Recently, (ie. a couple of weeks ago), my friends and I decided to check out the 'cool' 'hip' night of artwork at Nuit Blanche in downtown Toronto. A night to explore the unrecognized independent artists of our city. Or so I thought...
Aside from the entire event falling below my expectations (which could partly be due to my being immune to anything less than hollywood special effects) the exhibit that most caught my eye was not an exhibit at all. Dundas square gone beserk.
As my friend ooed and awed at its glowing commercial wonder - "what an improvement!"...I couldn't stop myself from thinking... Is this the road we want to head down? Finding artistic beauty in the pulsating ads that are part of a bigger plan to SELL TO THE AUDIENCE, really no greater goal than to GET THEIR MONEy. Then again, I often feel engaged in an art form when designing ads. Can the two be reconciled? Fun and creativity with economic undertones. Or overtones I should say.
Then I remember, why be surprised that the mega Trident (or was it Dentyne pack?) plastered to the SE side of Dundas Square becomes the main focus of attraction. After all, the event itself was none other than an ingenious promotion designed by Scotia's Marketing execs.
