“THE HEIGHTS” Iconic Public Art Sculpture Installation in DUKE Heights BIA at the Keele Street / Finch Avenue West Median

BY: BIA Duke hEights

The Keele/Finch gateway into DUKE Heights Business Improvement Area (BIA) will feature a new grand art sculpture known as “The Heights”, designed and installed by Artist Brandon Vickerd. This public artwork was initiated and partially funded by the BIA in cooperation with the City of Toronto, which is inheriting the art piece. Special acknowledgment to Toronto City Councillors James Pasternak, Ward 6 – York Centre, and Anthony Perruzza, Ward 7 – Humber River - Black Creek, for their extraordinary efforts and support of the project. Moreover, the cooperation and assistance of Metrolinx and Mosaic Transit  Group have been remarkable.

Date of Installation: Starting Monday, April 17 with completion on Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Location: On the centre median located on Finch Avenue West just east of Keele Street (Note - due to the ongoing LRT construction there will be no public access to the installation site) 

“The Heights” will stand approximately 41 feet high. With its multi-faceted open design and architectural abstractions, “The Heights”, fabricated in Corten steel, portrays a partial representation of the Elia Public  School, which once stood on the northeast corner of Keele Street and Finch Avenue West (from 1873 to  1956) and was later demolished to make way for future development. Representing the journey, a transition through time, and drawing its inspiration from the history of the one-room schoolhouse, the innovative architectural design tells the story of the transformation of the Keele and Finch neighbourhood - from its semi-rural past to an industrial hub and future expanding urban centre. The dynamics of the design are intended to derive a variety of aesthetic expressions and provoke the thoughts and imaginations of the viewers about connecting people, their sense of place, and their adaptability to change. 

“This sculpture is about the relationship between time and memory. It reflects on the role of history in providing a guiding light that illuminates a path forward into the uncertain future”- Brandon Vickerd, the  Artist. 

Dr. Lew Pliamm, Chair of the DUKE Heights BIA is proud of this contribution to Toronto’s art environment.  “We have created a visually compelling landmark with a strong vertical presence that complements the dynamic intersection at Keele St. and Finch Ave W. The Heights will become a symbolic icon and gateway  into our BIA.” 

Those travelling through this intersection will see the artwork being installed but please drive (or walk by) with safety in mind. 

For All Media/ Public Inquiries: 

• Lew Pliamm, Chair, DUKE Heights BIA 

Phone: 416-904-8717; Email: lew@dukeheights.ca 

• Brandon Vickerd 

Email: bvickerd@hotmail.com; Website: brandonvickerd.com 

The DUKE Heights BIA, created in 2014, is one of the 85 BIAs in the City of Toronto, the second largest BIA  in the GTA as surface area, representing 2,500 businesses that employ over 32,000 employees. The DUKE  Heights BIA represents the geographical area between Keele Street to Dufferin Street, and Sheppard  Avenue to Steeles Avenue. The DUKE Heights BIA mandate is to improve the area through beautification,  capital improvements, branding, and streetscape development; provide support, and security, advocate on behalf of the interests of the BIA business community and promote the area as a business,  employment, tourist, and shopping area. For more information about DUKE Heights BIA, please visit  dukeheights.ca. 

Brandon Vickers is an award-winning sculptor with extensive experience working on complex,  interdisciplinary public art projects. His practice is invested in creating works of public art that generate a  sense of wonder and awe in audiences. Also, a Professor of Visual Arts at York University, who works with notions of History and Community, he is captivated by the complex relationships humans have with their environment. Through “The Heights”, he explores this dichotomy by creating a “constructed history”  where the audience can reflect on the physical, social, and economic changes in one of Toronto's most rapidly evolving areas. 

Amazing Love

William Ashley started his career as a graphic designer. When he switched to a career in the fine arts, it was a natural step. For many years, he worked with oil paint and much of his early work was wildlife drawings. He was also always interested in photography. William switched from oil to acrylic, believing that acrylic allowed for more versatility in his work. For a while, he found himself painting portraits. His reputation preceded him and commissions started coming. At one point, he was asked to paint a portrait of Mayor Mel Lastman. The Mayor was overwhelmed with the portrait, crying when he saw it for the first time.William has been working on an inspirational piece for the Jane-Finch community. William and his partner and Marketing Manager, Evadney, are long time residents and advocates in the community. For more than 18 years, William and Evadney ran a food-bank in Jane-Finch. They have also mentored many students and continue to advocate for the people of Jane-Finch. The piece that William has recently been working on will go on display at the Jane Finch Mall where community members can visit and receive inspiration from the positive message embedded in the work. The piece will incorporate some of the great minds that have come from the community, highlighting the accomplishments of the people of the Jane-Finch, including those of famous artists and professionals. In 2004, William found faith and started featuring Christian scripture into his work. Some of his works can be customized by clients with some even having their photos incorporated in the designs. His work can also be very high tech as he uses the latest digital technology to get the designs just right. On September 28, 2018, William and Evadney will be launching a new brand and are holding an exhibit at the De Runa Banquet Hall in Toronto. Currently, they have a gallery in the Jane-Finch community which is open by appointment. For more details, you can visit www.AmazingLove.ca.

Breaking Barriers through Art in Toronto

Ojo Agi is a Toronto based Nigerian-Canadian artist. Her artwork seeks to explore races or identities that are often ignored in contemporary art. In 2012, Ojo worked with Alex Folzi on an exclusive t-shirt collection. In 2015, Ojo Agi's art was featured in a pop-up gallery in Ottawa, Ontario.HA: Tell me about yourself. Can you explain your transition from a Tumblr account to a personal website?OA : My name is Ojo Agi and I'm a visual artist currently based in Toronto. I've always loved making art and about six years ago I started posting my artwork online. I received a lot of positive feedback, which encouraged me to continue making art, but the downside of social media platforms is that you lose control of the context once you post online. People were reposting my work and it was rarely credited back to me. Two years ago I made my own site, which has helped to contain my work and act as an online portfolio.HA: What is the message that you try to convey through your pictures?OA : Growing up, I rarely--if ever--saw people like me represented positively in the media I consumed. So writing stories and drawing pictures has been my way of making up for it. At the core of it (message), is representation, but simply representing women like me in non-stereotypical ways has also been an act of resistance against white supremacist, patriarchal standards.HA : Where do you gather inspiration for your art work? Are there any artists who have influenced your work?OA: I take in inspiration from so many sources--photographs, fabrics, people on the street, other artists. Some of my favourites are Dessie Jackson, Stella Blu and Daniel Segrove but I have many, many more.HA: When "marketing" your work to people what techniques have worked and what has not ?OA: I'm still trying to figure that out! But I can say that exposure for exposure's sake is not beneficial. I have to learn to market myself to the right audiences and be selective with how I choose to show (and, therefore, brand) my work. This means saying no to some opportunities and working to create my own if I can't find what I'm looking for. For example, I hosted a pop-up gallery in May 2015 which had a great turnout and helped showcase my art locally. It also set the tone for how I want my work to be shared with the public and gave people an idea of the standard I'm looking for.HA: Have you faced any criticism or misconceptions concerning your work? How have you tried to alleviate such circumstances in which you felt that you were misunderstood?OA: Once someone commented on my Instagram photo that I only drew racially ambiguous people. It was absurd since I was in the middle of posting my "Daughters of Diaspora" collection which was based specifically on reference photos of African models (my Nigerian friend included).I thought a lot of it was chalked up to the commenter's ignorance about what looks "black" or "African" enough. The conversation went back and forth but ultimately I can say this: if there is something you feel is missing in art or media, then create it! One person can't (and shouldn't) represent everyone. So if there's a gap, look for ways you can fill it.

Opening of the Mao Art Gallery in Downsview!

Mao Correa, a local Downsview artist, has really proven that art has no limits. After transforming his 700 foot flat into an art gallery. Every wall and surface from every room on both the interior as well as the exterior of the house is covered with pieces of art.  The gallery is open to the public and showcases his spectacular pieces along with other works from other up and coming artists.Mao, is a recognized plastic artist, photographer, and graphic designer who was born in Bogota, Columbia. After receiving much recognition for his work in Columbia and Central America, Mao brought his unique style to Canada. Toronto is now where Mao calls home.Mao uses art to illustrate his internal journey as a new immigrant in Canada.  He does this by, creating pictorial pieces made entirely from recycled materials. Mao states “Mirroring my own experience, and re-signifying my esthetics through the view of diversity, I’m now not only breaking down pre-existing materials, reinterpreting and offering them a new form with a new purpose, but also reintegrating my soul to a new country”Visiting Mao’s Art Gallery truly is like watching the story of his life narrated by the pieces on every wall and surface of his home, with every piece offering new insight to his experiences in Canada.  The gallery is the only newcomer artist-led gallery in Downsview area, and attracts a wide diversity of artists in the community.Mao has been an active leader in the art community. In 2015 Mao was the recipient for the RBC Arts Access Fund and the 2015 Finalist, for the Neilson Park Creative Centres 23 annual Juried Exhibition in Toronto. Mao is an advocate for for other immigrant artists struggling to showcase their art work here in Canada. The Gallery hosts art work from other artists in order to promote their work. The gallery also provides art classes for those who are interested. Mao has truly gone above and beyond for his community and is Downsview Advocate’s ‘Community Spotlight Leader’ of the month.Mao’s art and listings for upcoming shows can be viewed on his website at www.maocorrea.com