Torontonians recently took to Reddit to discuss their favourite Banksy artwork in the city, with one Redditor highlighting the famous ‘Guard with Balloon Dog’ installation in the PATH, next to One York Street north of Harbour Street.
โIf you ever want to admire a Banksy on your next dollar store trip, ‘One york st’ could be your destination. It is on second floor beside the escalators,โ the Redditor noted.
The artworkโcreated by the anonymous British street graffiti artist renowned for his political messages and public placementsโportrays a man dressed in a police uniform, holding the leash of a muzzled, pink balloon dog. This was one of several pieces that Banksy drew on Toronto buildings during a 2010 tour of his documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Banksy’s back. World renowned artist’s re-unveiled piece now living @ 1 York St. @CBCToronto pic.twitter.com/2g7vJSAJrF
โ Adrian Cheung (@adrianwkcheung) February 13, 2017
This particular artwork has been in storage since late 2014, when Menkes Development, Ltd., decided to restore the piece and put it back on display in a new public viewing space. The salvaged artwork has been displayed in the PATH since 2017.
The reinstatement of the Banksy artwork, its reinstallation, and the creation and placement of Speculum are integral components of a $2,000,000 public art initiative incorporated by Menkes into the Harbour Plaza / One York project.
โThis Banksy piece represents an exciting contribution to the public art landscape in Toronto and we wanted to reintroduce it to the public in a manner that was respectful to its origins,โ saidย Jared Menkes, when it was unveiled years ago.ย
Watch the video below to see the artwork being restored prior to its unveiling at One York St.
A Banksy piece near Church and The Esplanade in Toronto – v, v cool!
Can’t wait for the show! pic.twitter.com/OOsU9LODXw
โ Tom Curry (@jthomascurry) June 11, 2018
Last summer, Torontonians experienced the worldโs largest Banksy exhibit, BANKSYLAND, where they got to check out over 80 different pieces and installations, including some that have been salvaged from the street, some that have never been seen before, as well as popular pieces, like Girl With Balloon and Love Is In The Air.
The Toronto stop was part of a 22-city international touring exhibition. Thereโs no word on if this exhibit will return to the city, but considering how fast tickets sold out last year and the super long lineups, the interest is certainly there.
