Toronto+Vancouver City of Labyrinths Project

Gruen Effect:

“Ever notice how when you enter a large grocery store,

Common items like bread & milk are right at the back,

And the journey there is Labyrinthine?

The layout is designed to confuse you,

So you become lost,

And end up impulse-buying items you don’t need.”

Now that Toronto has lost its Grange Park “❤️” Heart Labyrinth, it is time for a new Grange Park Labyrinth…

I wanted to get to (re)painting this earlier, but I waited until Eid Al-Adha, which was yesterday, Saturday, was observed so I wouldn’t be distracted with Religious matters on my mind while I would be Labyrinth Making.

Eid Al-Adha is properly observed for four days, taking us to Tuesday July 12 2022 until sunset, but Saturday was the Eid Prayer day, and today my mind is now freely focused towards making this.

This time,

Rather than free-hand outlining a new Labyrinth Design in chalk, I invested a good number of hours this afternoon carefully measuring, calculating, re-calculating, twice in chalk, before painting it.

I chalked the design one and a half times.

The first time I used yellow chalk and measured widths of 24 inches for each Labyrinth Lane, but the centre was somehow not centred despite my careful calculations.

I stopped and began using my metal tape measure to confirm the actual lengths of the footpath, and for the the first time realized the paver bricks do not line up into what I assumed was a true square canvas space.

Reminded me of how many round Wading Pools in Toronto I assumed were round when they were in reality a kind of slight oval shape.

I was relieved at this discovery.

A minor mystery solved.

Now that I had my Centre of the Labyrinth indeed in the correct Centre location, I had to decide whether to keep the Seven Lane Labyrinth design or start all over using a different chalk colour so as not to confuse myself, for a different Nine Lane Labyrinth design.

Started over using blue chalk for Nine Lanes.

I also carefully measured each Labyrinth Lane width at 18 inches.

And that somehow was exactly enough space, with a Labyrinth centre measured to 36 inches in diameter, to fit comfortably.

It felt as if this was finally the Labyrinth Design that belongs here.

While that feeling was from my heart, my head agreed now that the true centre of the Labyrinth was finally confirmed.

Sunlight through the leaves made it difficult to properly photograph the light and dark tones while I was chalking out the design.

So I didn’t even bother to take more photographs.

I focused on completing the chalk outline.

With afternoon now approaching evening, decision fatigue had kicked in, and I began making mistakes.

I switched to green chalk then red coloured chalk to correct my mistakes made using the blue chalk.

Having done that, I walked the outline perhaps a dozen times, in and out, to make sure I still felt happy with this hopefully Permanent Grange Park Labyrinth design, InshAllah.

Yep, it was almost as good as I could hope, so time to paint !

Chalk twice, paint once.

That’s inaccurate as I usually add more than one coat of paint per Labyrinth Line, but for today, it’s paint once.

As people saw me stop painting the Labyrinth,

A number of them began to walk it . . .

After a short while watching people exploring, experiencing my freshly (re)painted Labyrinth,

I took a break away from Grange Park to visit a number of my other Downtown Toronto Labyrinths to see how much they had faded, and how many of them also needed repainting.

A few.

I returned a little while later right at the moment this little Muslim Girl in her hijab who had been doing laps counter-clockwise around the Grange Park Footpath all afternoon, approached and scootered past my new (re)painted Labyrinth.

The previous Labyrinth in Grange Park was a “❤️” shaped Heart Labyrinth.

The current, and hopefully permanent, Grange Park Labyrinth is Nine Lane Circular design with a “❤️” inviting you to enter it, walk the path, and arrive in the centre, where you will find another “❤️”.

I haven’t made an Eid Labyrinth since before the Pandemic began, and again yesterday on Eid Al-Adha Prayer Day, I still didn’t.

Yet, with the little Muslim Girl in her blue hijab, scootering counter-clockwise all around Grange Park while I was making today’s Labyrinth, it kept reminding me of the Pilgrims in Makkah, the Hajjis, performing Tawaaf around the Holy Kaaba.

Maybe this new Grange Park Labyrinth was technically an Eid Labyrinth after all..?

Eid Al-Adha Mubarak Everybody !

Standing atop the water pump in the Centre of the Christie Pits Wading Pool Labyrinth, appropriately sporting Labyrinthine Ivory Appliqué on pockets and the collar . . .

You’re welcome Eric!

Thank you for stopping by, snapping and sharing this pictures Frances!

They convey well the scale of my Triple Chalk Labyrinth design…

Wonderful meeting you Stephanie!

Thank you for taking the time to walk and talk the Chalk Labyrinth.

So I finally get around to investing time in repairing my Spyglass Place Labyrinth, and what happens not one full day after doing so?

Someone else goes and changes it and spray paints a tag on the face of the stone in the centre of the Labyrinth.

I hadn’t yet seen this image online and discovered the changes upon visiting it again on my own.

Look closely where the darker lines of dried grass are and you can still make out my original design in placing the rocks.

The ” pi ” / ” π ” triangle at the entrance was removed and reduced to a single line of stones.

I restored it.

And oil sticked a Red Heart on the Centre Stone, outlined in Blue and Yellow.

I opted not to take any of my own pictures.

Hmmm…. This is not a Chartres Design.

Though labeling it as such is totally understandable.

Most people have never encountered a Labyrinth.

The few people who happen upon Labyrinths usually find the popular Chartres Style 11 or mini Chartres 7 Lane Labyrinth.

Ergo, all Labyrinths look the same when you’ve only ever encountered the same popular design.

I have been considering what to name this different design of mine which was initially inspired by a 650 year old drawing in the marginalia of an Italian Labyrinth Maker’s (?) notebook.

“Still digging” …as the Blogger saying goes.

We’ll properly name this design.

…Eventually.

“In a world filled with anxiety and mistrust, rage and hatred allow for a sheath of despair to cloud the mind.

This is a curse.

We often forget about the beauty in all things simple.

This is hope; Born from wishes.

When we are faced with obstacles it is like being trapped in our very own labyrinth. The feeling of not knowing where one is headed is a theme many can identify with. Confusion, panic, and fear are some of the emotions one may feel while trying to find ones way. The solution to the maze, as well as in life is patience, hope and a clear mind. Practice these things and the path becomes visible.”

— Jonathan Hidalgo

More Photos

“A film about Mark Wallinger‘s Labyrinth.
Directed by Jared Schiller

This 30 minute documentary explores the ideas behind Mark Wallinger’s major artwork commission for London Underground,

From the influence of Harry Beck’s Tube map to the Guinness Book of Records’ Tube Challenge,

Alongside personal responses to the artworks by travellers and Underground staff.”

“2013 was the 150th anniversary of the London Underground.

To celebrate, artist Mark Wallinger has created ‘Labyrinth’, a series of 270 unique artworks – one for every station on the network.

The film reveals the inspiration and processes behind the project during a journey that starts in Chigwell, where Mark was brought up, and ends in St James’s Park, the site of the first installed work.

Along the way we also visit Mark in his Soho studio, and a factory in Redhill, Surrey, where the artworks are being meticulously handmade.”

I want to make you a labyrinth.

Okay.

What kind of design would you like incorporated in it?

I don’t know….hmmmm…let me think about it…
I have always liked chinese knotwork, how ’bout that?

Okay. It’ll do. Chinese knotwork labyrinth it is.

What’cha gonna call it?

How about “lab-karen-th”.

Okay.

More Photos