in toronto

over the past week i was in toronto and able to check out some really great work that is being produced up there. starting at the toronto art fair i was unsure of what to expect. the fair itself was an interesting thing to experience- while nothing like the major fairs- it still had a lot to show from mostly canada, the us, mexico city and london. there was a large amount of work that would be considered decorative- sofa paintings, or things i could imagine my grandparents picking out because they matched the other landscape paintings they might have. i also noticed there seemed to be a lot of references to big name artists ( images of pollock working, photo montages of jackie o...)

there were a few stand out pieces and galleries but the best work seemed to be all outside the fair and in the galleries and installations throughout the city. some highlights:

the museum of contemporary canadian art had a show of work based on hockey. i was appreshensive to the concept at first thinking it would be some cheesy photo-realist paintings and action photography but it ended up being a really interesting show-a pleasant surprise.

styrofoam zamboni 

the power plant

 

the power plant is a large gallery space currently showing the video work of candice breitz. the centerpiece of the show was a commissioned work called factum, a series of interviews with identical twins that were sliced together in telling the stories of these extreme relationships. the siblings were dressed exactly alike and while watching the first of the videos i thought they were actually the same person until you begin to really notice the physical differences. as a twin i was interested in relating to some of what the interviewees had to say about their relationships and personality characteristics but also think it must be completely different having an identical twin and that my mom made it a point that there were two of us and not one-- as a result of these twins being so close many of them spoke of needing to break away and create a separation.

the videos were difficult to watch at times- such personal stories being shared but from two perspectives, often differing in the view.

another video in the exhibition:

http://www.thepowerplant.org/

upart at the gladstone hotel

rooms of wonder

 

Galleries from around the city were invidted to participate in the show on the 2nd floor of the Gladstone Hotel. The work was dealing with wunderkammer/ cabinets of cuiosity. each room had had different installations varying from sound pieces coming from ceramic bowls, videos incorporating different everyday objects-those objects which were then found inside the rooms bathroom, to an artifical wilderness scene. keeping with the theme of the cabinets the pieces were made up from collections of oddities and personal artifacts that were raised to a level of having greater meaning. going from room to room there were playful pieces that were rooted canadian life- yet were totally relateable and interesting in there presentation of making common things precious.

UpArt: Rooms of Wonder

**there was a lot of work seen and im still kind of processing it so these entries might seem scattered or kind missing something for a bit.