Eulogy for the Coffin Factory

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Eulogy for the Coffin Factory

Eulogy for the Coffin Factory was a ceremonial exhibition presented during Nuit Blanche 2019 to mourn the passage of #89-101 Niagara Street. Originally built in the 1880s, the building was home to the National Casket Co. from 1908 until 1973. In recent years, it has become known as the ‘Coffin Factory,’ used as studios and live/work spaces, serving as an important space for the creative ecology of downtown Toronto. The buildings are slated for redevelopment, and tenants were finally evicted on March 31, 2019, marking the end of an era for the building.

Playing on the building’s casket-factory history, 24 former artist-tenants were commissioned to adorn 24 coffins produced for the event, myself included, with assistance from Kate Szabo. They were displayed in a long row lining the south side of Niagara Street on October 5, 2019.