Toronto+Vancouver City of Labyrinths Project

“…In celebration of Afrofest‘s 18th year at Queen’s Park, Toronto-based Giant Outstallation Artist HiMY SYeD will be creating a giant sized walking labyrinth in the outline of the African Continent.

‘The AfroFest Labyrinth’ is part of HiMY’s ongoing Giant Outstallation Art project – ‘Toronto – City of Labyrinths‘. Intended to create safe walking spaces for both play and contemplation.

These labyrinths are located within (pun intended) walking distance of all Torontonians and at Toronto’s festivals, special events and street parties.”

… okay, so we didn’t finish making the labyrinth in the big backyard earlier this evening … manana, manana …

This is the Big Backyard to my grandparents’ place in Fremont, California.

One of those suburban nightmares where everything is manicured and nothing out of the norm ever seems to appear.

Eyeing the boredom of the complex’s kids and the great green grass canvas since my visit began here, I finally broke down today and installed, or rather tried to install, a labyrinth.

The only materials I could readily use were simple 8.5 by 11 sheets of paper and everyday toothpicks to pin the sheets into the grass.

Harder than it looks or sounds, the grass being deep, the ground moist, my fingers and thumbs aching, the children impatient.

The kids kept asking if the labyrinth was ready all afternoon. They even helped now and then, but their tiny fingers failed them after at best a sheet or two.

Imagine kids in the backseat of your car on a long trip repeating, ‘Are we there yet?’ and your ears may get a feel for what echoed in Fremont all afternoon.

Finally, I just gave in and let them play.

No one seemed to care the paper labyrinth wasn’t done yet.

It was enjoyed as is — unfinished.

Matt O’Sullivan, “ matto ” to those in the know, was driving south into downtown Toronto on the Don Valley Parkway a few days ago, when he eyed my giant in-progress peace symbol on the the hill that takes up the east side of East Riverdale Park, on Broadview Avenue.

That momentary eye-popping glance was enough to entice matto into exiting the Parkway to get a better look.

The next hour found matto photographing my progress in outstalling simple 8½” sheets of white paper upon the grass using regular toothpicks to peg the pages in place. He did so mostly from a distance, though I was cognizant of the presence of his lens.

Heisenberg compensator to the max!

In being an anti-war activist, my work has included creating giant peace symbols all over Toronto these past few months, and intermittently, these past few years.

At first my outstallations were intended to bring to mind the suffering of civilians in war zones, as in Afghanistan or the civilian victims of economic sanctions as experienced in Iraq in-between the wars.

However, the beginning of the Anglo-American invasion of Iraq has bumped up the intensity of debate with many many many many perspectives vying to become an Official Narrative of recent events.

When matto finally walked up the hill to introduce himself, he mentioned he will post the photos onto his “Photo Blog“.

Photo Blog ?

I immediately grasped the concept of a weblog with only photos! Wow! That sure beats my using the Gallery software to present my work online.

Inspired by The Narrative, my own photoblog will be online as soon as time permits. Hopefully in time for my trip to New York and the Republican National Convention.

Who knows, I may yet discover a hill somewhere in Gotham City and make peace in Manhattan.

Stay tuned.