"80" [is] an exhibition which explores the past, present, and future of 80 Bloor Street West. What began in September 2010 as a student ideas competition turned into a full exhibition on the building, which was on display at WORKshop during the Winter of 2011.
Inspired by Mies and his affinity for the grid, which shows strongly throughout his architecture, the adjacent composite drawing titled, "A Variation on Second Generation Mies" explores the use of line drawing overlaid with a collage of black and white photographs depicting 80 Bloor Street West, Toronto. The stark concrete facade is softened by the lightweight lines showing the outline or "grid" of the building. The installation, which measures 103" X 71", is mounted on the wall in an alcove that is enclosed by heavy, fire-grade glass doors. The LED lighting illuminates the drawing, giving it the appearance of being a projected, digital image rather than the hard copy itself. This play between old and new technology emphasizes the connection of taking the original facade, completed in 1973, and reinvisioning it in today’s multimedia and technological world.
