For the second year, The Beach is playing host to an international design competition which creates temporary art installations from the permanent life guard stations dotted along the beach. Dubbed Winter Stations, this year’s theme is Freeze-Thaw which, today in particular, seemed very appropriate with the installations proving to be a welcome haven in which to thaw out!
Given that it was such a cold, grey day today, it was great to see so many people out on the beach enjoying the day and the exhibition. (There was even one guy in the lake paddle-boarding today! Now that’s dedication to your sport!) Some of the installations this year include a steam canoe, a rope forest, a fur-lined wooden “bear belly”, and a functioning sauna—complete with hooks on which to hang your clothes if you want to run and take a dip in the lake first (which you’ll see in the pics we saw three guys do!) There’s also a welcoming fire pit area at the Woodbine end of the Beach to chill out in (or rather warm up in!).
While I have to admit I’m not much of a winter-lover, I will say I do love this event…it totally made me want to head to The Beach to check the exhibits out in person. It’s actually a really bizarre experience to be wandering along the beach in the dead of winter with everyone in full winter gear!…especially to then look out and see a dude in the water paddle-boarding! And as for the exhibition, I loved the exploration and the fact that each installation offered a fun little reprieve from the biting wind. And even though it was a grey and windy day today, with every exhibit we encountered and with every picture I took, I actually found myself warming up and really enjoying how beautiful winter could be.
Definitely worthwhile to go and check it out – even if it’s just to get a little fresh air and a break from your winter hibernation for an hour or so!! Just remember to bundle up! (I was well warm on my top half and my feet, but I definitely could have used some extra layers under my jeans!)
The exhibition is on until March 19, 2016.
If you like this, see also:
Nuit Blanche 2014 in pictures
Soft Spin – pop-up art installation at Brookfield Place
Hy there, Look what we have for you! a fineoffers
Are you in?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_w9RBuXdpgmmna18BcVhv1dJgOn_e6uP/preview