Paradise' Lost Call by Colleen Osborn

Photo by Colleen Osborn

Exactly one decade ago tomorrow, a phone call was placed from the payphone located outside the Paradise theatre; a friend inviting another friend to see a movie. Although it is not clear from the answering machine message what film they went to see, it is apparent that Bloorcourt was a much different neighbourhood back then. The theatre closed it's doors in 2006 and the payphone no longer works.

This small stretch of unused space may be easily overlooked if it was not for the influx of trendy culture creeping up and down Bloorcourt over the last few years. Across and down the street are hipster cafes & bars, Shopper's Drug Marts and gutted church condos popping up. The artist cannot help but feel nostalgia for the old pre-cell phone days watching rep films from the balcony, yet acknowledges her part in the area's revisions as though the call she placed that day was inviting gentrification to see a show.

The transcribed answering machine recording will be posted on the marquee beside the broken pay phone for 24 hours (or until it is stolen) on May 5th 2012.