Art Walk

The Audience

The Audience

Michael Snow
b.1928

The Audience
  • Steel, heavy foam, fibreglass, gold paint
  • 1989
  • Approximate height of each figure: 6.10m.
  • 1 Blue Jays Way, Rogers Centre, Toronto

About the artwork

Micheal Snow’s The Audience is a commissioned work for the original construction of the Roger Centre (formerly the Skydome). This 15 character sculpture aims to capture the diversity of fans found in the crowds of the many sporting events featured at the Rogers Centre. From life-long fans to new families, the sculpture features a delightful array of onlookers. Made from steel frame, foam and fibreglass, The Audience extends from the north east and north west side of the stadium to greet droves of fans as they cross the Rod Robbie Bridge to Gate 13, and the walkway to Gate 2.

About the artist

Michael Snow was born in Toronto and studied at Upper Canada College and the Ontario College of Art and Design. He had his first solo exhibition in 1957. In the early 1960s, Snow moved to New York with his wife, artist Joyce Wieland, where they remained for nearly a decade. For Snow this move resulted in a proliferation of creative ideas and connections, and his work increasingly gained recognition. He returned to Canada in the early 1970s an established figure, multiply defined as a visual artist, a filmmaker, and a musician.

His work has appeared at exhibitions across Europe, North America and South America. Snows’ works were included in the shows marking the reopening of both the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2000 and the MoMA in New York in 2005. In March 2006, his works were included in the Whitney Biennial.

Fun facts

  • Snow’s reputation was established by his best-known work, a picture, Wavelength (1967). A 45-minute zoom shot from one side of a loft in SoHo in New York City to the windows facing the street on the other, accompanied by the sound of a sine wave. The film is without narrative but is full of incident.

Engagement questions

  • Snow hoped fans would reflect on the variety of sports fans displayed in his work. Do you see yourself in any of these characters?