As promised

 

Here are the steps on making the origami frogs we had for Nuit Blanche.

Practice makes permanent! Next thing you'll know, you're teaching friends how to make them.

Happy Halloween 

and

Happy folding!

[ava]

Tongues of Fortune

Last Saturday, the 29th of September, was the annual Scotia Bank's Nuit Blanche; the much anticipated all night art festival in downtown Toronto.

Months in advance, the MOT crew had been cutting squares and folding origami frogs. We thought amphibians would be a nice follow up on cranes, butterflies, and more butterflies. The method of paper folding, cutting and mass repetition is ever present in our works.

We did not come in short this year, except for the addition of a giant amphibian! Visions of a giant frog spilling pint size, tiny froggies was what we had in mind. Take a look at the progress shots of the paper mache.

   

The set-up was by the walkway of Trinity Square facing Bay street (siding the Marriot), we made a fortress our of a lamp post for our league of origami frogs.

Did we mention they were Fortune Frogs? the origami frogs were given red fortune tongues that  surprised and delighted participants and passerby.
Our installation received a number of approvals and curious looks, especially from children. This was amidst the noise from The Mission Business of Byologyc, a social commentary, performance art that transformed the Trinity Church into test centre/ battle ground for protesters and black suited army.

Nevertheless, it was a success because when we came back hours after the set-up, fortune frogs were no more, meaning to say they have been carried out, taken away by their new owner. And perhaps now, a proud display, a bookmark, a souvenir, a reminder of  Nuit Blanche 2012.

[greedphotography]

The Super Crawl that was...

MOT had a fantastic time during the 2012 Hamilton Super Crawl. We had so much fun that we chalked James St. North a unicorn in its honour.

For those unfamiliar with the event, the Hamilton Art Crawl happens every second Friday of the month. During this time art galleries and various speciality stores in the area are open to the public from 7pm until their heart's content.

The centre of Downtown Hamilton can be indicated by Jackson Square, which is a historical landmark for the city. It is essentially a building block housing a mall, the city's central public library, farmer's market, the Stelco Tower, the Sheraton Hamilton and more. The famous James St. N. stretches out from Jackson Square all the way straight to Hamilton's waterfront.

Art Crawl does run year round and it has been attracting local and international artists and visitors. The Super (Art) Crawl, on the other hand, is a once a year- late summer- all day art event that is curated and supported by local artists and community leaders. Not just galleries, this local event also showcases various live performances of music and dance as well as displays of commissioned public art installations.

It's not just that, what makes Art Crawl what it is - are the independent pieces appearing on the streets. These were the mysterious art pieces found (in this case) at a corner of a restaurant or on top of a mail box; they stand alone without a title, nor artists to identify them with.


You can find more information about the Art Crawl on its website and best believe MOT will enjoy more Art Crawl in the future.

Sz.

Pagkakataon

more to come soon ...

There are 310 small butterflies.

There are 550 large butterflies.

340 large butterflies are spray painted black.

130 small butterflies are spray painted black.

Kapisanan Kultura Festival 2012

Installation: Pagkakataon

At the Kapisanan KULTURA Festival
August 17th - 31st
The Kapisanan Philippine Centre
167 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2L4

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At long last!  For the first time since leaving our old school club, we've set up a large scale art installation that is to be displayed in a gallery space.  We've been prepping this for months; working out conceptual details, feeling out the idea, fine tuning the technical details.  I wont spoil it, but tell you briefly that for the past three weeks we've been hand-tracing, hand-cutting, and mass spray-painting some 1000 individual pieces that will come together to form our final exhibition piece for the Kapisanan KULTURA Festival.

It's become common practice with us to create something from several smaller somethings.  But that's how our group has become so I guess it's not much of a surprise.  Pagkakataon means 'chance'.  Our meeting and coming together as a group can in a way be described as just that - as pagkakataon.  We're a mixed group of people in practically ever aspect that you could think of, including our disciplines at uni. That doesn't mean we can't all share an understanding of  themes and ideas.  

Kapisanan's theme for this year's KULTURA Festival was Pamahiin, meaning ritual.  

Did you know black butteflies mean death?

Did you know white butterflies mean wealth?

Do you think butterflies could mean anything at all? Do you want them to?

Super Crawl 2011

The 2010 and 2011 editions of the James St. N. Super Crawl were fantastic fun.  Lots of activity, tons of people, multitudes of art, and enough good eats and drinks to keep you going from noon to midnight.  Of course, when a group of artists, even small-time folks like us, are told that an entire street is closed off for an art event the natural thing to do is to abuse chalk and pavement.

First, how about I explain the starfish and crocodile/mermaid: We started with the person hanging off the yellow median.  Then added the predators (for the lols).  Aw no!  And then we decided it was unfair to the predators to be the bad guys.  So we made them beautiful!  I believe we tried to switch the 'Aw no!' to an 'Aw Yes!' but without the proper tools, ex. water, it was too much of a challenge.

The water lilies: Were planned.  There is never enough interactive art at these events.  Everyone wants you to look but  no one wants you touch.  So we grabbed some chalk with the intent of making something fun.  As we were halfway through it we wondered if kids, or anyone, would get the idea.  Three seconds later three little kids came bounding out of nowhere.  They used the lilies like hopscotch.  Aw Yes!

We're going to do all of this again; the Super Crawl; the chalk, the lilies.  Keep an eye out for MOT at NB and Super Crawl 2012.

V2: Issue 2

Our second pride issue.  Like PRIDE, an expression of difference and individuality, we left the front and back of this issue blank to let everyone draw their own cover.  We've had dreams of doing a colour issue for a long time but funding has prevented that from being followed through.  Instead, personalized and unique covers for each copy of the issue was its own kind of fun.

Thanks to everybody who drew a cover.
Thanks to everybody who took a copy.
Thanks to everybody who put it aside if they didn't like it so somebody else could pick it up.
And thanks to everyone who puts on the Toronto Pride.
Here's to celebrating our uniquenesses (yes, lets use it as a word).

View the full zine under The Zine heading.