Author: artoronto

Murray Whyte published an article about Nuit Blanche 2011 and its future in The Toronto Star on Monday, October 3, 2011.

October 2011’s Nuit Blanche was chilly indeed, but Murray Whyte’s aptly titled article seems to express a misdirected sense of frustration. Criticizing the fact that Nuit Blanche seems to dissolve into late-night, often dangerous revelling rather than focused engagement with contemporary art works, Whyte, suggests that this ungainliness is foreshadowing the end of Toronto’s all night happening. Ominous as his tone is, Whyte draws attention to important factors such as the declining financial assistance from the city of Toronto leading to a reliance on corporate sponsors, and the disinterested approach taken up by the many individuals whose attendance results from an attraction to the seemingly illicit roaming of the streets. But, while the unruly crowd lends a feeling of the carnivalesque, this level of attendance at an arts-based event is inimitable. Contending with boisterous crowds, especially when comprised of individuals taking advantage of a provided space in which to stay up late and party, is an inherent aspect of popular events. Attending a beloved band’s concert or an NFL football game involves a comparable atmosphere. While this can often compete with one’s enjoyment or appreciation of the event, bidding the whole production adieu doesn’t need to be the response. Nuit Blanche, while sharing the characteristics of other entertainment-based events, is particular in that it is intended to be a showcase of contemporary art; a conceptualized occurrence in which one can experience our urban space in an altered state. Rather than dismissively bid farewell, it seems as though the most productive outlook would be to find a way in which to positively channel the established energy and interest that Nuit Blanche has garnered so far.

Questions which need answering are abundant. How does a spectacular art event such as Nuit Blanche maintain itself as a dynamic exhibition of contemporary art works? How can the event manage a huge influx of people in the downtown core, throughout the wee hours of the night in a safe and conducive way? Comparing Nuit Blanche to other contemporary events proves that this collective and interactive manner of exhibiting and experiencing contemporary art has become firmly established. Contemporary works, many of which are intrinsically connected to the notion of participatory interaction therefore necessitate the involvement of lots of people. Yet how does an artwork, and an artist negotiate the precarious balances that are involved- are works created for such circumstances? Are they designed for the purpose of drawing a crowd, as, Natalie Jeremijenko and Usman Haque’s amusement park-esque attraction “Flight Path” seemed to do  with its laser light show and promises of flying with wings (and a zip-line) through the air above Nathan Phillips square. Negotiating the benefits and disadvantages involved in the spectacularization of an impermanent art exhibition is ultimately going to be a constantly fluctuating challenge.

My own Nuit Blanche experience involved staying up the entire night and while it was much more positive than the night Whyte writes about, I was still left with the feeling that the timeframe provided an unrealistic space in which to experience art. For those who are less inclined to lose a full night’s sleep, the stress of negotiating the throngs of people that swarm the downtown core between 6pm and 3am, can diminish the effect of the art. Perhaps more guidance could be provided in the form of maps that not only describe the art works themselves, but define the atmosphere of different areas of the city, in order to direct those attempting to enjoy a night of art, or those who prefer a night of partying. Again this idea of presenting concept-based maps draws attention to the dilemmas provoked by this event: how do we deal with such a highly attended spectacular event, experience contemporary art in a tight time-frame, negotiate the theories and concepts in question, maintain criticality, and avoid the feeling that the experience is being fabricated and then simply consumed.

Miriam Arbus

Note: Murray Whyte published an article about Nuit Blanche 2011 and its future in The Toronto Star on Monday, October 3, 2011.

Murray Whyte published an article about Nuit Blanche 2011 and its future in The Toronto Star on Monday, October 3, 2011.

Here are some responses.

David Bolduc, Green Plateu, 1980, oil on canvas, 84″x84″

 October 15 – November 12, 2011
Opening: Saturday, Oct ober 15, 2 – 6pm                                                       CHRISTOPHER CUTTS GALLERY
21 Morrow Avenue,
Toronto ON. M6R 2H9
T: 416 532 5566
info@cuttsgallery.com
www.cuttsgallery.com
Hours: Tues – Sat. 11-6 

Melanie Rocan  “Secrets”  2011,  oil on canvas.  60 x 84 inches

October 14 – November 12, 2011
Opening: Friday, October 14, 7-10pm
Janet Morton and Mélanie Rocan will be present.
Paul Petro Contemporary Art
980 Queen St West
Toronto, ON   M6J 1H1
Tel: 416-979-7874
info@paulpetro.com
www.paulpetro.com
Hours: Wed – Sat: 11–5

Paul Petro Contemporary Art is pleased to present Crossing Natures, a group exhibition that explores a lineage in contemporary Canadian art originating in the work of Joyce Wieland (1931-1998) and found in the work of two younger generations of Canadian artists, Janet Morton and Mélanie Rocan. We are also pleased to present a painting from 1948 by Yvonne Housser (1897-1996) that embodies the spirit of this exhibition.

Crossing Natures looks at the idea of thresholds, or liminal spaces, that convey aspects of our relationship to Nature. The exhibition also considers cross-generational influences and affinities.

From Nell Tenhaaf’s text, Soft in the Head, August 2011:

“The American ecofeminist Carolyn Merchant had published her landmark book The Death of Nature eight years earlier […] Merchant’s contribution to philosophy was to have a far-reaching influence and prove itself visionary in articulating how we have tamed, managed, objectified, atomized, and rationalized Nature […] Today it matters less which gender is responsible for the ever more rapid disappearance of Nature as a powerful and compelling force. It seems more important to reclaim that power in any way that we can.

For this reason it is striking to see in Mélanie Rocan’s very recent painting Secrets images of being united with nature in the form of rituals that are definitely pagan and probably also pantheistic, invoking redemption through immersing in and conjoining with the natural world. And in Janet Morton’s She’s Come Undone the suggested ability to put back together what has come almost, but not entirely, asunder is as comforting as the pile of wool heaped on the floor. Interestingly, each of these artists leans toward abstraction in her own way. Rocan buries her figures within brushstrokes that speak to the Abstract Expressionists’ mantra of locating truthful experience in the paint itself, as both surface and gesture. Morton invokes AbEx painterly power in a similar way, for the authenticity of its rebellious energy…

[With] Wieland’s large floppy painting, it seems to be asking how it is possible to still (even at that time) enter nature. And it proffers some answers to the question: by bird, by canoe, by identifying with the knowledge of aboriginals, by all of these intertwined […] This painting is so gloriously soft in the head in the face of a Nature that has been hyper-rationalized, that it has to have the last word.”

October 13 – November 13, 2011
Opening/ Artist Talk: Saturday, October 15, 2-5pm
DAVID KAYE GALLERY
1092 Queen Street West
(entrance on Dovercourt)
Toronto, ON M6J 1H9
Tel: 416-532-9075
www.davidkayegallery.com
Hours: Mon – Tue: by appointment
Wed – Fri: 11–6; Sat – Sun: 11–5

This new body of paintings has come from an extended stay in the Mesilla Valley of southern New Mexico. Her morning walks take her through the pecan groves along levies that parallel the acequias (water ditches) where she could look out across vast open fields toward the Bishop’s Cap Mountains. The verdant landscape, the extensive swirls and brilliance of the sunlight, and the deep shadows made vivid impressions on Moeser, which subsequently fed the imagery captured here in her lush and extremely colourful paintings.

(polymerized gypsum, steel, polyurethane foam, wood)

Traditionally taxidermy forms have been used as the basis of a hunter’s trophy: the skin of an animal is stretched over the form to be preserved.  In Hannan’s work, animal skin is replaced with packing tape and wool felt blankets evoking a sense of fragility.  The blankets suggest a need for warmth, protection, shelter, love and understanding.  They can also suffocate or allow us to hide from our fears.

You can see more on the artist’s website: www.davidhannan.ca/

To Russia, Donkeys and Others, 1911 (  A la Russie, aux ânes et aux autres, 1911), oil on canvas 157.0 x 122.0 cm. Collection of the MNAM, Centre Pompidou, Paris  ©Adagpl Center Pompidou, Mnam – CCi/Dist. RMN.

Drawn from the collection of the Centre Pompidou, the exhibition examines how Chagall’s Russian heritage influenced and informed his artistic practice, illustrating how he at turns embraced and rejected broader movements in art history as he developed his widely beloved style. Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde comprises 118 works from a broad array of media, including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, and film. The artwork is drawn entirely from the collection of the Centre Pompidou and features 32 works by Chagall and eight works by Kandinsky.

Saturday, October 1, 6:59pm – 7.00am

From sunset on Saturday, October 1, to sunrise on Sunday, October 2, 2011, Toronto celebrated its 6th annual all-night contemporary art festival, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, displaying over 130 works created by local, national and international artists.

Zone A

Karen Henderson, Slow Falls Rising, 2011. Photo: Phil Anderson

AES + F, The Feast of Trimalchio, 2009-11. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

AES + F, The Feast of Trimalchio, 2009-11. Photo: Phil Anderson

Sam Durant, Electric Signs, 2002, 2008. Photo: Phil Anderson

Richard Purdy, L’écho-l’eau, 2011. Photo: Phil Anderson

Althea Thauberger, The Police Station, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Jessica Rose, A City Sleepover, 2011. Photo: Katherine Porter

Jessica Rose, A City Sleepover, 2011. Photo: Katherine Porter

Zone B

Usman Haque and Natalie Jeremijenko, Flightpath Toronto, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Usman Haque and Natalie Jeremijenko, Flightpath Toronto, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Usman Haque and Natalie Jeremijenko, Flightpath Toronto, 2011. Photo: Adrian Oosterman

GUILD, Through the Gorilla Glass, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

GUILD, Through the Gorilla Glass, 2011. Photo: Adrian Oosterman

Christine Irving and Interactive Art, The Heart Machine, 2010. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Christine Irving and Interactive Art, The Heart Machine, 2010. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Anthony Swan, Hillary Predko, Maihyet Burton, Denis Taman Bradette, The St. James Circus. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Jean-François Bouchard, Still Life. Photo: Phil Anderson

Zone C

Jeremy Jansen and Niall McClelland, Barricades, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Jeremy Jansen and Niall McClelland, Barricades, 2011. Photo: Mauricio Contreras-Paredes

Jeremy Jansen and Niall McClelland, Barricades, 2011. Photo: Adrian Oosterman

LEITMOTIF: Cubes, group exhibition. Photo: Phil Anderson

Funhouse, group exhibition. Photo: Katherine Porter

Text: Michelle Lun

October 19 – November 11, 2011
Opening /Artist Talk: Saturday, October 22, 1:30pm
CANADIAN SCULPTURE CENTRE
500 Church Street
Toronto ON M4Y 2C8
Tel: 647.435.5858
Email: gallery@cansculpt.org
Hours: Tuesday – Friday 12-6; Saturdays 11-4

The Sculptors Society of Canada is proud to present a solo exhibition by GORDON BECKER.

Making a Spectacle…theft of movement explores the pain and exhilaration of dancers.

Becker began (wood) carving the movement of dancers in 1984. Through his meticulous detailing of life-size dancers – the spirit of dance isenhanced by the directness, honesty and simplicity of his approach.  The purity of dance, the transformation of bodies, limbs and hands symbolize his dream of flying…his dream of eternal flight….

Upon completing his studies at OCAD, Becker apprenticed with a mastercarver in New Zealand. Becker’s work has been included in numerous commercial films and commissions. His work has participated in numerous exhibitions in Canadaand Europe. In 2003 he was invited to exhibit at the Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea in Florence, Italy, where he was the recipient of the Gold Medallion in the Sculpture Category. Becker was elected into the sculptors Society of Canada in 2000.

On Display from October 18 -30, 2011
Street Party on Friday, October 21,  7 – 11pm
Dundas St W. West of Keele St.
Please visit for  more information about
Participating Retailers, Designers & Artists
www.mason-studio.com/showoff
Or contact: showoff@mason-studio.com
T: 416- 453-5536

Two designers found themselves wandering about Dundas West in the Junction. On that particular day, many of the retail shops were closed which left them clutching the glass of their spacious shop windows gawking at the merchandise from the sidewalks.

 This turn of events led Toronto-based design firm Mason to host Show Off @ the Junction; an event where local designers and artists are let loose on these awe-inspiring glass boxes to create jaw-dropping installations which showcase the amazing retailers and product the community has to offer.

 The event, which includes 12 retail shops and art galleries on the strip of Dundas St. W, west of Keele, unites over 20 design-professionals providing an opportunity to create conceptual spaces all the while supporting independent business owners and their unique product.

 The art galleries, eclectic home furnishing and fashion retail shops that have cropped-up in this neighbourhood are not the only unique feature of this area; the sense of community and pride that residents and shop owners have for their neighbourhood is what makes the Junction the perfect location for Mason to host the first, of what is expected to become an annual event which will take place in different neighbourhoods around town.

 Along with the parade of window installations which will be on display from October 18–30 the city can look forward to a Street Party on October 21st.

 Shops and galleries will keep their doors open until 11pm with unique offerings in support of the event. Owners will be on hand to chat about their unique goods alongside the artists and designers who will reveal the secrets and stories behind their installations

Tuayarima Kuo

October 15 – 30, 2011
Opening: Saturday, October 22, 12-3pm
Bezpala Brown Gallery
17 Church Street (Front and Church)Tuayarima Kuo
For inquiries, please contact: Fariz Kovalchuk
T: 416-907-6875 or 647-929-4878
fariz@bezpalabrown.com
http://bezpalabrown.com/ehhibitions

Admission:$25.00 (includes music, Sakha culinary delicacies and alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages

As part of our continuing celebration of Days of Sakha-Yakutia Culture, Bezpala Brown Gallery presents:

· Improvisations by Claudia & Herman Khatylaevs, performing on more than 15 traditional Yakutian musical instruments
· A fashion show of celebratory Yakutian costumes designed by Avgustina Filippova
· Traditional Sakha delicacies created by celebrity chef Innokentiy Tarbakhov
· Ms. Filippova and Mr. Tarbakhov will be present at the reception to guide us along in our exploration of Sakha culture

In addition to the music, garb and food that will be presented, we continue our exploration of northern art by presenting a unique opportunity to contrast Northern Canadian visual art and sculpture with that of the works of Sakha artists. Among others, the Sakha masterpieces of Mikhail Starostin (etchings and oils), Chikachev (prints) and Evgenia Arbugaeva (photography) will continue to be on display. The gallery contrasts these artworks with the work of 17 Inuit artists including Annie Pootoogook (etching and aquatint), Shuvinai Ashoona (etching and aquatint), Kavavaow Mannomee (lithograph) and Nuna Parr (sculpture). Mr. Starostin and Ms. Arbugaeva will be in attendance at the Reception to discuss their creations.