7 Public Artworks Worth Stopping For In Midtown Toronto

You might think of Graffiti Alley or Little Portugal before you think about Yonge + St. Clair for public art in Toronto, but Midtown has a collection all its own. With art from local and international artists ranging from the scientific to the surreal, these are the top 7 public artworks you should visit in Midtown Toronto.

Phlegm Mural 

📍 1 St. Clair Ave W, commissioned by Slate Asset Management with help from STEPS

This might be the most visible public art in Midtown Toronto and at eight storeys high it’s also one of the biggest. This massive black and white mural by British artist Phlegm was meant to create a Yonge + St. Clair landmark through art as part of a revitalization project in the area, and it delivers. 

The quirky comic style of this piece is eye-catching to say the least, and while you can see it from down St. Clair W it’s worth getting a closer look. At first glance, you’ll see the shape of a human but as you get nearer you’ll see a fantastical cityscape of buildings, bridges, and trees, designed after consultation with local residents.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Toronto cityscape without a few iconic buildings, so next time you’re passing try to spy the CN Tower, Old City Hall, and a few other recognizable spots hidden in plain sight.

 

birdO Mural

📍 1 St. Clair Ave E, commissioned by Slate Asset Management

Crossing Yonge to the east side of St. Clair you’re in for a very different approach to muralism. The mural at 1 St. Clair is 10 storeys of colour, geometry, and optical illusion towering over the TTC subway station.

Local Toronto-based artist birdO is known for creating surreal art featuring animals, and for a mural in Deer Park you can probably guess which one he chose to include here. In an interview with the Yonge + St. Clair BIA, the artist explained that much of the inspiration for this piece came from walking the trails in the ravine just a few steps away, a place he finds magical.

From the huge deer head to the play with shadows and light, all popping with vibrant colours, this mural tricks the eye and makes you question what you’re really looking at.

Toronto Man Sculpture 

📍 101 St. Clair Ave W, commissioned by Camrost Felcorp

They say art should spark discussion and this next work has been doing that since it was installed in 2019. Toronto Man, often called Condo Man, by prominent German artist Stephan Balkenhol is a 25 foot tall conversation piece right off the sidewalk on St. Clair W. Some people love it, some people don’t, and some people think it’s a joke we’re not in on, an idea the artist himself alluded to in an interview.

Any image of Toronto Man, preferably with the coloured blocks visible.

What looks like a giant papier-mâché businessman holding a condo building is actually a modern take on a medieval art technique. The artist chisels and hacks his vision out of a single block of wood creating a rough, jagged shape. To update the technique, the sculpture is then cast in bronze before being painted.

This piece was added to the streetscape at a time when condo developments in Toronto were rampant and it only served to stir up more conversation with people visiting Yonge + St. Clair just to see Toronto Man for themselves.

Reclining Figure 

📍 95 St. Clair Ave W, commissioned by Imperial Life Assurance

Right next door, Reclining Figure by Canadian sculptor John Fillion is more universal in its appeal. This bronze sculpture was commissioned in 1967 as part of the Centennial Project to mark 100 years of the Canadian Confederation and was installed in 1969.

Seeming to balance so delicately, this sculpture of a muscular male torso and legs is a hidden gem at Yonge + St. Clair. Although it’s located right on St. Clair Ave W, it’s set back from the street and thousands of people pass this work every day without seeing it. The front of this building is open to the public and benches welcome visitors to bring a coffee and come view the art.

The Water Molecule Sculpture 

📍 David A. Balfour Park, 75 Rosehill Ave, created by Works Division of Metropolitan Toronto with engineers Gore & Storrie Ltd

David A. Balfour Park is an absolute haven tucked away just off Yonge St but it also happens to hold a secret with a 30 foot tall clue. The Water Molecule sculpture sits on the Rosehill Avenue side of the park and marks the Rosehill Reservoir, the city’s largest ground-level water storage facility for drinking water.

The reservoir has been here since the 1870s and was open air until it was eventually covered over and the sculpture was added in 1967. The Water Molecule sculpture is exactly what it sounds like, a massive metal water molecule of spheres and rods. It sits suspended in a tall arch and with some helpful plaques nearby adding historical context, it’s well worth visiting.

Gosia Komorski Mural 

📍 2 St. Clair Ave W, commissioned by Yonge + St. Clair BIA

When walking toward Yonge St on the north side of St. Clair Ave W this next mural explodes with colour from a narrow alleyway. Gosia Komorski is a Polish-Canadian artist who is known for popping colours and bold patterns. Her work can be seen all over the city and is really easy to spot thanks to her recognizable signature style.

This mural features huge flowers that hold their own amidst the tower buildings close to Yonge + St. Clair and brings a cheery burst of colour in contrast to the black and white Phlegm mural just across the street.

The Iron Horse 

📍 1801 Yonge St, commissioned by Midtown Yonge BIA in partnership with Councillor Josh Matlow and the City of Toronto

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that there used to be horses and carts on the streets of Toronto instead of streetcars and buses, but the Iron Horse sculpture is a nod to that history. At the boundary of Deer Park and Davisville, just south of Davisville Ave, is the Kay Gardner Beltline Bridge. This bridge used to be a thoroughfare for horses and buggies before being converted to railway tracks, and eventually the walking trail we have today.

If you’ve ever crossed this boundary you’ve probably seen the Iron Horse sculpture of twelve lifesize black horse silhouettes crossing the bridge. The sculpture was created by Toronto artist Robert Sprachman as a temporary work in the 1990s before being brought back by popular demand as a permanent feature. Robert is known for creating work to highlight the relationship between mankind and nature, and in this case he also linked the Toronto of the past to present day midtown.