Waterfront Toronto announces shortlist of artists for major public Indigenous artworks

December 17, 2021, Toronto, ON – Waterfront Toronto today announced the shortlist of Indigenous artists and Indigenous-led artist teams, who will be invited to propose public artworks at two major sites in the West Don Lands of downtown Toronto.  

One installation will be located on the triangle of land formed by the intersection of King, Queen and River Streets; another will be on the plaza of the future Anishnawbe Health Toronto’s Indigenous Hub on Cherry Street. Both sites are located within tsí Tkaròn:to, on the ancestral and shared territory of the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Huron Wendat and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.  

“The shortlist was selected through consensus by the convened Indigenous Evaluation Committee. The artists represent an exciting range of creative talent, experience and qualifications. Each of the artists have demonstrated prior contributions of vibrant artistic statements in the public realm. These two significant opportunities will amplify and increase the public visibility and representation of contemporary Indigenous visual culture and territorial acknowledgment in urban spaces,” says Ryan Rice, Waterfront Toronto’s Indigenous public art curator.  

“The great diversity of artistic practices reflected in this shortlist speaks to the exciting possibilities for both of these sites,” says Chloe Catan, public art program manager at Waterfront Toronto. “Congratulations to all of the artists - we look forward to seeing more of their vision for these exciting projects.” 

Shortlisted for the King, Queen and River Streets intersection site are (alphabetically):  
 

Artist:  Jay Havens 

• Kanienkeha:ka from Six Nations of the Grand River 
• Artist Team: Terence Radford (Trophic Design), Christopher McLeod (Waterlution) + Jesse Frank  
   

Artists: Amy Malbeuf and Jordan Bennett

• Flat Bay (No’kmaq Village) / Mi’kmaq / Ktaqmkuk
• Artist Team: Ben Matthews + IOTA Studios
   

Artist: Ludovic Boney  

• Huron-Wendat / Wendake (QC) 
• Artist Team: Mathieu Casavant + NIPPaysage  

The shortlist for the Indigenous Hub site on Cherry Street is:  
 

Artist: Jay Havens 

• Kanienkeha:ka from Six Nations of the Grand River
• Artist Team: Terence Radford (Trophic Design), Christopher McLeod (Waterlution) + Jesse Frank  
   

Artist: Lindsey Lickers 

• Six Nations of the Grand River & Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation 
   

Artist: Ludovic Boney  

• Huron-Wendat / Wendake (QC) 
• Artist Team: Mathieu Casavant + NIPPaysage 
   

Artist: Rolande Souliere 

• Anishinaabe member of Michipicoten First Nation 

Waterfront Toronto congratulates all artists and teams who made submissions. Shortlisted artist teams are now developing concepts, and the winning team will be selected in June 2022.  

Media contact:
 

Simon Bredin
Waterfront Toronto
Media Relations
media@waterfrontoronto.ca