Lumiere illuminates Toronto’s waterfront

Niharika Nayak: Senior Reporter

Lumiere 2024, the free outdoor light-based art exhibition has returned to Trillium Park, captivating visitors with an array of installations crafted by Ontario-based artists.

The event, known for its fusion of art and light, invites exploration and contemplation under the theme of Connections.

Many of the installations provide interactive experiences, such as Tree Love, where visitors can embrace the trees and Trail, where motion alters patterns and colours of lights.

Additionally, bonfires hosted on Friday and Saturday evenings enhance the ambiance and provide opportunities for communal gatherings along the waterfront.

Sadman Sadiq, a York University student, said he was excited to see the illuminated structures and for the opportunity to meet new people.

Sadiq said he particularly favoured Drawn to the Flame, citing the canoe’s symbolism and personal connection.

“So if I have to say, my personal favourite would be the structure they made with the canoe, Drawn to the Flame. Even though I’m an international student, canoeing has been my hobby for many years. So that’s why personally, that’s my favourite part of the entire event tonight,” Sadiq said.

Operating seven nights a week from March 12 to April 20, the exhibit offers an opportunity for guests to experience its illuminating wonders from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

According to the Ontario Place website, the theme seeks to delve into the diverse ways where light can forge connections among people, the environment, and various facets of our existence through innovation and the use of light.

Gliedeme Agir, a Centennial College student, said she found the corner installations mesmerizing but noted challenges in finding the venue.

“I came here for Lumiere last year, and it was quite good,” Agir said. “But now it’s a different thing, because of the lack of parking space. There are a lot of people looking for which entrance to come through because it’s hard for them due to a lot of construction.”

Visitors can access the exhibition through various entrances with paid parking available at Coronation Park, Exhibition Place, or nearby lots. Another option is to take public transit and walk a short distance to Trillium Park.

John Notten, a Toronto-based artist, showcased his work Drawn to the Flame featuring connected canoes emitting a warm flamelike glow.

Notten said the curatorial theme of connections inspired his piece, emphasizing the canoe’s role as Indigenous technology and a symbol of colonial history.

“Once it was shared, appropriated by colonial settlers, it offered a new and unprecedented access to the farthest reaches of the landscape that were, up until that point, inaccessible,” Notten said.

“What followed is a legacy of displacement, excessive resource extraction and in some cases, a dramatic reshaping of the landscape in the nation-building project of Canada,” he said.

“It is painful to think that such a beloved object, the canoe, has such a complicated history,” Notten said.

Notten said considering the exhibition’s placement by Lake Ontario, he felt that genuine canoes reconfigured into a grand campfire would aptly represent a means of uniting individuals, enticed by its comforting heat.