Rare Group of Seven Exhibition

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 Muir, The Maple Leaf Forever

Admittedly I have been recording in some fairly run-down and decrepit buildings; however a passion burns deep within me for seeking out culturally vibrant, historically significant architectural spaces. The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto on Elm Street, just around the corner from the modern monstrosity that is the new Dundas Square, is just such a location . Be prepared to step back in time, or perhaps even to fall in step, actually, with some of the most engaged, forward thinking individuals in the GTA.

I had been wanting to check this place out for the longest time, and finally had my chance a few weeks ago when I spontaneously learned of a meeting of the Toronto Society of Architects and decided to drop by same day.

I found myself immediately welcomed in to a warm and inviting space, wonderfully old world, yet without a hint of any stuffiness or pretension that one might expect to find in such a storied, nationally significant historic site.

What a treat! This meeting hall bespeaks of an earlier time – it is certainly no stale museum, and there is a welcoming, socially conscious atmosphere that pervades the building upon walking through the front doors. The tradition of keeping lively debate and the arts relevant in Toronto is alive and well at the previous home of some of our most notable creative thinkers, including members of Canada’s Group of Seven.

Currently there is an exquisite exhibition of rare works of the Group of Seven on display in the space pictured above, and what better way to test the acoustics than with this read-through of Canada’s unofficial national anthem?

Oh, and the Arts & Letters Club might very well be splashed across the newspapers tomorrow morning, if the last Auction House Heinze & Company event held here is any indication. Held a couple of times a year the last one had incredible letters penned by an imprisoned Louis Riel on the auction block that sold for way above the opening bid.

Held on Wednesday only of this week, contact Heinze & Co. here to get on their mailing list!