Author: artoronto

Scotiabank Photography Award 2014 / Gala
April 29, 2014, 6 – 8 p.m.
Ryerson Image Centre
33 Gould Street

In a nice ceremony at Ryerson Image Centre the fourth winner of the Scotiabank Photography Award has been announced on April 29th, 2014. 

Displayed on screens, major works and exhibitions of the three finalists, Rodney Graham, Mark Ruwedel and Donald Weber, surrounded the guests. Through these “windows” visitors could peak into the different realms of the artists; the violent, the idealized or the nostalgic. The guests grew with excitement and anticipation as the jurors outlined the merits of each finalist.

One of the finalists, Donald Weber (right).

Edward Burtynsky, the internationally renowned Canadian artist and chair of the Scotiabank Photography Award, explained that it was his  personal experience that prompted him to create this prestigious award. It aims to boost the winner’s international presence in the art world, and contribute to the reputation of Canadian photography worldwide. Three jurors selected a winner from twelve nominees in a “strict search for excellence,” emphasized Jane Nokes, Director of Scotiabank Archives, Corporate Record and Fine Art Collection.

Edward Burtynsky, chair of the Scotiabank Photography Award

The prize went to Mark Ruwedel, the creator of mesmerizing black and white and colored landscape photographs of North America.  Upon receiving the award, the artist was speechless, saying that it was “really cool” and promised to make “lots of good work” with the support provided.

Mark Ruwedel, winner of Scotiabank Photography Award 2014.

Mark Ruwedel, Central Pacific #18, 1994

Attendees could contemplate and enjoy the photographic results from last year’s recipient, Stan Douglas, in his exhibition at the Ryerson Image Centre, which will be on display throughout CONTACT festival.

Installation view of Stan Douglas exhibition, recipient of last year’s Scotiabank Photography Award.

After the ceremony visitors looked at Ryerson’s photo collection and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Guests admire works from the collection of Maia-Mari Sutnik.

Toronto Majoral Candidate Olivia Chow was among the guest.

Mark Ruwedel (in the middle) with guests

Text and photo: Elena Iourtaeva

Interview with Lindsay Montgomery (L.M.) and Janet Macpherson (J.M.) by Ella Gorevalov (E.G.)

March 29 – May 24, 2014
Craft Ontario Gallery

Artists Janet Macpherson (left) and Lindsay Montgomery (right) at the Opening Reception. Courtesy of Craft Ontario Gallery.

E. G.: How did the two of you come together to collaborate this gallery show?

L. M.: Well Janet and I met when we were both students at Sheridan College in the School of Craft and Design.

J. M.: When I met Lindsay I think we were both drawn to the same themes in our work, mystical imagery, folklore, mythology, fantasy, early Christian iconography.

E. G.: Your exhibition features a large variety of mediums. Can you talk a little about how you chose to use them the way you did?

L. M.: We both went off to grad school and did our MFAs and realized without really knowing it that we both started doing a lot of investigation of video. The use of video has been a way for both of us to bring different elements into our work to create something that has movement and is able to lend itself better to story telling.

Janet Macpherson and Lindsay Montgomery, Gather Video Still, ceramic sculptures, puppets and mixed media, some sound effects. Courtesy of freesound.org.

E.G.: Could you please tell us more about the videos?

L.M.: We see the video as a narrative and poetic experience that is neither entirely abstract nor literal. It was created through the experiment of bringing our separate works together, placing them in different environments, and focusing on the performative possibilities of these objects. Concerns with performance and setting that run deep through both or our practices came through in this endeavor. Themes such as death, human manipulation and control of animals, are suggested through the movements of the puppets and their interactions with acquiescent animals, and short animations that appear to them as visions.

Lindsay Montgomery, Grotto Puppet (left), 2010, mixed media and earthenware, and Bat and Prophet Puppets (right), 2010 and 2013, mixed media. Courtesy of Craft Ontario Gallery.

E.G.: What are the defining themes you have running throughout?

J. M.: What we have decided to do for this exhibition is to bring both of our work together but incorporate it into the same exhibition so that it is not a two-person show as much as it is a collaboration of our work together.

Janet Macpherson, Grotto Installation (detail), ceramic sculptures and mixed media. Courtesy of Craft Ontario Gallery.

Lindsay Montgomery, Grotto Installation (detail), 2014, ceramic sculptures and mixed media. Courtesy of Craft Ontario Gallery.

There is a definite relationship between the human manipulation of animals that we are both interested in and is evident in the exhibition. There is also an idea of a grotto; a hidden place that is sacred and special and almost nature but is one step removed from nature. So there is this human constructed landscape that we made, that is, like everything else, manipulated by the human touch. It is made out of different construction materials and was built up during the week of installation. It was an organic process where we were in the gallery for the week before the show, building it, and inserting our objects into it. They are mainly ceramic objects which have been made individually in our studios then we tried to bridge them into one installation. Lindsay’s objects are painted with bright maoilica colors. My ceramics are smaller scale porcelain animals. The cave like structures are built out of plasticine and plastic.

Janet Macpherson and Lindsay Montgomery, Grotto Installation with Bridge, 2014, ceramic sculptures and mixed media. Front section by Lindsay Montgomery, bridge and back section by Janet Macpherson. Courtesy of Craft Ontario Gallery.

The grotto as the setting for the installation, came out of Lindsay’s research into outsider art sites in the Midwestern United States, and my affinity for early Christian iconography, the lives of saints and images from Medieval manuscripts. The mannerist garden of Bomarzo, or Park of the Monsters with its monumental fantastical sculptures in Italy was also an inspiration. We were interested in creating a space that existed one step removed from nature, and a grotto with its cave-like formations created from natural elements, shaped by human hands, but still a little wild, seemed like the perfect site for our figures to mingle.

L.M.: I think people who are coming to this gallery to view  the exhibition will be challenged to stretch their definition of what they think of as craft.

*Exhibition information: March 29 – May 24, 2014, Craft Ontario Gallery, 990 Queen Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Mon – Sat 11 – 6 p.m. Lindsay Montgomery’s work is carried at Craft Ontario’s retail location, Craft Ontario Shop, 118 Cumberland Street, Toronto.

** On Friday, May 16, 4 p.m., there is a walk-through tour of the Gather exhibition at the Craft Ontario Gallery. Meet the makers Janet Macpherson and Lindsay Montgomery, find out more about their work in the exhibition, and learn about their processes and inspirations. Space is limited – please RSVP to gallery@craftontario.com.

Interview with Love Art Fair Director Nicole Milkovich (N.M.) by  Aurore Mathys (A.M.)

The Love Art Toronto Team: Director Nicole Milkovich and Fair Manager Saba Askary

May 7 – 11, 2014
Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre
100 Princes’ Boulevard, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Art pieces from 100 to 10,000 dollars, this is what Love Art will offer, from May 7 to 11, at the Direct Energy Center in Toronto. During those five days, anyone will have the opportunity not only to become the proud owner of an art work, but also to discover and learn more about contemporary artistic trends. Nicole Milkovich, the Fair Director, tells us more about what seems set to become the new art lovers’ haunt in Toronto.

Ryan Schude, Diner, 2008. C print. 20 x 24 inches, ed of 25. EYE BUY ART, Toronto.

A. M.: What is Love Art? How did you come up with this idea?

N. M.: Love Art is a contemporary art fair showcasing work from local, national and international galleries priced between $100 – $10,000.

Love Art is the sister fair to the globally successful Affordable Art Fair. The concept came out of Founder Will Ramsay’s desire to democratize the art-world. In 1996, Will opened Will’s Art Warehouse in southwest London to bridge the increasing interest in contemporary art and the London gallery scene. By concentrating on relatively unknown artists not carrying a premium for reputation, the gallery was able to offer works from £50 – £2,500 from a stable of over 150 artists. The response Will received to his Art Warehouse inspired him to take his approach to the next level, and 3 years later the Affordable Art Fair was born. Embracing other friendly galleries selling affordable art, the first fair launched in Battersea Park in October 1999. 10,000 visitors took advantage of the ease of buying, breadth of choice, affordable prices and user-friendly approach.

Elisabeth Lecout, Bave-de-Crapaud-et-Baguette-Magique, of folding maps, 33 x 23 x 1.18 inches. Envie DArt Galleries, Paris, France, London, UK.

A.M.: What are you hoping to achieve through this fair?

N.M.: The fair is going to be fun, educational and entertaining. Our goal is that Torontonians come to the fair to look at, and buy art in a funny, friendly and unstuffy environment. We also want everyone that comes to the fair to know just a little more about contemporary art on the way out than they did on the way in. In our fair guide you will find an Art Buying Guide with some simple tips to assist the first time buyer through the art buying process. We also are hosting several educational talks and printmaking demonstrations.

Cara Barer,  Angel Food. Archival pigment print. 36 x 36 inches. Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto

A.M.: There are many art fairs in Toronto. What are the challenges of starting a new one?

N.M.: The main challenge of starting a new fair in Toronto is to build the confidence of our very loyal exhibitors, we owe it to them to put on the greatest fair we can. We have a great track record around the world and we are confident that the people of Toronto will fall in love with Love Art since this is the 99th fair organized by Ramsay Fairs!

A.M.: Would you say this is a good place for emerging artists to start?

NM: Love Art is a gallery based art fair. If an emerging artist is represented by a gallery then this is a great place to show their work. They will be introduced to both new collectors and seasoned collectors: a great way to kick off a career as an artist!

Meghan Hildebrand, Cumberbund Longline Sunset Turncoat, 2013. Acrylic. 30 x 36 inches. Mayberry Fine Art

A.M.: What kind of audience are you expecting? How do you reach out to them?

NM: We are expecting art lovers, seasoned collectors and people that are interested in art but not sure how to buy their first piece. Generally at our fairs around the world 30% of the visitors are first time art buyers.

We have been spreading the word through art publications, lifestyle publications, local newspapers and magazines, and great local blogs!

A.M.: How do you create a buyer-friendly environment?

N.M.: Love Art is a fun and relaxed environment to learn about art, see demonstrations and fall in love with a piece of art. We have a full service café and bar so visitors can come and relax and enjoy a day full of art and activities.

Gabriel Moreno, Iris, 2013, etching  20.5 x 39 inches. StandaRTE, Madrid, Spain.

A.M.: What advice would you give to a first-time buyer?

N.M.: My advice to a first time buyer is to see as much art as possible. Go to art fairs, visit galleries and museums and start developing your taste. You will start to recognize a pattern of what you are interested in. It is important to find out what you love so when it is time to buy a piece you are happy living with this art for many years to come.

Mark the date and make sure to go check out this new and exciting opportunity to learn more about contemporary art! Visit http://www.loveartfair.com/toronto/ for more information and sign up for their newsletter to be kept in the loop of all the fun things going on with Love Art!

Yael Brotman and Martha Eleen are artists whose eyes and minds are open. They pay serious attention to things most people don’t notice and create structural frameworks that defy rhythmic expectations.  This, in part, enables them to make thoughtful, original art that integrates the inherent contradictions they encounter.

Martha Eleen, My Space, installation view.

Eleen has an intense relationship with the rooms she paints that suggests a deep familiarity and almost Proustian attention to the nuance of shadow and shift of plane. Through her pentimento she searches for the right definition of these spaces. Her rooms don’t look out through expensive picture windows. They are functional and economical; they let in light and air, and as an unplanned consequence, create an awkwardly cropped view of the outdoors. She accepts the arbitrariness of this subject matter in a “make the best of it” way by painting the world we see and not a world in its best clothes and company manners.

Martha Eleen, Untitled, 2013, oil on wood, 30″ x 30″. Courtesy of the artist.

Her interiors have an almost domestic smell or, in the case of the three Summer paintings, the smell of the earth and forest coming into a cool room. When she paints a wall, she seems also to be painting the air between us and the wall; sometimes a shadow moving on the wall – the kind you passively watch when you’re too lazy to turn your head away.

They aren’t busy paintings but they aren’t calm either. The rooms contain the more intensely painted things:  rumpled crazy quilts on the beds, a red quilted jacket, reflections on the trunk, window sills (liminal)(escape!), a still life on the desk, bits of trees, the dazzling glare of snow on a roof as if a small epiphany has found her.

Martha Eleen, Untitled, 2013, oil on wood, 30″ x 30″. Courtesy of the artist.

There is an unpredictable structure and fragmentation inside and out, unusual cropping, and mirrors that interrupt our sense of what is where. In spite of these dislocations, the rooms seem comfortable with themselves, integrating their contradictions and almost self-aware, ready.

Yael Brotman, Scaffolding

Brotman has built models that contrast the structure above (bridges, a boardwalk) with confusion below or inside (dubious scaffolding, piers you wouldn’t want to test your weight on, a snow fence that winds itself into mystery). Her constructions are made from foamcore covered with etched Japanese paper patterns that are enlarged knitted motifs from fragments of Aran Islands sweaters. The result is a hard object that suggests its opposite – something tender, soft and warm.

Yael Brotman, Trestle, 2013, etching on Kurotani and Taiwanese papers, foamcore, acrylic, adhesive, 22”H x 30”W x 18”D. Courtesy of the artist. 

Based  on fragments, they  tell only a partial story. The colors are monochromatic enlivened with colored flecks. The general effect is to create a marvelous dappled surface so busy it is hard for the eye to know where to alight. When it finally lands, the eye tends to rest on one of these small bits of colour that wait   like little presents. Adding to this pleasant confusion are complex shadows and reflections of the structures, which are mounted on glass.

Yael Brotman, Tatlin’s Fence, 2014, etching on Japanese paper, foamcore, adhesive, 40”H x 36”W x 39”D. Courtesy of the artist.

Because the sculpture comfortably appears both real and imaginary, it glides with a magical realist’s touch into a world of symbols and suggests the precariousness of human life and human enterprises. At the same time, the fundamental warmth of the surfaces reassuring us seems to say, “Don’t worry, it will be alright”.

Libby Hague

*Exhibition information: March 20 – April 20, 2014, Loop Gallery, 1273 Dundas Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Sat 12 – 5, Sun 1 – 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 3 – Sunday, May 4, 2014
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queens Park, Toronto

To celebrate its Centennial, the ROM is throwing open its doors to the public and offering free general admission during its ROM Revealed Weekend on Saturday May 3 and Sunday May 4. ROM Revealed offers a rare opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and explore the areas of the Museum traditionally not open to the public, including the ROM’s DNA lab, its collections vaults, antler room, its 6 floors of Curatorial Centres and much more. During ROM Revealed visitors will experience:

 • Two self-guided, behind-the-scenes routes that take you into the ROM’s collections vaults and research labs: Epic Civilizations Experience showcases the ROM’s Ancient Cultures, Textiles & Fashion, Canada, Contemporary Culture and World Art & Culture Centres of Discovery and showcases some of the ROM’s oldest objects including artifacts that Charles Trick Currelly first put on display at the Museum in 1914. Wild Wonders Experience explores the ROM’s Biodiversity, Earth & Space and Fossils & Evolution Centres of Discovery and takes you through the ROM’s collection of all things wild, from the smallest fly on the planet to fossils of the largest creatures that have ever lived along with meteorites, precious gems and more.*

· Family-friendly activities including appearances by the popular Earth Rangers, a chance to walk on a piece of the moon and photo opportunities with the ROM’s beloved mascots Gordo and Gertie.

· Hands-on learning labs where visitors can touch and examine real specimens and discover what’s behind some of the ROM`s most iconic objects, including a reproduction of an early human skull, Mastodon and Mammoth teeth, moths and butterflies, and much more.

· Michael Awad’s spectacular new exhibition The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum which captures every square inch of the ROM in Awad’s signature photographic style.

· ROM Ideas Colloquium a chance to hear first hand from ROM curators and experts about the latest discoveries and research happening at the Museum.

Plus, visit the stunning Forbidden City that takes you inside the court of China’s emperors and showcases more than 200 rare artifacts many of which have never before been seen in North America.(note: special price of $11/$10 for students and seniors/free to ROM members applies to Forbidden City exhibition).

*Space is limited for behind the scenes experience. Reserve your tickets online at www.rom.on.ca

With so much choice, with well over 1500 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area,  it isn’t easy picking exhibits to see.
We all  look forward to seeing much more than the ones listed but these caught our interest and everyone is sure to have their own list as well.

Phil Anderson, publisher:

Steve Payne / False Fronts
May 8 – July 30, 2014
Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art
401 Richmond Street W.

Steve Payne, Bay Roberts, from False Fronts, 2010

Richard Renaldi / Touching Strangers
April 30 –  June 1, 2014
Metro Hall
King & John

Richard Renaldi, Elaine and Arly, New York, 2012

Parkdale Collegiate Institute Students
May 1 – 31, 2014
Sponsored by the Parkdale Village B.I.A.
Various Locations (nine) in  Parkdale

Emese Krunák-Hajagos, publisher:

Material Self: Performing the Other Within / Group show
May 1 – June 1, 2014
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
952 Queen St W

David Favrod, Autoportrait en pouple, 2009, Courtesy of the artist

The Entire City Project: Royal Ontario Museum / Michael Awad
May 3 – September 28, 2014
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen’s Park

Marc Audette, Adad Hannah
May 3 – 31, 2014
Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain Toronto
65 George St

Marc Audette, Castlegar, BC, 2012, Courtesy Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain

Steve Rockwell, publisher:

Jessica Eaton
May 1 – 31, 2014 
Jessica Bradley Gallery
74 Miller St

Jessica Eaton, Cfaal 384, 2013, Courtesy Jessica Bradley Gallery

Hamilton / Joseph Hartman
May 10 – June 7, 2014 
Stephen Bulger Gallery
1026 Queen St W

The Rift / Dominic Nahr
April 25 – May 31, 2014 
O’Born Contemporary
131 Ossington Ave

Dominic Nahr, Untitled, Kenya, Nairobi. , 2012, © Dominic Nahr, Courtesy of O’Born Contemporary

Six Characters in Search of a Photograph / Fausta Facciponte
May 15 – June 29, 2014
Art Gallery of Mississauga
300 City Centre Dr

Mitch Billinkoff, intern:

Portraits / Gordon Parks
April 25 – August 3, 2014
Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND)
1 Lansdowne Ave 2nd Fl

Gordon Parks, Emerging Man, Harlem, New York, 1952, Copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation. Courtesy The Gordon Parks Foundation.

Bright View: Z-Ro Collective presented by Flop Haus / Group show
May 8 – 14, 2014
Project Gallery
1109 Queen Street E

Mia Guttmann, intern:

PSEUDO / Group show
May 8 – 18, 2014
OCAD University
100 McCaul St Great Hall

Camilla Storgaard (Berlin), Material Beauty, 2014

Ken Matsubara
May 3–31
Olga Korper Gallery
17 Morrow Ave

Elena Iourtaeva, intern:

Cloud Cover / Joan Kaufman
May 4 – 28, 2014
Lonsdale Gallery
410 Spadina Rd

Joan Kaufman, Cloud Cover 1.1, 2013

Reunions / Steven Beckly
May 1 – 31, 2014
Toronto Image Works Gallery
80 Spadina Ave 207

Amy Luo, intern:

KWE / Rebecca Belmore
May 15 – August 9, 2014
Justina M. Barnicke Gallery
7 Hart House Circle

Rebecca Belmore, Ayum-ee-aawach Oomama-mowan: Speaking to Their Mother, 1991, Courtesy of Walter Philips Gallery, The Banff Centre

Portraits / Wyn Geleynse
May 1 – 31, 2014
Katzman Contemporary
86 Miller St

Aurore Mathys, intern:

The Purists / The Manipulators
May 1 – 31, 2014
Akasha Art Projects
511 Church St 200

Osheen Harruthoonyan, Pour Étienne et son ciel, 2013.

Hiding in Plain Sight
April 18 – September 14, 2014
Toronto Pearson International Airport, Terminal 1
6301 Silver Dart Dr, Mississauga

Melina Rymberg, intern:

I’m Not There / Saman Aghvami
April 30–May 24
I.M.A. Gallery
80 Spadina Ave 305

Saman Aghvami, Arasg: Painter and Illustrator, 2012.

Prairie and Pavement / Ian Brown
May 2 – June 2, 2014
Evergreen Brickworks – Kilns
550 Bayview Ave 300, Toronto M4W 3X8

Gagan Sandhu, intern:

Material Self: Performing the Other Within / Group show
May 1 – June 1, 2014
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
952 Queen St W

Namsa Leuba, Statuette Ndoki, Saléou Guinea, from the series Ya Kala Ben , 2011, Courtesy of the artist

 

Libraria: The Evolution of Literary Spaces / Elaine Chan-Dow
April 25 – May 30, 2014 
IX Gallery
11 Davies Ave 101

Veronica Scarpati, intern:

The Beauty of Life / Elaine Waisglass
May 1 – 31, 2014
First Canadian Place Gallery
100 King St W

Elaine Waisglass, Peonia Bowl

Makros
May 1 – 31, 2014
The Junction, Kingsway Chiropractic
3021 Dundas St W

Leanne Simaan, intern:

Ebrahim Noroozi
May 10 – 31, 2014
Nikola Rukaj Gallery
384 Eglinton Ave W

Ebrahim Noroozi, Mournful Women, 2013, Ebrahim Noroozi, Nikola Rukaj Gallery

Faces and Phases / Zanele Muholi
May 1– June 1, 2014
Ryerson Image Centre
33 Gould St

Alice Tallman, intern:

Joy and Sorrow: Photographs and Films by Elisa Julia Gilmour and Ben Freedman
May 15 – June 29, 2014
Art Gallery of Mississauga
300 City Centre Dr

Maddy Tripp, intern:

Scotiabank Photography Award: Stan Douglas
May 1 – June 1, 2014
Ryerson Image Centre
33 Gould St

Stan Douglas, Kung-Fu Fighting, 1974, Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York, London, and Victoria Miro, London

Ruins / Jérôme Nadeau
May 2 – June 7, 2014
Gallery 44 – Vitrines
401 Richmond St W 120

Through The Body: Lens-Based Works by Contemporary Chinese Women Artists
April 29 – June 28, 2014
University of Toronto Art Centre
15 King’s College Circle

Ye Funa, Grandparents, 2010

In Character: Self-Portrait of the Artist as Another
May 2 – June 1,2014
National Gallery of Canada at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
952 Queen St W

May 2014 / Toronto
Opening Reception: May 2, 2014 / 7 – 10 p.m.
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
952 Queen Street West
http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is an annual event in May with well over 1500 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1997 and now a charitable organization, the Festival is devoted to celebrating, and fostering the art and profession of photography, through a diverse range of programmes.

As a leading proponent of photography, the Festival increases exposure and recognition for local, Canadian and international artists and is committed to advancing knowledge, creativity and innovation in photography. It stimulates excitement and discussion among a diverse audience that has grown to over 1.8 million. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premiere cultural event in Canada.

Programmes Inspired by discourse within the community and observations of tendencies throughout the field worldwide, an annual thematic focus provides a framework for the development of our curated programming, including Primary Exhibitions and Public Installations. Exploring subjects relevant to our times, we collaborate with galleries, museums, public and private institutions and agencies to create a vital focus on photography in Toronto throughout the month of May.

PROGRAMMES

Exhibitions

CONTACT’s Primary Exhibitions at major venues in Toronto showcase the work of Canadian and international artists, both emerging and established, as well as images from throughout the history of photography.

Our Public Installations of photography are presented in high profile public sites across the city that are accessible to a wide and diverse audience from all walks of life.

Reflecting a wide range of approaches to photography, approximately 30 Featured Exhibitions of works by artists from around the world at established galleries and cultural centres are selected through a call for submissions.

The foundation of CONTACT was based on an open call to participate, enabling emerging artists to show their work concurrent with exhibitions of works by leading professionals. Today the Open Exhibitions continue to encourage community involvement across the city at galleries, community centres, educational and international institutions restaurants, cafes, retail stores, and many alternative locations.

Events & Education

CONTACT organizes and co-presents numerous educational activities and events such as lectures, symposiums, film screenings, portfolio reviews and workshops. Catering to all levels of interest in photography, these initiatives stimulate discourse within the community and encourage participation.

The CONTACT Portfolio Reviews brings internationally renowned curators, art dealers, directors, publishers and photo editors together for two days to review the work of emerging and mid-career artists and photographers. To support and advance the careers of talented emerging photographers, one participant is awarded a solo exhibition in the CONTACT Gallery.

A series of Films on Photography are presented in partnership with Hot Docs, Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Sponsorship Programs and Special Projects

In recent years the Festival has experienced significant growth through the development of long-term relationships and partnerships. We work with our partners to facilitate unique outreach opportunities such as lectures, tours, private receptions, scholarships and awards. Examples include, the BMW Art Auction and the BMW Exhibition Prize, Nikon Lectures and Photo Contest and the Scotiabank Photography Award.

For more information please visit: http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/

Pete Doherty, Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, 2001

 
April 24 – 26, 2014
Opening reception and raffle draw
Friday April 25, 2014 / 6 – 9 p.m.
Gallery 44
401 Richmond Street West

Photopia is Gallery 44’s fundraising exhibition, party, and raffle featuring artwork + publications from: Marc Audette • Kotama Bouabane • Edward Burtynsky • Lynne Cohen • Robin Collyer • Robyn Cumming • Chris Curreri • Dianne Davis • PeteDoherty • Keesic Douglas • Tori Foster • Eldon Garnet • Melissa General • Elisa Julia Gilmour • Randy Grskovic • Chris Ironside • Laurie Kang • Brendan George Ko • Anthony Koutras • Beth Lesser • JJ Levine • Marc Losier • Kristie MacDonald • Matt Macintosh • Virginia Mak • Sanjay Mehta • Andrew B. Myers • Chris Shepherd • Greg Staats • Ian Willms • and many more!

Sale continues Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PHOTOPIA lottery prizes include: 50,000 Aeroplan Miles • Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, 2 All access passes ($550) • Artscape Gibraltar Point, Week-long Residency ($350) • Sony Music Canada Inc., CD & LP prize package ($305) • Gladstone Hotel, accommodation and gift certificate for restaurant ($260) •Toronto Image Works, gift certificate ($250) • Ryerson Image Centre, publications ($250) • Ontario Science Centre, 2 family passes for 10 admissions ($220) • Open Studio, weekend workshop certificate ($200) • Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT), workshop vouchers ($200) • Downtown Camera, gift certificate ($200) • Luminato, tickets and publication ($150) • Images Festival, tote bag and swag ($100) • The Black Hoof, gift certificate ($100) • Art Metropole publications ($300) • Power Plant, annual family pass ($100) • Steam Whistle, brewery tour passes x 8 ($80) •La Palette, gift certificate ($50) • Made Design Studio, photo picture frames ($50) • Tintype Studio, gift certificate ($40) • Prefix Photo, magazine subscription ($30).

Buy a ticket today! $10 each at Gallery 44, 416-979-3941 or robyn@gallery44.org

George Steinmetz, Sandstone Pinnacles, Karnasai Valley, Chad, 1998. Courtesy of the artist.

Acclaimed National Geographic Photographer George Steinmetz Presents Stunning Aerial Desert Photographs:  Desert Air
George Steinmetz Keynote Speaker: Earth Day, April 22, 12:15 p.m.
First Canadian Place, Waterfall Stage
100 King Street West

This Arts Brookfield-commissioned exhibition features 42 large-scale photographs from the book Desert Air by George Steinmetz. The award-winning National Geographic photographer spent fifteen years documenting the world’s extreme deserts from the air, using the lightest and slowest motorized paraglider that exists, to capture some of the world’s most remote environments.

This ambitious project took him to 27 countries plus Antarctica to create the first comprehensive photographic book on all of the world’s hyper arid deserts. These include the most remote and inhospitable places on our planet, from the summits of the Andes to the shores of the Dead Sea.

Steinmetz ventured from the hottest place on earth, in the Afar Depression of Ethiopia, to the coldest in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

Exhibition information: Desert Air, April 21 – May 16, 2014, First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West.

Shortlist Announced for Open Studio National Printmaking Awards
Best of Canadian Printmaking to be Celebrated at Open Studio’s 100 Prints
 
On Thursday, May 15, 2014 six talented artists will be recognized for their achievements in printmaking during the seventh annual Open Studio National Printmaking Awards.  The ceremony will take place at the Palais Royale in Toronto, at 100 Prints, a fundraising event in support of Open Studio.
A distinguished jury selected the shortlist from prints donated to Open Studio by emerging and established artists from across Canada.  The jury members with the difficult task of choosing the award winners were: Darren Alexander, of Tatar Alexander Public Art Management; Pat Feheley, of Feheley Fine Arts; and David H. Kaye, of David Kaye Gallery.
 
The artists shortlisted for the Open Studio National Printmaking Awards are:

Elizabeth D’Agostino (Toronto, ON)

Elizabeth D’Agostino, rabbit (with wing sack), 2014, screenprint and etching, 30″ x 22″. Courtesy of Open Studio

Doug Guildford (Toronto, ON/Voglers Cove, NS)

Doug Guildford, AQUATIC TWO, 2013, screenprint, 35.75″ x 24″. Courtesy of Open Studio

Dan O’Neill (Halifax, NS)

Dan O’Neill, PAINTBALL SUPPER, 2012, lithograph, 30″ x 41.5″. Courtesy of Open Studio

Kurt Pammer (Toronto, ON)

Kurt Pammer, Humber Skate, 2012, screenprint, 30″ x 42.5″. Courtesy of Open Studio

Dan Steeves (Sackville, NB)

Dan Steeves, I hope you have moments when you take heart, 2012, intaglio and etching, 17″ x 23.5″. Courtesy of Open Studio

Laura Widmer (Kelowna, BC)

Laura Widmer, Pearls, 2013, linocut, 24″ x 24″. Courtesy of Open Studio

“It was a great privilege to participate in this year’s jury for Open Studio’s 100 Prints.  I was truly stunned by the overall quality, both technically and in terms of imagery, of the submissions,” said Pat Feheley.  “The diversity and accomplishment of these artists is evident and 100 Prints is an exhibition you will not want to miss!  Congratulations to all of the artists and to Open Studio for supporting and nurturing the art of printmaking.”  David H. Kaye commented: “Jurying this event was an enjoyable time, even though it means making tough decisions to whittle down the number of donated works to only one hundred.  The quality and variation of expression is a treat to experience.  The talent selected is a wonderful testament to the voracity and efficacy of Open Studio. Congratulations to all who work in any capacity to support 100 Prints.”
Jennifer Bhogal, Executive Director of Open Studio, said, “A heartfelt congratulations to the six shortlisted artists of the 2014 Open Studio National Printmaking Awards.  These awards set the standard for excellence in the field of print-based media, and we look forward to presenting them to the deserving recipients.  The artists acknowledged this year exemplify the power print holds to inspire appreciation for both the idea realized and the technical mastery employed.”  All six shortlisted artists have a chance at winning one of three cash prizes of $3,000 (first prize), $1,500 (second prize) or $500 (third prize), or an honourable mention.

100 Prints. 100 Tickets. 1 Night Only.

Open Studio, a leading non-profit centre for contemporary printmaking practice, provides affordable access to printmaking facilities, programs and services for artists from across Canada and abroad, as well as exhibitions, education programs and print sales.  Celebrating the 29th anniversary of the event this year, 100 Prints is Open Studio’s most important fundraising activity, and helps to support this artist-run centre’s vital artistic programming.
 
The event features 100 original, fine art prints donated by nationally and internationally recognized Canadian artists; because only 100 tickets are sold, each ticket holder is guaranteed to take home an original work of art. Tickets are drawn in random order on the evening of the event; as each ticket is drawn, excited guests have one minute to choose a print. 
                                                          
100 Prints is an event that is often imitated, but never matched. The festive night also includes fabulous prizes, a raffle, delicious hors d’oeuvres from some of Toronto’s most exciting eateries, an open bar, and Members’ Ink, a sale of framed prints specially created by Open Studio artist members specifically for this fundraising event.
 
Tickets are now available — the $385 ticket price includes admission for two and a guarantee that you will take home an original piece of artwork. As tickets are limited to 100, they sell out fast, and are already going quickly. General admission tickets are also available for $60. For full details or to purchase tickets online, visit www.openstudio.on.ca/100-prints-2014/. 

From left to right: Toronto City Councillor Adam Vaughan, Toronto City Councillor Gary Crawford, Heather Kelly (Bloor Street Culture Corridor / The Royal Conservatory), Toronto City Councillor Michael Thompson, Toronto Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, Toronto City Councillor Kristin Wong-Tam, Sonja Bata (Founding Chairman, Bata Shoe Museum), Thierry Lasserre (Director, Alliance Francaise de Toronto)

Wednesday, April 2, 2014, 12:30 p.m.
L’Espresso Bar Mercurio

The Bloor Street Culture Corridor opened today to the public with inaugural speeches made by founder Heather Kelly, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, and a number of city councillors; all celebrating the district’s multicultural and multifaceted nature. Indeed the Corridor boasts of 12 different arts organisations, representing five different cultures and the multiple genres within the industry, including the Royal Ontario Museum, the Japan Foundation, Tafelmusik and the Miles Nadal Jewish Centre with its theatre and gallery space, to name a few.

Heather Kelly co-founder of Bloor Street Culture Corridor

Left to right: Managing Director of Tafelmusik Tricia Baldwin, Board Member of Tafelmusik Caroline DiGiovanni and Mary Willan-Mason, Author of Well Tempered Listener

Left to right: Takashi Ishida, Executive Director, Japan Foundation Toronto andThierry Lasserre, Director, Alliance Francaise de Toronto

City Councillor and Chair of the Economic Development and Culture Committee, Michael Thompson, was present and spoke about the importance of the culture industry in Toronto, both for the city’s tourism but also for its economic growth, citing that for every dollar invested into cultural programmes, the city received a return of $18. In addition, he foresaw only an incline in the employment rate of the arts and culture industry from its already impressive 93,000 strong population, relieving any if at all anxiety within the industry. City Councillor and former TV personality Adam Vaughn received many cheers for his reference to the shutting down of Book City as the end of an era, and his pursuit to ensure Bloor Street adequately represents different cultures, interests and ideas, and economic capabilities.

 City Councillor and Chair of the Economic Development and Culture Committee, Michael Thompson

City Councillor and former TV personality, Adam Vaughn

The audience consisted of media, art-enthusiasts, writers and representatives from the twelve arts organisations. Bidding adieu to the audience, Heather Kelly congratulated the representatives of the organisations, welcomed everyone to mingle while enjoying the delicious hors d’oeuvres provided generously by Bar Mercurio, and hoped to bump into us in and around the many cultural delights on Bloor in the weeks to come.

Text and photo: Aliya Bhatia

The finalists for Scotiabank Photography Award 2014 are gifted Canadian photographers Rodney Graham, Mark Ruwedel, and Donald Weber. This is the fourth year of the award, which is Canada’s largest annual peer reviewed award honouring the work of contemporary Canadian photographers.

The award founded by Burtynsky and Jane Nokes, Director, Scotiabank Archives, Corporate Records and Fine Art Collection and Executive Director of Scotiabank Photography Award, is designed to provide support to the winning artist as he or she reaches for the next level of national and international recognition.

Rodney Graham: A conceptual artist, Rodney Graham has created a varied body of work, exploring and reflecting on works of art, music and literature, as well as events in intellectual history. He has exhibited widely throughout North America and Europe for more than 30 years. A highly prolific artist, Graham has produced a vast array of works, primarily in photography and media art installations, while also making use of such diverse media as film, painting, literature, and music.

Rodney Graham, Sunday Sun, 2012

Mark Ruwedel: Mark Ruwedel first became interested in photography while studying painting at Kutztown State College, Pennsylvania and later moved to Montreal to pursue graduate studies in photography at Concordia University. Ruwedel’s photographic interests are found in the contemporary landscape and the nature/culture dynamic, photographing in both black-and-white and colour. With several bodies of work now published in print, Ruwedel’s latest book, “Pictures of Hell” will be released this fall.

Mark Ruwedel, Central Pacific #18, 1994

Donald Weber: Donald Weber is one of Canada’s most compelling practitioners in the field of documentary photography, devoted to the study of how power deploys an all-compassing theatre for its subjects. His diverse photography projects have been exhibited as installations, exhibitions and screenings at festivals and galleries worldwide. Currently, Weber is working on his next project, War Sand, about historic sacrifice and the meaning of war in our modern world.

Donald Weber, Bastard Eden, Our Chernobyl, 2005 – 2007

“We are proud to be able to recognize these remarkable talents in Canadian contemporary photography as finalists for the Scotiabank Photography Award,” said Nokes. “Each of their artistic journeys has led to great bodies of work and we are excited to be able to help shine a spotlight on that journey.”

The shortlist was selected from a list of nominees from across Canada proposed by an eminent panel of nominators. Nominators include curators, photographers, artists, gallery directors, art writers, professors and critics from across the country.

The winner of the Scotiabank Photography Award receives a cash prize of $50,000, a book of their work to be published and distributed worldwide by Steidl of Germany, the renowned art photography publisher, and a major solo exhibition at the Ryerson Image Centre, as part of next year’s Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. The two shortlisted artists receive cash prizes of $5,000 each.

The 2014 Scotiabank Photography Award winner will be announced on April 29, 2014 at the Ryerson Image Centre.