At the intersection of Church Street and The Esplanade in Toronto, there’s a Banksy artwork quietly existing that you may have walked by many times without knowing it’s there.
It is encased in plastic on its original location, in an alley on the west side of Church Street just north of The Esplanade.
Are there other Banksy artworks you can see for free in Toronto? Yes. There is one called “Guard With Balloon Dog” which used to be displayed on a wall of the OPP headquarters in downtown Toronto. When the building was torn down, a section of the wall was saved in order to preserve the artwork. After years of uncertainty, the artwork is now accessible to the public, this time in Toronto’s underground Path system.
In 2018, The Art of Banksy made its North American premiere in Toronto. Curated by Banksy’s former agent, Steve Lazarides, the four-week exhibit featured 80 works from 40 collectors at 213 Sterling Rd., the site of a former transformer factory. Controversy surrounded the exhibit as it was advertised as “Banksy Unauthorized,” indicating it lacked approval or consent from Banksy himself, who has distanced himself from commercial galleries and Lazarides personally.
Banksy’s art is renowned for its political messages and public placements. Some argue that moving the art into a gallery setting dilutes its original intent and impact. Nevertheless, the exhibit drew large crowds, showcasing several of Banksy’s most famous works. Here are a few glimpses from when the Toronto Scoop visited.