Official ceremonies were held to mark the dedication to the City of Toronto of the Acconci Studio’s created public art architectural installation at WaterParkCity, a multi-tower condominium community by Lanterra Developments and Lifetime Developments. Vito Acconci – formally a poet and performance/installation-artist, now a designer/architect, joined Lanterra’s Chairman Mark Mandelbaum and President & CEO Barry Fenton, and David Anselmi, Chair of Toronto’s Public Art Commission for the celebration.

To fully appreciate the impact of this fresh approach, Acconci led attendees on a walking tour of the installation, where traditional materials were reshaped through the use of heat and hammers to create a surrounding that swoops and twists around the complex of buildings. As it rises and falls, the new fence makes seating that turns into privacy screens, trellises, an entrance canopy and windscreens that climb the building.

“We want our projects to be multiply useful,” Acconci said. “That way, user’s can decide what they want to do – they don’t need to be told watt to do. This is a new neighbourhood, and we wanted to draw attention to it. We hoped that, by letting the fence go wild, we could allow people to engage with it on their own terms and let something useful become complex and fun.”

Jury member and developer Mark Mandelbaum said, “We are proud to have Vito Acconci’s artistic vision as an integral part of WaterParkCity. His work is known around the world for its creativity and fluidity. The flow of the materials suggests water and waves, a concept that is especially appropriate due to WaterParkCity’s location next to Lake Ontario.”

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