Toronto, ON
October 2, 2010
Review by: Courtney Lee Yip
Photos by: Courtney Lee Yip, Julie Lavelle
If Nuit Blanche was a concert, and I was to review it, I’d break down each artist’s “set” and tell you about what they “played” and how great or horrible it was. But, I don’t want to tell you what you already know, or rub in your face what you may have missed.
Instead, I really want to concentrate on how people felt after the White Night. Whether it came from the majority of my friends, or Murray White’s article in thestar.com, it seemed that a lot of people out there were less than impressed.
I ask: For every complaint about the festival, is this reflective of the actual art experience, or more so an example of how we may have poorly prepped for the evening?
Torontonians and tourists alike will march into the streets, or mount their bikes in search of many things: to meet friends for a party, to expose their families to a fun and exciting event, to dance and drink until 4am, and of course to seek stimulating pieces of art.
Listen. This is no Queen West Art Crawl, this is an experience where all that I’ve mentioned above has to be taken into account when you head out there. If encountering a mass of people inebriated outside a bar is deterring you from the experience, then maybe you should stick to the openings that happen in galleries. A modest glass of wine can accompany your hushed talk of artistic merit while the charged-up, rowdy kids are kept in the appropriate bars down the street.
Nuit Blanche isn’t the sum of it’s parts, but a magnificent and over-the-top festival that should have appeal to every unique lover of arts and culture, no matter what kind of experience you are seeking. I’m not saying that taking advantage of the late last call is the most important aspect of the festival, but it’s certainly a part of it. To get more from your experience, as goes with most things in life, you have to take those frustrating moments with a grain of salt and instead relish in the times you loved.
The issue is that we don’t know what we’re necessarily looking for. How many of you out there try to hit every main exhibit before dawn? Before you know it, you’re leaving an amazing experience in one place in fear you won’t have time to hit the others. I myself, regret leaving Daniel Lanois’ stunning performance far too early for the already barren, trash-drenched Bloor Street. I know I argue that contemporary art may need more than a 5 minute visit, but Holt Renfrew’s massive slideshow of people smiling, to the soundtrack of “Smile,” just wasn’t for me.
Instead, I could have been back in Nathan Phillips Square with Lanois, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Leah Singer. The musicians played a fortuitous 12 hour set that included the debut of four songs off Neil Young’s Lanois-produced album (which hit the charts at number two this past Wednesday).
My point is: it’s the quality of your experience, not the quantity. Who cares if you saw all 40 site-specific works? Did you really enjoy any of them? I should clarify my earlier question about being prepared for the evening. It's not about how well you dress or how organized you have your itinerary for the night - although those are important things to keep in mind - but it's more of becoming mentally aware of what you want your evening to consist of.
For me, I’d rather have melted on the soundstage with Lanois and his crew all night long than worry about being in 400 places at once. And, if you had the time of your life at the Gladstone with all your best friends until 4am only to walk home at sunrise past people dressed in nothing but glowsticks and Viking costumes, hopefully you thought to yourself how awesome Toronto is for throwing a Nuit like this.
