Àdìrẹ on Ice
‘Àdìrẹ on Ice’ is a new public artwork by Toronto designer and artist Odudu Umoessien, which transforms The Bentway Skate Trail into a radiant corridor of monumental sculpture, light, and movement.
Above the skate trail, the bents of the Gardiner Expressway are crowned with gèlè-inspired sculptural forms that carry the headwrap’s ceremonial presence, marking the trail as a passage where movement becomes an act of celebration and collective joy. On the ice below, patterns inspired by àdìrẹ, a Yoruba resist-dyeing textile tradition from southwestern Nigeria, come to life through light and projections created in collaboration with artist Chukwudubem Ukaigwe. As skaters glide through immersive light, their movement creates a living, shared choreography across the city’s most iconic figure-eight skate trail.
Known for intricate indigo patterns, distinctive motifs, and layered cultural meanings, àdìrẹ offers a visual language rooted in Yoruba heritage and community.
By weaving West African textile art and festive traditions into the architecture of our city, ‘Àdìrẹ on Ice’ honours the living legacies of Toronto’s West African diaspora while reimagining how we gather, embrace the creative potentials of the season, and celebrate a distinctly Toronto winter together.
‘Àdìrẹ on Ice’ is The Bentway’s 2026-2027 Transform the Trail Commission. Public programs this season will further explore the depth of materiality, cultural storytelling, and collective experience that inform the many elements of this winter’s installation.
Dec 12, 4:30pm–5:15pm – Artist Tour
Jan 21, 7:00pm–8:00pm – Guided Community Skate
Feb 4, 6:00pm–9:00pm – Textile Art Workshop
