nuit blanche.. (via Blackberry)

anticipation... 12 hours.. 1 sleepless night.. art, culture, expectation of something "wow".. darkness.. night... energy.. temporary.. movement..... 6:15pm saturday evening.. these thoughts are roaming my head...

walk into a room crowded with white jackets, coffee, gloves and chatter... "where do i sign in?"... wheatabix, real fruit gummies, chapstick, energy drinks, glycomed.. what have i gotten myself into...? one-hour meal breaks every 3 hours... show your button, smile and keep warm.. off you go..

Endgame (Coulrophobia) - Max Streicher

 it spots me before i notice it poking it's crude red nose from between 67 and 69 yonge street... as i approach, the sinister leer of its smile captures me as i realize it is not alone... another lingers, trapped, a few feet above, it's white teeth glaring into the darkness of the night... around me are shrieks and laughter, feet stomping and the erratic flutter of cameras and cell phones... finally reaching its resting place, the offensively crude smiling face of the third clown comes into view, wedged closer to the street level glaring at the continuous flow of passerbyers..

questions, uncertainty... what does it all mean? familiar faces appear with coffee in tow encouraging me to forget the coldness.. confidence resumes, discussions.. simplicity... lets keep this simple folks... they're watching...



Reflection in window of 1 King West

 2am and the bars begin to pour out the aftermath of the nights splendors in masses... tripping, madness, laughter, horror, intoxication.... constant clicking of cameras... i too get caught up in the comings and goings and find myself moving with the crowd... the noise and the energy is intoxicating... lights seem to be summoning us from the north and south... first to the south to the blue mist which causes those around me to cry out for Jesus.... "i can see him!! i can feel him"... perhaps the LED lighting was a poor choice....

blinded... i move away from the mist...

Auto lamp - Kim Adams

Moving north, Auto lamp rotates in circles like a beacon, urging us to take a closer look... i don't need to understand, i just watch and allow my eyes to be mesmerized that the projections dance across the surrounding  buildings.... simplicity... beauty and calmness seems to come from this work...

i remember why i'm here and wander back to the dreadful clowns... the crowd has not dispersed but rather tripled in size.. there is a fascination with these characters... a couple teenagers dressed as "the joker" appear and become part of the exhibit... a bride  in her full white gown... more clicking...


it's now 4am and the crowd is still clinging on to the fate of these clowns... will they remain stuck? or will the eventually succumb to their inescapable demise... perhaps i'll get to witness this personally at 7am when this is all over... more screams, questions, thoughts... flutter of cameras... i decide to rest my legs in preparation for the final hours... reflection...

4:47... i take note of the evening... was this really about art? or about the effects of mixing alcohol and energy drinks... this is answered by the sound of trickling water behind me... i turn to see a man urinating on the gate the blocks of the small alley where my clowns are trapped... i think i've had enough....

5:25am as i'm polishing off my "breakfast".... i consider going back out in the cold for the final hour... imagining how they will look as the sun rises behind them... my interest wains.... the reflection in the mirror says, "looking not SO bad (considering)"... but alas, my bed cries out and i leave without bidding fare well...

it was a night to remember... if only for the strength and endurance my body showed me... but in the end.. i think i'd rather forget...