Nuit Blanche 2017
Horses
by Barbara Fisher
During the entire night of Nuit Blanche Toronto, the streets offer sanctuary for thousands upon thousands of people. This year, a small group of horses will be amongst them. Their appearance might be reminiscent of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the city still had a substantial population of livestock roaming streets, hauling freight, and living in backyard stables until animal husbandry became prohibited in the 1900's.
The presence of horses might come as a surprise, heightening our perception of the city as an environment virtually exclusively designed for humans. Companion pets are tolerated as long as they are bridled by safety measures and movement constraints. The horses momentarily return to the city - if only for this night - as another species, a formidable one, and one that stands in place for species whose sentience is not commonly recognized in our language, yet once were companions that occupied an important place in the city. They heighten the perception of the city as a place from which most animals continue to be expelled, declared as pests, taken to slaughter, shot, or are kept in the safe enclosures of the zoo.
This project has been designed with the greatest care and consideration for the horses. They are able to rest and roam while accompanied by trained staff who are dedicated to their safety and well-being. Trained staff and volunteers will be responsible for managing audience and crowd flow.
Nuit Blanche 2017
Horses
by Barbara Fisher
During the entire night of Nuit Blanche Toronto, the streets offer sanctuary for thousands upon thousands of people. This year, a small group of horses will be amongst them. Their appearance might be reminiscent of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the city still had a substantial population of livestock roaming streets, hauling freight, and living in backyard stables until animal husbandry became prohibited in the 1900's.
The presence of horses might come as a surprise, heightening our perception of the city as an environment virtually exclusively designed for humans. Companion pets are tolerated as long as they are bridled by safety measures and movement constraints. The horses momentarily return to the city - if only for this night - as another species, a formidable one, and one that stands in place for species whose sentience is not commonly recognized in our language, yet once were companions that occupied an important place in the city. They heighten the perception of the city as a place from which most animals continue to be expelled, declared as pests, taken to slaughter, shot, or are kept in the safe enclosures of the zoo.
This project has been designed with the greatest care and consideration for the horses. They are able to rest and roam while accompanied by trained staff who are dedicated to their safety and well-being. Trained staff and volunteers will be responsible for managing audience and crowd flow.