There’s nothing like chatting about great art. One of the magical evenings in Toronto happens the first Saturday in October, when the city lights up from dusk until dawn to showcase an insane number of art installations. Here are the projects that I found incredibly exciting.

Like myself, New York artist Jason Peters creates his artwork out of unusual materials, sourcing and repurposing and turning them into something brand new. His swirling light exhibits are much more beautiful than you might believe a mundane plastic bucket could render.

Curated by Camille Hong Xin, Literature vs. Traffic is another interactive light installation that really helped Nuit Blanche live up to its name. Donated books will takeover the streets, holding back vehicles and placing emphasis on the materiality, texture of books at a time when more and more of us are converting to digital devices. We were told that in the last hours of the evening, people would be able to help themselves to the books.

Artists who use language as their medium are extremely interesting. I actually caught a glimpse of this work before the night itself, as Robert Montgomery installed his work at the Cloud Gardens early. This was another one that allowed for some interesting reflection. ‘Beauty’ and ‘Love’ as verbs is a notion that will stay with me for awhile.

One of the magic elements of Nuit Blanche is being places where it feels like you shouldn’t. Wandering around the AGO late at night definitely gives you that feeling. In the gallery, J Jérôme Havre created GIF animations, the subjects of which were notable black art historians depicted as puppets.

Tim White Sobieski created the beautiful structure entitled Meet Me in the Glass House. It immediately brought to mind the old adage ‘people in glass houses’ and offered a moment of quiet reflection amongst the bustling night and crowds of art-lovers.

Until next year. Thanks for delivering great art to the community Nuit Blanche!