An upside-down street will soon dangle under Toronto's Gardiner Expressway

A lively urban space has existed below the fast-moving chaos of Toronto's Gardiner Expressway since opening to the public in 2018 as The Bentway. It's become a gathering place and a centre for art, its rotating interactive displays drawing many to the Fort York neighbourhood even during the darkest pandemic days.

The dynamic public space announced its new season of programming on Tuesday afternoon, the Summer 2022 program known as STREET to include a mix of static and roving art installations and performances, along with events like a one-day block party.

But among the list of events and installations, one eye-catching rendering is jumping out from the pack. Known as PARADE, the kinetic installation from New York-based artist Mimi Lien will bring an upside-down street to the underside of the Gardiner Expressway.

The Bentway is excited to share the theme of our Summer 2022 season, STREET: a constellation of free art installations, roving performances, conversations & celebrations. This summer, we invite you to see the street anew.⁠ Get a taste of what's to come: https://t.co/tMc8qtZRTd pic.twitter.com/XyM0BSlSSc

Running throughout the duration of the STREET summer program from May 26 to Aug. 21, the display will feature a motorized conveyor belt that moves everyday city street items like bicycles, road signs, and pylons to form a stylized simulacrum of a typical daily commute through the urban environment.

The Bentway's STREET program will be more than just static and roving visual displays like this dynamic inverted streetscape, but also a conversation forum for artists, urban planners, educators and changemakers through conference/celebration hybrid events like The Street Summit event planned for May 27-28.

"The Bentway was founded on the idea that the street is not only a path from point A to point B, but a destination in its own right," said Anna Gallagher-Ross, Senior Manager of Programming at The Bentway.

"Streets are where the city converges, through activities both spontaneous and planned. They are a place to see and be seen; a soapbox, a stage, a courtroom, a runway, a playground, and so much more. As Toronto celebrates its Year of Public Art, this felt like an important moment to challenge conventions of the street, and conventional notions of 'street art.'"

Join the conversation Load comments

People in Toronto can now see giant billboards with new bylaws that don't even exist

45-year-old Toronto mom unexpectedly gets into National Ballet School but there's a hitch

Legendary Toronto muralist RUNT sad to see iconic artwork painted over

Nuit Blanche is officially coming back to Toronto and it'll be the biggest year yet

The 10 most famous people from Toronto

You can now feel what it's like to step inside a huge Icelandic volcano in Toronto

You can catch free National Ballet performances in Toronto this summer

Toronto mural gets redesign after councillor says it closely portrays antisemitic trope