KEITH HARING OPENED A SMALL STORE IN NEW YORK SELLING MODERATELY PRICED ART MERCHANDISE.

His hope was selling a moderately priced “art perch” so people of all incomes would be able to afford his work. A month alone, the work of the Pennsylvania-born artist managed to cross-pollinate popular culture, fashion and the art world in profound ways. Sadly though, Mr. Haring died of AIDS-related from complications in 1990 at the age of 31. His famous quote about his craft stays on saying “Art is nothing if you don’t reach the people”. It is as prophetic as ever. Decades after passing away, Haring’s work is still influencing culture and reaching a wide audience that covers the fashion retail, music scene, and a huge number of public spaces. That’s the photo (below) of Pop Artist Keith Haring on the right. He was 11 years old when he had his first Keith Haring body painting encounter.


The second grouping (Below) on the left takes in Grace Jones with a designed print in 1987. In 1986 Keith Haring is standing in front of The Berlin Wall he apparently painted with a crawling baby. Haring’s work, untitled, April 1982.
Grace Jones said “This could be the key/ and this may be the door to a new generation of club children.”

Grace Jones on the left, Keith Haring upper right, and, below. one of his famous outline figures.

<Our time comes from Toronto’s GLOBE AND MAIL – ‘Arts and Pursuits’. plus Getty Images.>

WHERE GERRARD STREET MEETS YONGE IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO – UNDER THIS GROWING MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE

Gerrard Street is near Yonge, close to Downtown Toronto. All is near-by offers expanding Ryerson University – artists, top restaurants, theatres, the subway, and live theatrical productions. More than enough will keep all of us busy with more coming real soon.
Over several months an expansive, deep hole was dug up behind an abundance of small, important businesses.  Miraculously, Vancouver’s Concord Adex discovered a rescue opportunity. It gained court approval to remove from bankruptcy the project formerly known as Yonge Street Living Residences (YSL)’, and replacing that with a 95-storey building named ‘The Concord Sky’.

THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II, OCCURRED LAST THURSDAY MORNING – AND CANADA’S PRIME MINISTER, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, SPENT TIME WITH HER. CANADA’S THOUGHTS ARE VERY MUCH WITH THE QUEEN.

From – The British Heritage – As the world’s longest-reigning Monarch, there’s an entire generation of people who have never known life without her. But what will actually happen when Queen Elizabeth II  leaves us? What protocol will be followed when Her Majesty passes on?  Word has been spreading all across Canada – including  Ottawa.  Shown in the photograph below,  the 96-year-old British Monarch, is holding hands with Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.  They’ve been together often, and do have good times.

IF YOU’RE INTO ART, WITHIN TORONTO’S ‘REGENT PARK’ THERE WILL BE A NEW, NEAT PLACE TO GO.

I’ve been waiting for some time, hopefully getting A TASTE OF TORONTO’S REGENT PARK, and finally my way (or some of it anyway) is almost nearly here. I spent yesterday afternoon walking around FINE ART wherever it happened to be. I understand we were pointed toward a skillful place to enjoy – An “Art Festival” in Regent Park. And that’s what it’s becoming to be. From The Presentation Sponsor came these words – “Love Where You Live”. –  And below are several examples of what you might find – Best of Luck with that!

 

PSM (PARLIAMENT STREET NEWS) HAS SPOTLIGHTED THE SINCLAIR FAMILY – KNOWN FOR ONE KIND OF SPOT OR ANOTHER. BEST IN THEIR TIMES.

Thanks to the sons I’ve learned a lot. Well-known Gordon Sinclair, thanks to CFRB and CBC, born in 1906, sired a Scot from Inverness and an Anglo from Kent. He spent time walking in neighbourhoods, building houses and breeding horses in stables.  Houses in those days slowed their ages. Their work – class families of humble means – loud and colourful. Convenience stores took places. All walked to family-run businesses to buy from family-run businesses. On Sackville Street empty taxis parked, pigeons and demolished apartment buildings, night shifts. Ghosts of families were everywhere. Big surprise was walking into a used book store in Coldwater, Ontario and discovering two books written by locals – We speak of authour broadcaster Gordon Sinclair and novelist Hugh Garner . . .  . . . .  Gordon shared his prose with dirty streets of Cabbagetown and/or Riverdale. Gordon’s  birth was on Carlton Street in 1900.  Sounds of the area connected with his youth. He recalled the roar of a lion (not this one) housing from the Toronto Zoo across the street. The sound reached as high as Amelia Street. Then came ‘Cabbagetown’ by Hugh Garner set on familiar streets. That  story began before The Great Depression up to the 1970’s. That brought in working class, hotbed multiculturalism, a variety of sins, old houses, prosperity still years away, encounters with 51 Division, newly arrived restauranteurs, squalid rooming houses. These are the books that tell, or once told, the real story. Forget the history text books sitting on shelves in school libraries. Not always, though. <Contributed by Duncan Fremlin – local Realtor and Musician>

I HAVE DONE MORE TRAVELING FOR MY BLOG – “torontosavvy” – AND THERE’S NOTHING I LIKE BETTER.

Last night we stopped at a Bank and then next door went to the movies to take in “Downton Abbey – A New Era”. This showing took place in the lovely, Kingsway Movie Theatre, which shows black & white, classic reels, foreign films, docs and occasional blockbusters. This feature was a great winner. However without not too much of an audience, but we were there. Toronto’s transit system does well, and our Presto Card allowed us to take a train from Sumach St., then cross town to St. George’s. subway station, and from there an ascent to the cinema itself. No extra charge for either of us; then we had a walk back to the subway for the next train (lots of big noise); got on board; crossed town; and eventually got back home. Line #2 is quite an exciting train. It reminds me of a noisy New York City train roaring through tunnels. Toronto is building even more subway lines right now. On our list for Downtown Halifax itself there are condos and apartment rentals and one spectacular building. There’s The famous Town Clock. There’s The  Halifax Public Garden, and . . . .  . . . . .  “Friday Night Lights.” This afternoon the two of us were waiting for Seafoods from Clearwater in Halifax, to be delivered from Clearwater Seafoods and transported to us from Halifax International Airport itself. What’s available to order? – There’s Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp, Crab and . . . more quality Seafood from Salmon to Tuna, Black Cod, Halibut and all the rest.  <Below – a high-rise of Halifax Harbour>

ACTION HAS BROKEN OUT AT CTV TELEVISION NEWS – AND LISA LAFLAMME IS NOW GOING FOR HER ORDERLY “NEWS ANCHOR” STAKE.

There’s more . . .  to the story for sure. CTV News Executive, Michael Melling is going on leave. He wants to spend more time with his family. Decided on this after Lisa’s controversy made an appearance. Last week The Globe and Mail revealed that shortly after Mr. Melling took the role of CTV News Head, and asked questions about who approved “to let Lisa’s hair grow grey?”, according to a senior CTV official, present at a meeting. In a statement sent to The Globe on Friday, Mr. Melling said this was “categorically untrue.” The Globe also reported on tensions between Mr. Melling and Ms. LaFlamme over newsroom priorities, story coverage, and resources. News broke that Ms. LaFlamme was leaving the show she had helmed for more than a decade nearly two weeks ago. In the days that followed, the story spiralled into a national outrage.
Brands such as Dove and Wendy’s introduced ad campaigns in support of women going ‘grey’. In this case, Ms. LaFlamme had earned praise from women across Canada when she decided to stop dyeing her hair early in the pandemic. Mr. Melling and Ms. Moses, held a joint town hall meeting. A day later the company planned an independent third-party review. Staff raised concerns about the review. Journalists within the CTV Newsroom sent a letter to Bell Canada chief executive MirKo Bibic, Bell’s board of directors, and Wade Oosterman, president of Bell Media, expressing a lack of confidence in Mr. Melling’s leadership. He concluded “We have no confidence in Mr. Melling’s ability to lead the news division.”  In May, 2019, as general manager of CP24 and CTV News Toronto, Mr. Melling announced “Project Innovation.” Partly through this initiative, he developed a reputation internally as “The Cutter.”  Will Ms. LaFlamme return? She would be welcome