The Collaborative Ideal: Architectural Sculpture in Toronto, 1930-1950

A new kind of architectural sculpture emerged in Toronto in the late 1920s. Inspired by examples in Europe and wishing to promote Canadian design and craftsmanship to the broader public, a loose coalition of architects sought to create buildings representing a collaboration amongst the various branches of the arts. In parallel with growing public recognition of sculpture in Canada and evolving trends in architectural language, this new collaborative ideal reached a peak in the 1930s and 40s. Infused with nationalistic sentiment and a populist desire to bring art to the people, this group of architects and artists strove to create monuments worthy of their time. Though some of the best examples have since been demolished, Toronto and environs yet retain an important legacy of this idealistic period of cooperation between the architect and sculptor. In this presentation I trace the rise and fall of this period of architectural sculpture. I focus on key events in the late 1920s, including the formation of the ‘Diet Kitchen School of Architecture’ in Toronto; the creation of the inaugural ‘Architecture and the Allied Arts’ biennial exhibition at the Art Gallery of Toronto; and the formation of the Sculptors Society of Canada. I look at the leading figures in this movement – including architects John Lyle, William Somerville, and Ferdinand Marani, and sculptors Frances Loring, Emmanuel Hahn and Elizabeth Wyn Wood – and their architectural achievements around Toronto, including the works of the Niagara Parks Commission and the Bank of Montreal.