PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Toronto

EXHIBITED
Mississauga Civic Centre, Artsight, A Show of Works on Loan, 1994

Browsing through the many monographs and catalogues that contain reproductions of William Kurelek’s paintings, one cannot help but be impressed by the artist’s wide-ranging perspective and his fascination with the lives and activities of his fellow man. We are also presented with myriad aspects of the artist’s persona: sometimes he is an intense yet relatively neutral observer; other times the preacher admonishing us for our sins and lack of moral judgment; then again the memoirist and autobiographer of his childhood and the tribulations of his early years; and often the boyish fellow ready to tease us about our shortcomings. In all of these roles, Kurelek’s intention to be true to his vision and honest in his expression is clear, whether the subject is Prairie farming, children at play, the history of Canada’s many immigrant settlers, the bustle and stress of urban life, or the majesty of the Canadian landscape from coast to coast.

Who can say that they have never tried to satisfy their curiosity by vying with other passersby for an opening through which to glimpse the action behind the hoardings of a building under construction? We should therefore envy Kurelek for his access to this site, where, in order to accurately capture all the intricate details, he would have had to move freely around the action. Construction at Bay and Bloor is a colourful and fascinating record of a subject that most artists would find daunting to portray. This intricately observed scene of construction taking place in the heart of Toronto could as easily reflect that city in 2017 as it does the rapidly growing metropolis of 1970, when this work was produced. The painting specifically depicts the southwest corner of this heavily traveled intersection during construction of the building now housing the TD Canada Trust bank and other offices. Ultimately, Kurelek’s chosen point of view would have been from inside the hoardings lining the sidewalk on Bay Street and looking west-northwest towards Bloor Street, where one can see the sign for the long gone but then very popular watering hole the Embassy Tavern, at the corner of Bloor and Bellair. Another significant sign is that of the engineering firm Eastern Construction, a company founded in 1951 during Canada’s post-war building boom, and which continues to contribute significant additions to the Toronto skyline.

In common with so many of William Kurelek’s most complex images, the viewer begins by taking in the breadth of the subject matter, here enlivened by the bright palette that complements the energy of the scene. However, the liveliness of the site cannot be fully absorbed at one glance, and the intrigued viewer will be unsure as to where to look first. Nonetheless, the artist has artfully tempted us to explore further, so that we soon begin to discover the smaller details. We can almost hear the sounds of the trucks and other machinery, along with the hammering and digging of the construction workers. He has also chosen to highlight individual workers, each concentrating on his own specific task, and in doing so reminds us of how we may take for granted the importance of each participant in this interdependent group effort.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars