Gallery by Hayley Isaacs and Hai Ho is open today only!

Hayley Isaacs and Hai Ho have brought the white cube to the street. The telephone booth is the star attraction. Check it out today at Morrow Avenue and Dundas Street West.

This is a documentation video produced by Telephone Booth Gallery on installation day. 

Flag's up, reports Stuart Keeler

The flag of India was up on April 1st, reports Stuart Keeler who has issued an open call, where a series of unique flags are set to fly at about half mast:

Wave Your Flag.

All citizens of Toronto and beyond are invited to hang a flag of their choosing for a two week period. An ad-hoc flag pole has been co-opted at the corner of Wellesley and Jarvis.

This project aims to animate a new form of citizen engaged public art. All are welcome to participate!

Your Flag is requested for flying !… The flag can be a political allegiance, national pride or a conceptual address on the meaning of flags, or you are welcome to interpret the platform with a personal flag of your own design and meaning. The goal of the project is not to censor the flag – rather to present the icon with respect and provide conversation on national or personal identity. The flag can be an existing flag, a hand made flag, a purchased flag, a personal interpretation of a flag. The “flag” is up to you as the participant to decide. The goal is to create dialogue at the corner of the intersection with the mark of private intention within public space. The intersection of Jarvis and Wellesley is highly trafficked by pedestrians and motorists throughout the day. All Flags displayed will be documented and presented as part of the exhibition at tel-talk.

More chit, less chat

Looks like the Grid isn't the only one who noticed.  Today, the Toronto Star is also reporting that Bell Canada and Bell Aliant have submitted an application to the CRTC to increase a local pay phone call to $1 and credit card calls to $2.  Credit card calls?  Last I remember, my friends and I were all dishing out $5.00 for a pre-paid Bell phone card to call for a ride home but credit cards?  I had no idea that one could pay for a phone call with a credit card, never mind that it cost more than paying with change.

Certainly the decline of the payphone can be more than partially attributed to the increase in mobile phone ownership but does that mean that payphones are no longer an important service?  According to the Star's article, there are still 22% of Canadians that don't have a mobile phone.  Some of them by choice, many of them because of cost.  We may take it for granted but a mobile is a luxury.  I've got one but still think the payphone is important. My cell battery can die or I can forget my phone at the office (again) or drop it and finally, truly break it.  I hate to think about it, but it could happen.  And if in that time, I need to tell someone I'm running late, or that I need  a ride, it's still a little bit of a comfort to know I can still run to a public pay phone.

Payphone Therapy by Cleen

Beginning today until the end of April, Payphone Therapy by Cleen will offer you "expert" advice for the super low cost of placing a call from a payphone.

The number to call will be tagged in the booths at College & Crawford (and possibly others around the city!) Take a break from standing in line at the Mod Club for your Indie / Electro / Dubstep filled night and get the help you need!