Hundreds of plastic water bottles are floating on Toronto's harbour. Each one has a message inside

The sculpture is the fourth instalment of Waterfront Toronto's Temporary Floating Art program in Harbour Square Basin

- NATHAN BAWAAN AND ABHIRAJ LAMBA

"(The messages) come from a variety of walks of life. There's kindergarten classroom submissions all the way up to, like, research scholars and water activists," artist Javid Jah said.

Close to 500 plastic water bottles are floating on Lake Ontario off the shore of Harbour Square Park. But they’re not litter — it’s the newest art installation from longtime collaborators artist Javid Jah and Anishnaabe traditional knowledge practitioner Debby Danard.

Titled “Upcycle,” the 12-foot-wide cylindrical arch sculpture is made of recycled plastic bottles, each containing a message from a Torontonian on their relationship to water. Danard describes it as a “gentle reminder through artistic expression” — and as a form of “gentle activism.”

“Water is not just a commodity. It is something that has sustained life since the beginning of time,” Danard said, highlighting the role of water in most creation stories.

Upcycle is the fourth instalment of Waterfront Toronto’s Temporary Floating Art program in Harbour Square Basin. According to Yvonne Monestier, the public art program manager of Waterfront Toronto, it was one of 30 submissions to an open request by the organization in November 2023 for temporary art installation proposals. It was selected by a group of art professionals, subject matter experts and community members, she added.