Nuit Blanche 2009 Roundup

Didn’t make it out to Nuit Blanche this year? We’ve got you covered. Here’s our take on what sucked, and what was awesome.

Melania Fedyna:

Nuit Blanche: Night of billions of people shuffling the streets with no particular destination. I could barely keep it on the side-walk, yet alone navigate a map as to where an exhibit was supposed to be. Confusion surfaced as various characters on the street made me question “Art installation or CAMH escapee”? Hitting up Wrongbar turned out to be a safe bet, feeling at home among drunk, dancing zombies. Post-3am, the streets were still littered with after-partiers. I found myself at a legit 90s rave outside of OCAD, dj on the back of a pick-up Uhaul and disco lights included. Art installation or substance-fueled fun? Art installation, of course! Oh, Nuit. Thanks for another 7am bedtime. Until next year…

Credit for Wrongbar photos: Smile n pose.

Michael Joseph Ianni:
This wasn’t Easter kids. This was one fucking gigantic bunny that hovered in the Eaton Centre in part of Nuit Blanche. At first glance I thought bunny was holding something violent like a knife, but it was just a carrot. Nevertheless, it was sort of Donnie Darko scary. I get it! I huge metallic-coloured bunny. Next, my friend, and I dodged security as we biked throughout the mall. When else would you ever get the chance to? What a trip down the rabbit hole! Done.

The following photos come courtesy of Morad Affifi, with Heineken goes Behind the Night – they lead groups through Zone C – Urban Disaster/Catastrophe/Survival Action to go behind the scenes as artists and culture mavens share their insights on Scotiabank Nuit Blanche.

Chantel Bedward:

Hey my party peeps. Soo it’s cold as hell outside for the first week of October. But that sure didn’t dampen the spirits of the kool kids and T.O. art elite. I don’t even know where to begin, I ask myself really WTF is Nuit Blanche. Don’t get me wrong I know what there tryna to do. But they are kinda missing the mark if you ask me.
Like first there are sooo many freaking artist, exhibitis, pieces, displays of art if you will…. Really it’s just way tooo much to comprehend and process. My biggest piss off of the nite was the TTC. they push the all nite pass special edition for Nuit Blanche… FYI it was just the regular day pass. Only to have the crappiest service ever… Ummm how bout the whole nite there wasn’t a streetcar in site and if there was any to be found everyone was smushed in like sardines in a can. My advice next time you want to attract everyone to all nite transit have the manpower and transit power to do so. I was soo peeved I actually inquired bout a refund cause I happened to walk more than I used the damn thing.

Ok, sorry bout the rant, the nite wasn’t a total blow I got to checkout my cousin Ashley Mackenzie-Barnes of SIXAWHI and their Mas Hysteria project. It was pretty fly with UV light illuminating wire neon figures bustin’ out in a full carnival swing. My other personal fave was the vodka pool and the lite up pop cans in Trinity Bellwoods Park… And how could I forget the graffiti @ AGO and the huge 4 letter display @ city hall (I thought it was totally overrated) but it’s just me. Here’s my suggestion for next year instead of having a shit load of crappy projects and exhibits all over the city. How bout we take the time to scale back the project a bit and only maybe have a handful of mindblowin and thought provoking art.