Lot 69
JOHN KASYN, O.S.A.
Additional Images
Provenance:
Private Collection, British Columbia
Note:
Igniting the entire sky with reds, oranges and yellows, and illuminating the city in a final fiery burst, a winter sunset can be a magnificent and rare experience; the sun’s appearance is only fleeting during the winter months in Toronto. John Kasyn (1926-2008) seems to understand the value of this phenomenon, and has rendered it here with celebratory exuberance.
Despite the absence of figures, Kasyn evokes their presence by the careful depiction of a well-trodden footpath in the snow, from laneway to back door.
This scene is full of latent activity, as it is a common Canadian practice to enter through the backdoor in the winter, where we can divest ourselves of our winter clothing and escape into the warmth of the house.
Situated between Carlaw and Jones between Queen Street and Eastern Avenue, Heward Street Lane is now part of the prosperous and lively Leslieville community and home to the filmmaking company, Filmport Studio.