A two-part artwork by MIcah Lexier is integrated into the north and south lobbies of a downtown office building designed by KPMB Architects.
A nearly seven-metre-wide black dot has recently made an appearance at the base of Brookfield Properties? gleaming new 44-storey Bay Adelaide Centre East in downtown Toronto. Taking up much of the eastern wall on the south side of the building?s glassed-in lobby, the disc hovers just above floor level, drawing the eye of passers-by and punctuating the refined building like a giant period.
Stunning in its simplicity, the dot is one half of Two Circles, a public artwork by Governor General?s Award-winning artist Micah Lexier. The other, on the lobby?s north side, is a black 1.5-inch-wide outline of an identically sized circle, set against a white background. In addition to providing an effective counter-balance to KPMB?s sleek architectural lines, both walls are made of mosaic and fully integrate into their setting. They reference Straight Flush (2009), a similarly integrated lightbox installation by American artist James Turrell at the property?s west tower. Both pieces were part of the city?s Percent for Public Art Program, a juried process overseen by art consultant Rina Greer. ?The idea was to build off the Turrell with something that had some of its characteristics, but wasn?t a duplication,? says Greer.
A two-part artwork by MIcah Lexier is integrated into the north and south lobbies of a downtown office building designed by KPMB A...