marta Ryezko, Keiley Stewart, Xenia Taler
Kira Varvanina, Meta4 Gallery (with artists Audrey Morgan, Heather Snit and more), Sagan Editions (with artists Danielle Suppa, Alicia Nauta, Layne Hinton, Heather Goodchild, Mani Mazinani, and Art Metropole with various artists books and multiples.
PHOTOS + VIDEOs
Installation view of the in/future festival. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
Installation view of the in/future festival. Photo by Vuk Dragojevic.
'Sinking of You' by Vuk Dragojevic. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Sinking of You' by Vuk Dragojevic.
'I was born ten thousand years ago' by Marco D'Andrea. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Monuments' by Acapulco Collective, presented with CAFKA. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Monuments' by Acapulco Collective, presented with CAFKA. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'HOWL' by Robert Hengeveld. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'BEACON' by Michael Toke. Photo by Jocelyn Reynolds.
'Rubble Pile' by Ben Watt-Meyer. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Rubble Pile' by Ben Watt-Meyer. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Pulse' by Mary Coble, presented with FADO Performance Art. Photo by Henry Chan.
'Moonlight' by Adam David Brown. Photo by Jocelyn Reynolds.
'BEACON' by Michael Toke. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'F#Fountain' by Studio F Minus. Photo by Vuk Dragojevic.
'F#Fountain' by Studio F Minus. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
The view of the 'pod' buildings at Ontario Place. Photo by Vuk Dragojevic.
'Trillium Icosaflorum' by Rob King. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Trillium Icosaflorum' by Rob King. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Trillium Icosaflorum' by Rob King. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Trillium Icosaflorum' by Rob King. Photo by Sharon Vanderkaay.
Signage for 'The Silos' designed by Monnet. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
The lineup at The Silos. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
Signage for 'The Silos' designed by Monnet. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
A hall of mirrors in The Silos. Photo by Kevin Gallant.
'Still' by Max Dean and Andrew Savery-Whiteway presented with Scotiabank CONTACT Photography. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Joe Le.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Heather Nicol.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Heather Nicol.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Heather Nicol.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Heather Nicol.
'Tornado Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Tornardo Pod' by Heather Nicol. Photo by Vuk Dragojevic.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Andrew Williamson.
'Overshadow' by Lyla Rye. Photo by Nick Kozak.
in/future VIDEO
Recap videos, art documentation, and recorded lectures
SMALL WORLD MUSIC
Live sets performed at in/future on the Small World Music Stage
SITE
MAP
This festival was inspired by and conceived for Ontario Place. As a site-specific multidisciplinary project, everything started with the space. See the map below to see project locations across the West Island, and curatorial statements for projects curated in specific locations.
ATOM BLASTER PAVILION
This pavilion was originally part of the West Village and Ontario Places’ original plan designed by Eb Zeidler. It was most recently referred to as the Atom Blaster – a popular interactive play space for kids.
The group exhibition curated by Art Spin contained within responds to various ideas inspired by Ontario Place itself. Themes of childhood and play that these spaces once invited, critiques of monumentality, the erasure of time, the promise of utopian futures yet to be delivered, a questioning of the ambition at the root of expos and world fairs and the highly symbolic role of islands in our culture, these are some of the concepts that bring this eclectic, multidisciplinary collection of works together.
Works included: David Clark - Sixes and Sevens, Clive Holden - INTERNET MOUNTAINS 28, Marcia Huyer - Psssttthhffff (the sound of air leaving a balloon), Luke Painter - Crystal Palace Warehouse
ARCADE PAVILION
This pavilion was originally part of the West Village and Ontario Places’ original plan designed by Eb Zeidler. It was most recently referred to as the Arcade, popular for its once large collection of video games, pinball machines and other games.
The group exhibition curated by Art Spin contained within responds to various ideas inspired by Ontario Place itself. Themes of childhood and play that these spaces once invited, critiques of monumentality, the erasure of time, the promise of utopian futures yet to be delivered, a questioning of the ambition at the root of expos and world fairs and the highly symbolic role of islands in our culture, these are some of the concepts that bring this eclectic, multidisciplinary collection of works together.
Works included: Caroline Doherty - As above, so below, William Eakin - From the series 24Hours, Nicholas Hooper and Lauren Schaffer - Shohola Nights, daniel griffin hunt - Keystoning (A Foundation Laid), Kristiina Lahde - A Sequence of Lines and Links, Hazel Meyer - Dingdong Wall (...s to the Ball), Noel Middleton - Untitled, Sam Noseworthy presented by Ed Video - Island of Misfit Toys
ATOM BLASTER PERFORMANCE SPACE
The performance space in the Atom Blaster Pavilion is a flexible area that takes advantage of the interesting catwalks and vantage points from above to create an arena for contemporary dance and performance art.
Performances Included: Amanda Acorn presented by Dancemakers - Leisure Palace, Gearshifting Performance Works - Hybrid Human, Erin Poole and Walter Kaheróton Scott - take my scepter/take my blade
THE SILOS
Originally built in 1980 as the ‘Ontario North Now Pavilion’ the silos were a sight and sound experience capturing the excitement and beauty of Northern Ontario at the time. Each silo depicted a different aspect of life in Northern Ontario including industry, sports and recreation, natural resources, indigenous culture and wildlife. Following this, the silos were converted into the interactive and playful ‘Mega Maze’, and more recently took form as the ‘Wild World of Weather’, a series of elemental-themed educational displays where each silo housed a different form of weather, from fog, to ice, snow, and tornado.
These nine silos with their unique architectural features and spectacular acoustic properties serve as a counterpoint to the more high-energy aspects of the festival by offering dark, still, immersive environments that aim to elicit a sense of reflection and inward contemplation.
The silos are an ideal environment in which to take up Ontario Place’s legacy of cultural collaboration. While each of the silos, evocative of grain storage units, is a single self-contained structure, they are also interconnected by pathways, tunnels, and bridges— designed for visitors to move through in sequence and serve as their own agents of cross-pollination between the multidisciplinary range of programming curated by Art Spin.
In order of appearance:
Max Dean - Still - Co-Presented by Art Spin and Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, Oliver Husain - Isla Santa Maria - Presented by Images Festival, Peggy Baker Dance Projects (Sept. 15 - 18) - The Perfect Word, New Adventures in Sound Art (Sept. 19-25) - Silo Solos, Heather Nicol - Tornado Pod, Lyla Rye - Overshadow, Simone Jones & Laura Millard - Recursive Traces, Markus Heckmann - transduktor, Ed Pien - Revel, Greg Staats - transformer - Presented by the TOM Thomson Art Gallery, Gareth Lichty -Warp (Ontario Place).
PRESS
"In Toronto, Looking to the Future in an Abandoned Park"
September 23rd, 2016
by Chris Hampton
The Globe and Mail
"Toronto’s aging Ontario Place on cusp of mini-revival as it hosts dual festival"
September 9th, 2016
by James Adams
The Toronto Star
"At Ontario Place, Days of Futures Past"
August 26th, 2016
by Murray Whyte
The Toronto Star
"Awake by the Lake: in/future festival unlocks Ontario Place to the public for the first time since 2012"
September 14th, 2016
by Murray Whyte
NOW Magazine
"Massive art and music fest in/future brings Ontario Place back to life"
September 14th, 2016
by Kate Robertson
SPAcing Magazine
"The Artful City: Fleeting Futures – an interview with Art Spin"
September 22nd, 2016
by The Artful City
"in/future lets you explore an abandoned amusement park, and here are some tips for doing it right"
September 21st, 2016
by Leah Collins
"This is What Ontario Place Looks Like Now"
September 15th, 2016
by Phil Villneuve
Magenta Magazine
"Exhibition Reviews: in/future"
October, 2016
by Marissa Neave
Canadian Art Magazine
"When a Contemporary Ruin Becomes an Art Festival"
September 15th, 2016
by Bryne McLaughlin
Toronto Life
"A sneak peek at the giant immersive art installation that has taken over Ontario Place"
September 15th, 2016
by Samantha Edwards
CITY NEWS
"Ontario Place to host arts and world music festival this September"
May 31st, 2016
by Canadian Press
TEAM
in/future team
Co-Artistic Directors
Layne Hinton
Rui Pimenta
Small World Music
Alan Davis - Programming Director
Kayla McGee - General Manager
Jeff Van Harmelen - Production Manager
Reza Moghaddas - Technical Coordinator
Adam Moffatt - Social Marketing
Strategic Advisor
Angie Camara
Marketing
Matt Ryan - Director
Aimee Ross
Karen Nussbaum
Arianne Tong
Dawn Laing
Stephanie Niro
Jen Polyzotis
Samantha Eng
Andrew Williamson
Amara Nwogu
Rodrigo Castro
Partnerships
Jen Foster - Director
Production
Kelly Schnurr - PM
Scott Malloch
Project Managers
Casey Hinton - in/fo Centre & Shop
Leah Cooke - in/fo Centre & Shop
Marko Djurdic - Cinesphere
Ilene Sova - Education
Technical
John Santos
Writers
Alison Cooley
Justin Carreiro
Box Office Manager
Sedina Fiati
Interns
Vivienne Song
Megan Toye
Jordyn Stewart
Graphic Design, Branding & Illustration
Monnet Design
Website Design
for infuture.ca
Tennis.
F&B
Everything But The Band
THANK YOU
This project was truly a labour of love, often Art Spin describes it as a sort of barn raising, only possible through a community coming together to support one another to build something ambitious. Art Spin is incredibly grateful to all of the staff, artists, and partners listed above and below, who worked onsite in a hands on capacity, installing projects themselves and building a festival from the ground up. We would especially like to acknowledge the labour of our many many volunteers who believed. in the vision of the project and worked tirelessly to make it happen. We are also so thankful to the team at the Ontario Place Corporation who collaborated with us and so generously shared their space and resources to make this pilot project come to life, thanks especially those who we worked with closely on the project - Valerie Holliday, Eriks Eglite, Cheme Yaklha, and Mike Hazelton.
PARTNERS
CREATIVE PARTNERS
