Pinatas bring people together

Nuit Blanche Installation, October 1-2, 2022, Laneway-walkway Coxwell TTC Station.

I had an interview at CBC Radio, the day before the Nuit blanche.

This is the link: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-39-metro-morning/clip/15939821-mexican-canadian-artist-lights-coxwell-station-laneway-pinatas?fbclid=IwAR3LPX6XpD1G7GocOWxBoHQXMmni5IZJ0S_p6CekLHb59PzSCGpTdOu4y38

Statement:
In Mexico, piñatas are street gatherings where neighbours listen to music, share stories, drink hot fruit punch, and break at least one piñata while singing Dale, dale, dale! which means give it, give it, give it. The piñatas are usually filled with oranges, sugar canes, tangerines, sweets, and peanuts. The highlight of the evening is always breaking the piñata. As a child, the artist used to look forward to the December holiday season when the ceilings of market aisles were filled with colourful piñatas. Sometimes, the artist’s mom would buy her and her sister the materials to make piñatas. Most times, their mother generously allowed them to choose an already-made piñata. The piñatas were so beautiful and unique – because of their handmade nature, no piñata is ever the same – choosing one was an exhilarating experience. In Toronto, piñatas are used for birthday parties or other special celebrations; piñatas still hold their power to bring people together. This installation reminds us that it is time to connect or reconnect with our family members, friends, and members of our communities and that we can make new friends surrounded by colourful piñatas while we spend Nuit Blanche together.

To make this enormous and festive installation happen, I made a call to invite people to create piñatas in the community, where I delivered 12 days of Piñatas workshops.

here is how it started.