{"id":775986,"date":"2026-07-02T18:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T18:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/775986\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T18:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T18:05:17","slug":"i-think-youre-going-to-like-this-a-giant-claw-machine-is-coming-to-an-ontario-art-gallery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/775986\/","title":{"rendered":"I think you\u2019re going to like this: a giant claw machine is coming to an Ontario art gallery"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hello from Hi Art<\/a>, the CBC Arts weekly newsletter!<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, we feature Canadian art that\u2019s grabbed our attention. This is a roundup of recent highlights.<\/p>\n

\"InsideInstallation view of Balancing Act (2023) by Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins. (Artwork: Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins; Photo: Contemporary Calgary)<\/p>\n

Step right up. This giant claw machine is totally playable. It\u2019s part of Three Dimensions, a travelling exhibition from Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins<\/a>, and the show is set to arrive July 27 in London, Ont., at Western University\u2019s McIntosh Gallery<\/a>. It ponders a few big themes related to digital technology, like how images circulate. For example, maybe your algorithm\u2019s been flooded with posts about this next item \u2026 <\/p>\n

\"PhotoGlobal Convenience by Trevor Wheatley, Cosmo Dean and Puncture. (Trevor Wheatley, Cosmo Dean, Puncture)<\/p>\n

In Toronto, this floating art installation has been making plenty of waves<\/a> online. (Heck, even Commotion ran a segment about it<\/a>.) Trevor Wheatley<\/a>, Cosmo Dean<\/a> and Puncture<\/a> unveiled the piece (Global Convenience<\/a>) earlier this month in the Harbour Square Basin. Commissioned by Waterfront Toronto to welcome FIFA World Cup 2026 fans to the city, it\u2019s a nod to the humble mom-and-pop shops that serve communities everywhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I was down at the lake for an after-work picnic shortly after its debut and watched a boat make a beeline for it \u2014 all the way from Toronto Island. (It really does look like a pint-sized marina shop; I didn\u2019t get to ask, but I bet the captain was bummed he couldn\u2019t dock to buy some chips.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

About that \u2014 the store\u2019s not actually open for business, and clambering on the artwork is strongly discouraged. \u201cIt\u2019s only meant to be viewed from afar,\u201d Cosmo told me in an email. \u201cBut to some extent, we acknowledge it\u2019s now part of the commons and will take on a life of its own,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the boardwalk, however, you probably won\u2019t be able to see this detail: the shop is fully stocked, and the inventory reflects the global flavour of the project. The artists tell me they searched for international foods and products that would be recognizable in multiple countries. What were some of their favourite finds? Shrimp puffs, plantain chips, Coffee Crisp and a stack of vintage newspapers. <\/p>\n

\"HazyPlunge Pool 1 by Matt Schust. (Matt Schust)<\/p>\n

Matt Schust<\/a> based this painting off a picture of Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, and yet the scene has the hazy feel of a half-remembered dream. \u201cMy paintings are often based on photographs or film stills both real and fictional,\u201d Matt told me over email. \u201cBut I like to pull back details, zoom in or distort in order to create a sense of mystery and stir the imagination. The end result are images that seem representational and abstract at the same time \u2014 something you recognize and also can\u2019t quite put your finger on.\u201d More of Matt\u2019s water paintings are on view at Toronto\u2019s Towards<\/a> gallery. He\u2019s featured in the group show (Material Imaginations), which runs through Aug. 8. <\/p>\n

\"EnormousInstallation view of Janine Miedzik’s Turn Signal\/Next Exit. (Artwork: Janine Miedzik; Photo: Darren Rigo)<\/p>\n

Inspired by traffic signs and \u201cthe visual language of the modern city,\u201d Janine Miedzik<\/a> dreamed up Turn Signal\/Next Exit for Steelcase Art Projects<\/a>, and the exhibition is on now at Industrial Arts in Markham, Ont. The show is open to the public through Aug. 30 (weekday visits by appointment), and you\u2019re looking at the titular installation. \u201cI was originally hoping to create a tunnel for people to walk through,\u201d Janine told me over email. \u201cBut you can walk behind it, which is how Darren [Rigo] got this photograph.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"InstallationInstallation view of Maria Ezcurra\u2019s Lignes de gravit\u00e9 at Centre d’exposition de Val-David. (Maria Ezcurra)<\/p>\n

And finally, here\u2019s a peek inside Maria Ezcurra<\/a>\u2019s Lignes de gravit\u00e9. It\u2019s at Centre d\u2019exposition de Val-David<\/a> in Quebec. \u201cFor the past several years, my work has focused on migratory birds and, more recently, on the monarch butterfly,\u201d says Maria, who emailed me some background on the show. The pictured works relate to the experience of human migration, and Maria references the journey of the butterfly to explore themes of movement, belonging, vulnerability and resilience. \u201cGrowing up in Mexico, I was mesmerized by forests turning orange as millions of monarch butterflies covered the trees. That memory has stayed with me ever since. The monarch\u2019s migration between Mexico and Canada has become a powerful metaphor in my work.\u201d <\/p>\n

Do you want to see even more incredible artwork \u2014 plus the top stories from CBC Arts?<\/p>\n

Sign up here<\/a> and Hi Art will be delivered to your inbox.<\/p>\n