Readablewiki

Mercer Union

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Mercer Union is a Toronto-based artist-run centre that showcases contemporary art. It was founded in 1979 by a group of local artists, and its name comes from its original address, 29 Mercer Street. Over the years it has moved several times (to 439 King Street West, 333 Adelaide Street West, and 37 Lisgar Street) before settling in the Bloor and Lansdowne area in 2008. The centre is directed by Theresa Wang and is near Lansdowne Station.

Notable moments:
- 2007: Michel de Broin exhibited the Shared Propulsion Car, a Buick rebuilt with a pedal-powered system. Toronto police confiscated it after staff rode it; the driver was charged but the charges were dismissed, described as a victory for "the right to go slow."
- 1993: The gallery was raided by the Morality Bureau; works by Eli Langer were seized. Charges were initially brought under child pornography laws but were later withdrawn, and the artworks were ruled legal, a decision that tested Canada’s laws.

Website: mercerunion.org


This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:02 (CET).