Nuit Blanche 2013 and the Ai Weiwei bikes

Carlos Osorio, Lucas Oleniuk and Steve Russell - Staff photographers

 

A few of the more popular exhibits from Nuit Blanche

 

CARLOS OSORIO -  "Forever Bicycles" by artist Ai Weiwei at Nathan Phillips Square during Nuit Blanche.

 

LUCAS OLENIUK - "Garden Tower in Toronto, 2013" constructed from old chairs by Tadashi Kawamata from Hokkaido, Japan.

 

LUCAS OLENIUK - The interior of "Garden Tower in Toronto, 2013" by Tadashi Kawamata from Hokkaido, Japan.

 

LUCAS OLENIUK - "Tanks, 2013" made by Cal Lane using old oil tanks shows at Metro Hall.

 

LUCAS OLENIUK - Artist Simon Frank as "Burrman" toured King Street west with his handlers during Nuit Blanche.

 

CARLOS OSORIO - "Forever Bicycles" by artist Ai Weiwei at Nathan Phillips Square during Nuit Blanche. Ai Weiwei is under house arrest in China.

 

CARLOS OSORIO - "Forever Bicycles" by artist Ai Weiwei is one of six exhibits that will stay up for most of the month.

 

CARLOS OSORIO - "The rose is without why" by artist Boris Achour at Nathan Phillips Square.

 

 CARLOS OSORIO - "Little People" by Workparty at Toronto City Hall Lobby during Nuit Blanche 

 

It took 15 days to assemble Forever Bicycles

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Wheels are installed on all the 3,144 bikes that make up the sculpture designed by Ai Weiwei.

 

CARLOS OSORIO - The 3,144 bikes on Nathan Phillips Square are 10 times the number that the City plans to build under the square.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Almost all the wheels on the bikes can spin.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Workers take their refreshments on the sculpture as they work through a maze of bicycles most which will have wheels that can spin.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Forever Bicycles

 

STEVE RUSSELL -  A pigeon cools off in the empty pool as workers assemble a sculpture consisting of 3,144 interconnected bicycles.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - A cyclist looks on as workers assemble a sculpture consisting of 3,144 interconnected bicycles. The undergound bicycle parking will also include four showers for commuters.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Workers assemble a sculpture. The wheels on the ground don't spin.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - The top of the sculpture takes shape as workers who are assembling are tethered for safety.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - The final sets of bicycles are added to the sculpture.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - The lighting is tested and adjusted after workers finished assembling a sculpture.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - The work lights illuminate the sculpture consisting of 3,144 interconnected bicycles titled "Forever Bicycles".

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Workers begin to adjust the lighting on "Forever Bicycles".