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Right now, there’s a piece of public art in Toronto’s harbour that’s been going viral.

The installation, a hyperrealistic replica of a convenience store titled Global Convenience, floats some dozen feet from the city’s Harbour Square Park, and was commissioned to reflect Toronto’s role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was created by artists Trevor Wheatley and Cosmo Dean.

However, the piece is so realistic, that pedestrians have been swimming and paddling to the store to check it out. One man was even stranded atop it after swimming to it earlier this week

Today on Commotion, art critic and curator Charlene K. Lau joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about the work, and the unexpected ways in which people may interact with public art. 

WATCH | Today’s episode on YouTube:

You can listen to the full discussion from today’s show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview with Charlene K. Lau produced by Jean Kim.