An electrifying fusion of music, robotics, and cultural identity set to take over Gansevoort Plaza
Toronto is boldly stepping onto New York’s creative stage with Moving Monuments, an audacious, genre-defying installation blending music, robotics, and storytelling. Unveiled by Destination Toronto in partnership with Atlas Obscura, this 10-foot-tall robotic percussion tower is the brainchild of two trailblazers: JUNO Award-winning artist Shad (host of Netflix’s Hip-Hop Evolution) and roboticist-composer Danny Shaddick, mastermind of the acclaimed Robot Orchestra.
Built over the course of a year, Moving Monuments is more than an art piece—it’s a heartbeat. Featuring drums activated by precise robotic arms and powered by salvaged materials from the Toronto Transit Commission, the installation pulses with soundscapes drawn from field recordings captured across Toronto’s neighborhoods. Layered with Shad’s rap-infused vocals, it reflects the city’s vibrant cultural mash-up in both sight and sound.
“It’s a collaboration between a rapper and a robot,” Shad says with a grin. “Toronto is the world’s most diverse city, and that spirit is built into every note and every strike of this piece.”
The one-day-only showcase hits Gansevoort Plaza at the High Line in NYC on September 6, 2025, inviting audiences to witness live performances from Shad himself. The event promises to immerse New Yorkers in Toronto’s distinct creative energy—a collision of culture, innovation, and sustainability.
“Toronto thrives at the intersection of culture, creativity, and innovation,” says Paula Port of Destination Toronto. “Moving Monuments invites New Yorkers to experience that energy firsthand.”
With robotic beats, rap flows, and a backdrop of raw urban soundscapes, this spectacle isn’t just an exhibit—it’s a movement.
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