Once Removed: Australia @ 53rd La Biennale di Venezia

This is my first trip to Venice! Somehow this seems like a rather strange announcement, as there seems to be common perception out there, that everyone with an art history degree, or who works in the arts is jetting back and forth to Venice frequently. Well, I have not. Not for a lack of interest, just the realities of life.

But here I am. The reason for this trip is actually to attend and present a paper at the Arts in Society conference, however, as my research focuses on contemporary art festivals, particularly biennales, of course I am also here to visit La Biennale di Venezia.

Venice, IT

As many of the tourist guides state - Venice is an art museum. One can not ignore or miss the outstanding examples of architecture and art everywhere you turn. As we had spent the first night traveling, we decided that we were not up to serious art looking. So instead just wandered the streets and alleys of Venice. At first we wondered why EVERYONE else was carrying a map? This quickly became apparent as we meandered our way up and down streets and alleys with no clue of where we were or where we were headed. As we had nowhere in particular that we needed to go, we decided to just go with it and kept wandering. In fairness, we did glance at the tiny pocket map in the hotel before we checked our bags - so had a visual picture in our minds of the big picture. And while we took a few wrong turns, we did make it back to our hotel on Sant’ Elena.

San Pietro di Castello
Venice, IT

The next morning we decided to explore our new temporary neighbourhood. Sant’ Elena is a quiet residential neighbourhood just east of the Giardini Biennale. After visiting the fabulous San Pietro di Castello we headed towards Via Garbaldi and discovered the Australian exhibition Once Removed in The Ludoteca in the Castello District.

Interior, The Ludoteca
Venice, IT

Curated by Felicity Fenner this group exhibition includes three installations by four young Australian artists. Each of these artists investigates ideas of place and displacement while dealing with cultural and environmental issues.

Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, Life Span, 2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
VHS video cassettes, silicone 625 x 320 x 524 cm

Immediately upon entering this former convent, you are faced with the work of Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro. LifeSpan a giant cube consisting of 195,774 VHS video tapes represents the combined running time of the average human lifespan 66.1 years.

Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, Life Span, 2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
VHS video cassettes, silicone 625 x 320 x 524 cm

The work looks monumental, but at the same time represents the fragility of human life. Especially when we consider the disposable nature of these plastic videotape cartridges juxtaposed against the almost impermeable marble and stone of this historic structure.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Surfboards, vinyl lettering

As we walked across the courtyard, you could see the colourful graphics of Vernon Ah Kee's work Cant Chant beaconing us. Upon entering the space I was immediately drawn to the surfboards hanging from the ceiling. Each board was silk-screened with symbolic Aboriginal shield designs graphically set against large black text affixed to the wall.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Surfboards, vinyl lettering

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Surfboards, vinyl lettering

Walking around the exhibit, the bottom-side of the surfboards were covered with black and white photographic images of Ah Kee, his friends and family; creating a powerful and poignant statement, reflecting on his Aboriginal heritage and his current place in white contemporary society.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Surfboards, vinyl lettering

Adjacent to the installation was his three screen video projection. Part fairy-tale, part commentary on current race relations, the work was compelling, somewhat disturbing and beautiful. No grainy video here, the work was slick, beautifully shot, and accompanied by a dynamic soundtrack.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Video Still

It felt in parts more like a music video than a commentary on the alienation felt by many young Aboriginals. The underwater surfing scenes were captivating, beautiful and powerful. However these almost poetic images were starkly contrasted against the more disturbing images of the surfboards being executed in the woods.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007-2009
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Video Still

I loved this work. Ah Kee successfully found that fine line between creating gorgeous well-crafted work that is accessible but, still holding a very powerful political message.

Ken Yonetani, Sweet Barrier Reef, 2008
Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Sugar 110 x 1250 x 360 cm

The final installation was by Japanese born, Australian-based artist Ken Yonetani. Yonetani typically creates work that addresses environmental crises and this zen like work was no exception. Using white sugar which symbolizes colonization, modernization, consumption and desire, Yonetani’s Sweet Barrier Reef, focuses on and examines the environmental issues surrounding coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef.

Ken Yonetani, Sweet Barrier Reef, 2008

Australia 53rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
Sugar 110 x 1250 x 360 cm

Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro are represented by Barry Keldoulis Gallery in Sydney and Gallery Gitte Weise in Berlin. Vernon Ah Kee is represented by Milani Gallery in Brisbane and Ken Yonetani is represented by Dianne Tanzer Gallery in Melbourne.

Loss of Independent Bookstores and our Changing Urban Streetscape

It has been just over a month since I last ventured into Pages Books and Magazines at 256 Queen St West. The first thing that caught my attention as I got off the streetcar at Queen & McCaul yesterday was a white 8.5 x 11" sheet that said Pages Books Closing. I know there has been talk about this for some time, but it did not hit me until I saw this poster.

For anyone that loves reading, perusing magazines or just scanning the stacks of books, independent bookstores beat their big box competition hands down. Where else can you find the selection of interesting and often more obscure titles in literature, critical and cultural theory, art, and design, or the works published by small independent presses. Independent bookstores also almost always have staff that LOVE books and love reading. I would love to claim that I only buy my books at independent bookstores, but I can not. I have one of those Chapters / Indigo irewards cards and do order books from them on occasion especially now that I am back at grad school and my volume of book consumption has increased dramatically. However, all things being equal I much prefer the act of discovering an amazing title at Pages or Type here in Toronto, than entering keywords online or on some in-store kiosk.

I admit that I am addicted to books, especially books on art, art theory, and art criticism. While I was doing my masters degree, I was doing research in Santa Fe, New Mexico and discovered the fabulous independent and specialty booksellers (i.e. Photo-Eye) as well as the absolutely outstanding second-hand bookstores in the city. Our car became a depository for books on photography, photo-history, visual anthropology, the artistic representation of the American Southwest, photographers of Native Americans, etc. (I was doing my research on photographer Edward S. Curtis.) My husband added one book to our growing collection that he felt I needed more than any other. It was Tom Raabe's Biblioholism*: The Literary Addiction. Raabe defines biblioholism as the "habitual longing to purchase, read, store, admire and consume books in excess." After completing the quiz to determine my level of biblioholism I discovered that while I love finding, owning and reading books, my addiction is fairly limited and still under control.

So, after having lunch with a friend yesterday, I headed into Pages Books before heading home. As often happens when I visit independent bookstores, but has never happened in the big-box stores such as Chapters, Borders or Barnes & Noble I ran into someone I knew. And as typically happens when I enter any bookstore I left with three new books, none of which I had been looking for, but all of which caught my eye for different reasons.

Jacket Cover - Claudia Herstatt, Women Gallerists in the 20th and 21st Centuries
Hatje Cantz Veag, 2008
http://www.exhibitionsinternational.be/img/9783775719759.jpg

I spotted Eileen Myles' The Importance of Being Iceland: Travel Essays in Art immediately upon entering the store. Why exactly I am not sure? Was it because I was thinking about Svava Juliusson, one of the artists I represent, and how she was probably on her way home after spending almost a month in Iceland. Was it because I am about to leave for Venice? Or was it just because it seemed like rather an odd title sitting there amidst more expected art titles? I have to admit that it was the image on the cover of book number 2 that captured my attention. Stark white background with the black clad torso of a woman in heels with the title Women Gallerists in the 20th and 21st Centuries in red text. I thought of Amrita Chandra 's July 1st post on her blog Tinku Tales a few weeks back titled Women Artists, and Leah Sandals' July 13th post on her blog unedit my heart titled Most important artworks of the decade 90% male. Really? It is interesting that with the proliferation of female students in art schools and the number of female artists, female arts writers, female curators, and female gallerists that we still need books with titles such as Women Artists or Women Gallerists to point out the important role that women have and continue to play in the art world.

As I pulled Claudia Herstatt's Women Gallerists in the 20th and 2st Centuries off the shelf, a small, 4 x 7 x 1/4" volume fell forward. How could I resist picking up James Elkin's What Happened to Art Criticism? As I paid for my purchases and wandered back onto Queen St., I thought about how it is sad that we are slowly loosing more and more of our small independent retailers, how this is changing our streetscapes and if there is anything we can really do about it? Rumour has it that it is a McDonalds that is slated to take over Pages space.

As I sat on the streetcar heading east on Queen St I looked out the window noticing how more and more small storefronts are being converted into restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and bars. I have to admit that I love that I can walk to Hanoi 3 Seasons, one of my favorite restaurants, that I can meet friends at my pick of excellent independent coffee shops (Tango Palace, Red Rocket Coffee, Simple Cafe and Cream The Urban Dairy) that are only a short walk from my home, and that Sweet Bliss the bakery that caters all my opening receptions is only a half block away. However, I do question just how many food service establishments are needed in a neighbourhood and how many can or will a community support?

As Jane Jacobs so poignantly expressed a vibrant streetscape needs a mix of uses with something going on at almost every hour of the day. We need places to linger and places where we can visit with friends or neighbours, places where we can pick up some of our daily and weekly needs, places to shop for special or unique items, and places to eat. We need places that attract overlapping as well as diverse age groups and interests. Successful streetscapes are inviting, active and somewhat eclectic.

As we lose our independent retailers we lose the uniqueness and the character of our neighbourhood and street. While a row of upscale restaurants and bars may attract an evening crowd to the neighbourhood, this does little for the walkability during the daytime. While the McDonalds may provide part-time jobs and a place to hang-out for the youth in the area, it does not create ambiance at street level. While big-box retailers provide competitive price and selection, they create streets that become indistinguishable from suburban malls.

I look around and see the rotating storefronts in my neighbourhood as well as the other neighbourhoods in Toronto. Some of these changes seem welcome and exciting, while others feel like you are losing a friend. As a business owner, I understand the need to make money, to look for the best return-on-investment; but I also wonder, if we were all a bit more cognisant about long-term goals and needs in our communities, could we not find a way to plan and develop our streetscapes so that they are interesting, viable entities. Places where landlords work with and help local independent merchants survive and where both local residents and visitors can shop, eat, relax and interact.

Dream Dresses

For many of us our relationship with fashion and clothes is complex. For women, our relationship with "the dress" is even more so. I remember growing up in Winnipeg, MB in the 60's when little girls wore dresses to school, regardless of how cold it was outside. I grew up playing with Barbie, and as my Mom was a talented and accomplished seamstress, my Barbie(s) had the most amazing wardrobe. I dreamed that one day, I too would go to the all the places I imagined Barbie going to in the myriad of ballgowns and party dresses that my Mom created for her. I remember my favorite dress being a white sequined strapless cocktail dress. Barbie looked amazing!

I remember being fascinated by the images following the Kennedy assassination, not because I understood the significance of what had happened - but because of the clothes that Jackie and Carolyn Kennedy wore. I remember the black printed velvet matching dresses that my Mom made for my sister and me. I remember the first dress I made for myself at the age of 12 - pink polyester with a very large white collar. The dress I wore to my first school dance, my graduation and my wedding. The hunt for the perfect black dress, and my subsequent collection of black cocktail dresses that all were variations on the same theme. I remember my sister helping me pack when we were moving from Georgia back to Canada and after teasing me that all my dresses looked exactly the same, just in slightly different fabrics, she pulled one out of the closet and exclaimed I have the same dress! My sister and I have not lived in the same city, or even country for over 20 years and unfortunately only see each other once a year - was it more than a coincidence that out of all the black cocktail dresses in the world, we had both chosen the same one?

I have dresses I love, dresses that make me feel like I can take on the world, and those dresses that no matter what - just never work. A dress is more than just a piece of clothing, it is not just fashion, it is a piece of fabric that can be loaded with significance, meaning, memory and identity.

While my relationship with the "dress" has been largely positive, I know not all women share my feelings and / or experiences. The "dress" is loaded with meanings and associated stereotypes - many of which are not positive.

At this point you are probably wandering why I am writing about dresses on a blog that I claim is about art? University of Toronto anthropologist Dr. Hilary Scharper recently launched her first fictional work entitled Dream Dresses. The title captured my attention and imagination and not only made me reflect on my relationship to the "dress" but also the complex relationship we have as women to this item of clothing. It also made me think about how often the image of the "dress" appears in art.

Czech born Montreal artist, Jana Sterbak shocked the public and the Artworld in 1987 with her Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic. Was this a comment on fashion, the role of women in society, our obsession with thinness, the aging process, the art world, or .....? Much of Sterbak's work centres around themes of power, control, seduction, sexuality and our relationship with technology. Sterbak is represented by Galeria Toni Tapies in Barcelona, Barbara Gross Galerie in Munich and Galleria Rafaella Cortese in Milan.

Sterbak, Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic. 1987
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/49147006_ef6c3bcc1e.jpg?v=0

Toronto based artist Norah Deacon explores the relationships people have with their belongings and how these objects relate to their personal history. Deacon uses natural fibres, soft colours and intricate detail which is inspired by vintage garments and linens. Deacon is represented by David Kaye Gallery, Toronto and A.K.Collings Gallery in Port Hope.

Norah Deacon, Booth installation from Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2007
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hife-QxYbfg/RpGeSpr_XbI/AAAAAAAAALI/bVRm5QVQ284/s400/nora.jpg

However, when thinking about "dream dresses", I immediately think of the work of Toronto based artist Sophie DeFrancesca. I remember the day that Sophie first walked into my gallery. She was there to see the work of her friend Steven James Brown. I asked her what she did and she casually mentioned she was a sculptor and had an upcoming show in Montreal. We chatted for a bit and when she left I Googled her and immediately fell in love with her work.

Sophie DeFrancesca & Marc Rembold, Phantamagoria
June 11 - July 19. 2009 @ Lausberg Contemporary
Photo courtesy of Sophie DeFrancesca & Lausberg Contemporary

I have to admit that I have a weakness for work that uses industrial materials, such as wire mesh, but becomes ethereal, fluid and beautiful when transformed in the hands of a talented artist. DeFrancesca's work is absolutely gorgeous. Her gowns are stunning. I want an entire closet filled with gowns like these. Like the dresses my Barbie's owned, DeFrancesca's work allows your mind to wander, to imagine the life these gowns lived, or could live, while at the same time examining ones own lived experience against its cultural context.

Sophie DeFrancesca & Marc Rembold, Phantamagoria
June 11 - July 19. 2009 @ Lausberg Contemporary
http://www.theweddingco.com/thedailynews/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Sophie.jpg

Sophie DeFrancesca's work is inspired by the iconic dresses of the twentieth century. However, these sculptures are more than just dresses they symbolize the female subject, provoking our understanding of gender and sexuality.

Sophie DeFrancesca & Marc Rembold, Phantamagoria
June 11 - July 19. 2009 @ Lausberg Contemporary
Photo courtesy of Sophie DeFrancesca & Lausberg Contemporary

The transformation of the rough industrial galvanized wire into dreamy fluid fabric in the hands of DeFrancesca is complemented by the sleek vivid colour-field pigment prints on diasec by Swiss artist Marc Rembold. Phantasmagoria is one of the most successful two-person shows I have seen in a long-time. Both artists examine issues of glamour as their works dialogue with one another as if in animated conversation discussing the same issue from diverse perspectives. Phantasmagoria: Sophie DeFrancesca and Marc Rembold is on view at Lausberg Contemporary at 880 Queen St West, Toronto through Sunday, July 19th.

Sustainable Architecture

As I have mentioned in a previous post, my Mom is an avid gardener. Living in North Vancouver, her garden is a lush west coast oasis that is also home to numerous resident and migrant birds.

My Mom takes amazing photos of the birds and the flowers in her garden, which I receive with some regularity in my inbox. It is nice being reminded of home, although on occasion when it is a cold, grey, blustery Toronto day, I have somewhat of a love / hate relationship with those beautiful perky flowers that are already appearing in Vancouver gardens.

Of all the birds that visit my Mom's garden it is perhaps the hummingbirds that are the most special. These tiny beautiful creatures travel hundreds of thousands of miles each year on their migratory path, and each year one of them seems to make my Mom's garden their temporary summer home.

Yesterday morning, I received an email from my Mom simply titled Nest. She attached two wonderful images of the hummingbird nest that she found amongst the ivy against our neighbours house. How beautiful these perfect tiny little structures are.

Hummingbird Nest
North Vancouver, BC
July 2009
photo courtesy of Lise Brayham

Tucked amongst the ivy, protected from wind and predators this nest has been carefully constructed from found and recycled materials. The interior surfaces and top edge are lined with cotton fluff and lint to protect the baby birds, while the exterior consists of sticks and plant material that help camouflage the nest.

According to the website World of Hummingbirds nest building is a balance of form and function. These tiny nests that are only the size of walnut shell take the female hummingbird 5 to 6 days to build, spending approximately 4 hours a day working on the nest and making 34 trips for materials an hour. The nests are engineered for temperature control with the bottom and wind side being thicker than the top and leeward side.

Hummingbird Nest
North Vancouver, BC
July 2009
photo courtesy of Lise Brayham

As we sit amongst the piles of garbage that are accumulating on Toronto city streets and in our parks, one has to appreciate the simplicity, beauty and resourcefulness found in nature. The tiny hummingbird is able to build something functional and beautiful from recycled and reclaimed materials, hopefully we will can all learn to do the same.

Art Galleries in the New Economy

While I should be focused on writing the paper I am presenting at the Arts in Society conference in Venice in exactly two weeks, I am continually side-tracked by what is becoming an all consuming concern of how does a relatively new small gallery survive in the new economy? I have watched three other galleries close in my east side neighbourhood over the past few months: Ninette Gyorody's Studio Nine Gallery on Queen St East, Svava Juliusson's LIST Gallery on the Danforth, and a gallery on Pape at Danforth. I do not want to be the fourth, yet, I continually wander what is the key to survival these days?

Leah Sandals in her excellent blog unedit my heart, commented on this very topic in her post last Saturday, July 11, 2009 Movin' Right Along: Toronto Galleries Shuttered or Shifted So Far .... Edward Winkleman a New York gallerist released his new book, How to Start and Run a Commercial Art Gallery yesterday. Winkleman's blog is a must-read for anyone interested in the contemporary art world, art galleries, and the New York art scene. He has posted three particularly interesting entries lately that deal with the topic at hand, yesterday's post It's Ali-i-i-i-ve!!!, last Thursday's entry Dealers of the World: Unite or Perish?
and one last Tuesday The Joy of the Physical Space vs. Rent: Open Thread.

Sandals starts her post pondering why Toronto has lost so many galleries this past year. As she states: "Blame the recession, poor management, boredom, or a combination of all three." The gallery business is hard. Really hard! But it can also be interesting, exciting and rewarding if you can stick it out. I think the reason so many galleries are closing, or changing is a combination of complex factors, and in a small percentage of cases it could be poor management or boredom - but in most cases I would doubt this is the case.

Galleries are unlike many other small businesses. It is not a matter of painting the walls white, installing great lighting, hanging art and opening the doors. Most people don't need art, and they rarely buy art on impulse. Okay some people do, but for the most part, galleries can not survive on walk-by or walk-in traffic. Art sales are based on relationships and networks. Relationships and networks that can take years to establish.

I remember talking to a prominent gallerist in Santa Fe just after I finished my art history degree. At that time I was planning on an academic career, but have to admit that somewhere tucked deep at the back of my mind was the thought of having my own gallery. A space where I could curate who and what I wanted. This was during the recession of the early 90's but I remember him telling me that you have to prepare to lose money for at least 7 years. Seven years with no real income is a long time!

Art galleries are expensive. It is difficult to find a decent retail space in Toronto for under $3000 a month. So, saying the gallery takes a 50% commission, that means they need to sell $6000 worth of art a month just to cover the rent. But then there is insurance, utililties, phone & internet, financial service charges, alarm fees, and taxes. In order to mount a show the gallery has to paint or at least patch and touch up the walls, print and mail invitations, host an opening reception, etc. In addition, galleries will often front framing or shipping costs for artists that can not afford them. And we have not even talked about a salary or personal income yet.

The recent recession has hurt a lot of businesses. Art is still viewed as a luxury purchase. I know my sales are significantly down from last year, as people make choices about what they want and can spend their disposable income on. As a gallerist you try to adjust but what exactly are we adjusting too?

Toronto has a lot of galleries and I am saddened every time I hear of another one closing. However, maybe it is time for us to re-think the old gallery model. In the past, artists felt they needed us more than they do now. Now artists can have their own blogs and websites. Live/work artists studios are once again becoming popular and much more accessible to the public. Numerous venues exist where artists can sell their work directly to the public, and many artists choose to do this. Art Fairs have also become the new marketplace for buying art. A place where the experienced or novice collector can see a vast array of artwork from galleries around the world over the course of an afternoon, day or weekend.

Brayham Contemporary Art
Original storefront space
Installation: Place | Mind | Spirit : Susan Moldenhauer
June 2007

I have always loved the bricks and mortar gallery. A place where I can see, contemplate and purchase art. I love that each gallery has a unique stable of artists, that each gallery looks and feels different. However, I think we need to start thinking outside the "white box." As gallerists and the art viewing public we need to be open to new ways and approaches to experience, view and buy art.

Brayham Contemporary Art
1318 Queen St East Toronto, ON
Svava Juliusson & Lauri Lynnxe Murphy
June 2009

I moved my gallery from a tiny (270 sq. ft.) storefront to the main floor of our Victorian home last fall. To be honest this was not my first choice. I needed more space and looked at various options around the city ranging from rented storefronts, to warehouse space, to selling our home and purchasing a storefront building, to ...... I was open to any and all options. Nothing felt right, or more correctly the things that felt closest to being right, were too expensive and I knew that I would be out of business in a month.

I love the idea of a clean white industrial box, however, I have also always loved the intimacy of the art galleries located in old adobe homes along Canyon Road in Santa Fe. There was something captivating and somewhat mysterious about knowing that the dealer lived upstairs, or behind the gallery. The idea that the kitchen which was used for openings, was also used to cook family dinners. It made the art gallery experience more personal, more intimate, more familiar and less threatening.

While I could not replicate the feel of Canyon Road on Queen St East, I could break from the traditional look and feel of Toronto galleries, and convert the main floor of our home into an intimate and I hope elegant gallery space. As we were also in the process of landscaping our backyard, we decided to design it so that it would work as an entertaining space for openings and also work for sculpture exhibitions.

Brayham Contemporary Art
1318 Queen St East Toronto, ON
Betty Kaser & Mary McKenzie
June 19 - August 15, 2009

I admit that it continues to be a challenge to get people in the door. And no - you do not have to remove your shoes!! For the most part the reaction has been favorable. Many of us here in Toronto do not have large homes with expansive walls, or extra space. In a home/gallery setting the work is hung on the staircase wall, above the fireplace or in that awkward space between the window and door. I use what was once our living & dining rooms as my main exhibition space for solo shows and the hallway to exhibit work by gallery artists. The kitchen serves as overflow gallery space and my office.

Brayham Contemporary Art
1318 Queen St East, Toronto, ON
Mary McKenzie, Garden Installation
June 19 - August 15, 2009

I am not sure if this is will be my permanent location. Some days I dream of a vibrant east side gallery district, where my gallery will take over the entire two floors and we will move somewhere else, other days I am on the hunt for empty and abandoned warehouses, and sometimes I wonder if there is another more flexible and / or collaborative model that might work.

Being a gallerist is never boring, if anything it is all consuming. Like most business owners, I have made my share of bad or sometimes poor business decisions, however, I would hate to blame the recent demise of so many galleries on poor management. I think the recession combined with high rent and overhead and having to endure months of non-existent sales can test the patience and resolve of any business owner, with gallerists being no exception.

Artists, gallerists and the art viewing and buying public need to be open to and embrace the changes in the art marketplace and the economy. New galleries are going to open and sadly some galleries are going to close. I for one, hope that gallerists are open to trying whatever it is they need to do to survive. If that means moving to an uncharted or developing neighbourhood (Leslieville perhaps?), converting part of your home, sharing space with a compatible business, or roving around town - galleries will need to be as creative and experimental as the artists we represent.

Art Fairs, Festivals & Biennials

Since opening my gallery just over two years ago I have noticed a curious thing. Whenever there is some sort of art event (Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Riverdale Art Walk, Queen West Art Crawl, Nuit Blanche, Canadian Art Gallery Hop, etc.) happening in Toronto, the gallery is DEAD! This past weekend was no exception.

I remember noticing a similar pattern while I was the Director of the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art / OneWest Art Centre in Colorado. Except there it was not limited to art events, we had similarly dismal attendance when any other public event occurred. I remember thinking, "Why does the Colorado Brewers' Festival, or NewWest Fest pull people away from attending the museum?"

I have had a somewhat awkward and ambivalent relationship with festivals, fairs and large-scale public events. While I would love to think that they have the ability to engage audiences and introduce new audiences to the arts, I often wander if this is actually the case. I remember my first visit to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver in 1994. This large-scale professionally managed and well-run event takes over the entire Cherry Creek North shopping district for three days over the July 4th long weekend, attracting 350,000 visitors. The festival attracts over 200 exhibiting artists from all over the United States presenting high-quality work in a wide range of both fine art and fine craft media. The streets of Cherry Creek North come alive lined with exhibitor booths, activity areas, performance stages, and food vendors. Visitors stroll, mingle, visit, chat, watch, participate and engage with the artists and activities around them. It is fun. What hit me on that first Saturday morning visit to the festival is that the shops, boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops that were typically bustling with shoppers were quiet. Even the art galleries, that were located steps behind the crisp white artists tents were quiet.

I first started to seriously think about the impact of festivals after we moved to Toronto. Toronto summers consist of one festival after another. There is always something to do, somewhere to go, something to see - making it almost impossible to take in even a small percentage of what the city and the cultural scene has to offer. Living in Leslieville, we are within easy walking distance of the Beaches International Jazz Festival. As I watch the crowds of people streaming past our house on the way to the festival and then loudly staggering home at the end of the night, I have often wandered what is the role of art festivals? Who attends these events? Why do they attend?

Are the thousands of individuals attending an event like the Beaches International Jazz Festival doing so because they are interested in, or love jazz? Do they even care that it is jazz? Or are they going because it is an event, something fun and different to do, a great place to people watch, or to simply meet up with friends. Or has attending festivals just become part of our summer culture?

When I started my PhD last fall, I decided that I was going to look at festivals, particularly visual art festivals, and more specifically contemporary art festivals such as biennials. I am interested in how festivals animate public spaces and engage the public. However, I am also interested in how festivals impact and engage their audiences, if they create new audiences for the arts and how these events function within the context of the existing arts infrastructure of a city.

I want to believe that art festivals are about the art, are about dialogue, engagement, and communication. However, I also know that festivals are big business. They bring in sponsorship dollars, encourage tourism, promote civic branding and are touted as having myriad economic spin offs. I think the secret is in the balance.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

One cannot deny the popularity of outdoor art events. This morning, the 48th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (TOAE) opened on Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto. There are 503 artists listed in the program representing a range of media, styles and in price ranges that work within any budget.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto
July 10, 2009

Since moving to Toronto in 2004, I have made an effort to attend the TOAE each year. The TOAE is a non-profit organization, with a committed and hard-working board of directors a small skeletal staff and of course a group of enthusiastic and helpful event volunteers. Having lived in and traveled through various cities across North America I have visited numerous outdoor art sales, festivals, exhibitions and events. In my view, the TOAE continues to be one of the best.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto
July 10, 2009

The success of the TOAE lies in the balanced mix of artists and artworks on exhibit and in strong local and regional representation. As a juried exhibition, the work is of consistently good to high quality where no one style or media prevails. In my race through the exhibition this morning, I did not detect any pervasive trend, as was evident in some previous years (resin coated paintings and photographs, encaustic, photographs of abandoned buildings, etc.). However, racing through is not the way to go! There is a lot of interesting work here, and therefore, you need time to really appreciate and take in all there is to see.

Peter A. Barelkowski, Untitled Art Square, 2008
6" x 6"
Purchased at Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2008

For me, the one thing that really sets the TOAE apart from most outdoor art exhibitions is the student area. This is always my favorite part and my first stop. This year the student area is located in the Blue North and South sections, on the west side of City Hall. The student work is always fresh, interesting and typically pushes boundaries. Unlike some of the more seasoned artists, who understandably utilize the exposure of the TOAE to sell work, the work the students bring is often more focused on ideas, experimentation, and creation and not so focused on commercial viability or saleability. Outside of the college or university setting, this is often the first time many of these student artists have shown their work, and is one of the best places to spot and start collecting the work of these artists.

Pete Adam Kasprzak, Unititled Art Square, 2009
6" x 6"
Purchased at Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2009

Another of my favorite stops is always the Art Squares. Artists participating in the TOAE are encouraged to donate a small 6" x 6" work. Each work is priced at $30, with the proceeds of the sales supporting the TOAE Futures Fund. I love seeing what various artists choose to do within the confines of a 6 inch square and it is a great way to add to your art collection and also support the TOAE. The Art Squares go fast, as collectors in the know line up to grab work by their favorite artists. I tend to look for work that catches my attention, but is by an artist whose work I do not already know. Last year I purchased a wonderful little work by Peter Barelkowski, and this year a painting by Pete Kasprzak.

Uros Jelic, Safety First, 2009
Mixed Media on Canvas 18" x 24"

My husband and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary this week. We purchased our first piece of art in a little gallery in Banff on our honeymoon and each year we typically purchase a work of art rather than buying each other gifts. This morning I found a painting by Uros Jelic that I knew Phil would love. The work was entitled Safety First and as he is an Occupational Epidemiologist, interested in occupational health and safety, this work was perfect.

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition continues through Sunday, July 12, 2009 at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto. Admission is free. Hours are: Saturday 10:30 am - 7:30 pm and Sunday 10:30 am - 6:30 pm.

Thoughts on Museum Architecture - Libeskind's ROM and DAM

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by architecture. However, it was in 1976 when Arthur Erickson's Museum of Anthropology opened on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, that I first became aware of the integral relationship between the building form and the use of the space.

Arthur Erickson, Simon Fraser University, 1963
Burnaby, BC
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/8880112.jpg

I have to admit that I have had a long-standing love affair with Arthur Erickson's work. It began when I first visited Simon Fraser University as a child, was rekindled with the opening of the Museum of Anthropology and the Law Courts and Robson Square. I spent a year working for my father selling seating to food service and hospitality clients. One of my responsibilities was updating literature files for architects and interior designers. I admit - I became somewhat of a stalker. I am sure the librarian in Arthur Erickson's office was on to me, as I dutifully found any excuse possible to visit the office to just check in to see if they needed any information or additional literature. Could I drop off samples, colour swatches, etc.? I wanted to see what they were working on, but mostly I hoped to just happen to meet Arthur Erickson.

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC is still one of my favorite museum buildings. The setting is extraordinary and I still find the majestic quality of the Great Hall breath-taking. As an art history and anthropology student the open visible storage system made research and study so much easier and much more interesting.

Arthur Erickson, Museum of Anthropology, 1976
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/facultystaff/photos/images/08ubc.jpg

As a graduate student I did most of my research in museums and art galleries. I began to understand the unique needs of museum buildings. How they have to meet the needs of the public, while safe-guarding and displaying the art and other collections; but at the same time house the research, administrative, storage and other back-of-house needs of the staff and institution.

My first art museum job was with OneWest Contemporary Art Centre, now the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art. Housed in a beautiful 1912 Second Renaissance Revival former post office the building had its share of challenges. However, the public loved the building, and artists continue to be inspired by the grand historic space.

Paul Merrick, Canadian Craft & Design Museum,
Vancouver, BC
http://www.findfamilyfun.com/craftmuseum1a.jpg

Each museum I have directed has had its share of building issues and concerns. There is never enough storage, the gallery spaces could always be a bit bigger or a bit smaller, the offices are too small, the roof leaks, or the work spaces are inadequate. Simply put our needs change, buildings get old, and budgets are limited.

Arata Isozaki, Entrance to Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 1986
Los Angeles, CA
http://radio.weblogs.com/0101365/images/photos/mocaEntrance.jpg

I remember the excitement within the Denver art community, in 2000, during the final selection process for the architect for the Denver Art Museum expansion. The pool had been narrowed down to three: Arata Isozaki, Thom Mayne, and Daniel Libeskind. It seemed as if the entire Denver art community came out to hear the three finalists speak. Of the three, I was most familiar with Isozaki's work and loved how the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles functioned as a contemporary art space. Every show I had seen at MOCA looked fabulous. The architecture supported the art, it did not compete with it. The spaces were simple, elegant and easy to flow through and the public seemed to engage with both the museum and the surrounding public space.

Daniel Libeskind, Denver Art Museum, 2006
Denver, CO
http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/typo3temp/pics/6d72ef2f81.jpg

Thom Mayne was passionate, direct, honest. He had that confident, but laid-back west coast air about him. I felt you could trust him to build a really great space for not only the art, but for the city and people of Denver. Arata Isozaki was just as I imagined he would be. He was eloquent, gracious and humble. He understood that the art museum was about 'ART.' He spoke of creating a space that would allow the art to breathe, to be seen, to be contemplated and appreciated. The curators amongst us, all knew that his was the kind of space we wanted to curate in. The artists we were sitting with, all wanted to exhibit their work in the space Isozaki described. Daniel Libeskind's presentation was diametrically opposed to Isozaki. Libeskind was charismatic, engaged and excited. He talked about his work, his vision, his building, his art. How he was inspired by the Rocky Mountains and how his building / his sculpture would capture the essence of the mountains and bring them into the city. He talked about angles and shafts of light.

Daniel Libeskind, View of Roof from 4th Floor Hallway, 2007
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

The selection committee seemed mesmerized. No one could deny the charismatic confidence of Libeskind. The images of the Jewish Museum in Berlin he showed us were captivating. As sculpture, Libeskind's designs are brilliant. But we all looked at one another and wondered "But where do you hang the art?"

Daniel Libeskind, Bloor St. Entrance, Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 2007
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

Last Friday, I visited the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal for my first real serious visit since it re-opened two years ago. I have to admit that I still have not gotten past the comments Libeskind made that day in Denver - that his buildings don't need art, they are art. So, in fairness, I have not given his Crystal much of a chance. I also have an issue with how closely the Denver Art Museum (DAM) expansion and the Royal Ontario Museum expansion resemble one another. According to the DAM website the "... design recalls the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and geometric rock crystals found in the foothills near Denver. "I was inspired by the light and the geology of the Rockies, but most of all by the wide-open faces of the people of Denver." For the ROM, Libeskind was inspired by the museum's gem and mineral collections.

Daniel Libeskind, Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 2007
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal has generated discourse and debate across the city. Everyone seems to have an opinion about whether they love it or hate it, with few individuals being ambivalent. I was leaning more to the "hate it" camp, until I visited it last fall to take photos for a presentation I was giving. I needed images to illustrate the point I was making about "starchitects." I did not have time to visit the museum that day, so restricted my photographic exploration to the exterior.

Daniel Libeskind, Bloor St. Entrance, Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 2007
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

A curious thing happened as I took the photos - I started to appreciate how the mirrored surfaces reflected the street-scape. The Crystal, which from some angles appears to be attacking the original building and encroaching on the street, is actually animating the street at some level. As I stood there with my camera, strangers approached me and asked me what I thought about the building, and shared their opinions with me. I found it fascinating that this building, this Crystal, was making complete strangers discuss architecture with one another. I wondered, how can that be a bad thing?

ELICSER / Elicser Elliot ( 4 x 4' Tall House), EGR / Erica Gosich Rose (4 x 4' Tall House), GENE STARSHIP / Gene Pendon (4 x 4' Tall House)
DSTRBO/ Dan Buller (6 x 6' Medium House), EVOKE / Patrick Thompson (Expansion / Contraction) 2008
Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

So, last Friday I decided it was time to experience the space for myself. Okay, in actual fact, it was the last weekend of Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter which I had wanted to see, but it was also a good reason to really check out the space.

Daniel Libeskind, Stair of Wonders
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

As I wanted to experience the space, I decided to take the stairs up to the 4th floor galleries. I have to admit that I was put off by the title over the doorway - Stair of Wonders. It just seemed a little too forced. The staircase did feel a bit like being inside a crystalline form, and from certain vantage points the angles were interesting, if not stunning. Embedded in the walls of the landings were elongated crystalline forms that contained various collections of insects and toy soldiers.

Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, Level 4
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

Navjot Altat, Untitled, 2002
Sir Christopher Ondaatje South Asian Gallery
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, Level 2
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

The ROM houses a number of very impressive collections. There are some absolutely outstanding works in the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume, as well as in the Sir Christopher Ondaatje South Asian Gallery. However, I could not get past how the architecture of the space competed with the objects and artifacts on exhibit. I found it difficult to focus on the stunning objects as they competed for attention with the strong geometric angles of the walls and ceiling.

James and Louis Temerty Galleries of the Age of the Dinosaurs
Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, Level 2
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

I have never been a fan of the diorama school of museum display, however the dinosaurs housed in the James and Louis Temerty Galleries of the Age of the Dinosaurs looked awkward and out of place in the contemporary geometry of the gallery.

Daniel Libeskind, Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 2007
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

As a work of sculptural architecture, Libeskind's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal is rather stunning. As an event space it would be dramatic and it was easy to find vantage points that allow for fabulous photographic images of the space. However, I had hoped to find a space that really worked for me as a gallery. An area where the work or objects were complemented, or enhanced by the architecture.

FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron

One of Twenty digital portraits from The Unaddressed 2009
Housepaint & CONTACT 2009
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

With the exception of Dan Bergeron / FAUXREEL's figures from The Unaddressed series, I did not find one. Bergeron's figures placed in awkward corners, and unused spaces of the ROM, enhanced the experience of his work which deals with poverty and homelessness. In this vast, sculptural space Bergeron's figures felt small, out-of-place, and forgotten. How different is this from how the homeless and poor are treated outside the walls of the museum?

Alsop Architects, Sharp Centre for Design, 2004
Ontario College of Art & Design
Toronto, ON

I am thrilled that Toronto is getting excited about architecture. I love Wil Alsop's Sharp Centre for Design at OCAD. It is fun, creative, bold, and imaginative, just as one would hope an art school would be. Diamond and Schmitt's Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts sits like a glass jewel on the corner of Queen and University. The space is elegant, simple and functional. Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg built on the architectural strength and modernist tradition of the original Gardiner Museum creating a beautiful minimalist addition with inviting and functional interior spaces. Great architecture is more than just great space, great ideas, great form and fabulous materials, it is also about creating an interesting, exciting and usable envelope for the activities that must function within.

Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter @ the Royal Ontario Museum

It is the final weekend of the Institute of Contemporary Culture's current exhibition Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Curated by Devon Ostrom this provocative and stunning exhibition deals with the difficult issue of poverty and homelessness bringing together some of Canada's best street artists: Cant 4 / Amanda Marie, Case / Ryan Mackeen, Dixon / Juan Carols Noria, Dstrbo / Dan Butler, EGR / Erica Fosich Rose, Elicser Elliot, Evoke / Patrick Thompson, Fauxreel / Dan Bergeron, Gene Pendon / Gene Starship, Other / Derek Shamus Mehaffey, and Specter / Gabriel Reese.

FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron
One of Twenty digital portraits from The Unaddressed 2009
Housepaint & CONTACT 2009
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

The first exhibition of Street Art presented by a major Canadian museum, Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter brings the vibrancy, spontaneity, accessibility, social consciousness and collaboration inherent in street art into the museum. Street art is public art at its most intuitive and fundamental level. Humans have had a long standing interest in drawing, painting, or mark making on surfaces or in public places without first asking permission. Street art is one of the oldest forms of art and can be traced back to early cave drawings.

SPECTOR / Gabriel Reese, Scrap Condo, 2009
Housepaint
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter brings the political / social discourse that has traditionally identified and defined street art into the museum. Housepaint at Tent City: Phase 1 was commissioned by Luminato Toronto Festival of the Arts and Creativity in collaboration with Manifesto Community Projects as part of StreetScape 2008. The original Housepaint project curated by Devon Ostrom brought together this group of street artists over 3 days in June 2008 on the now vacant site of Tent City. Each artist painted a simplified canvas house designed to commemorate the Tent City residents and homeless people who have died on Toronto streets.

GENE STARSHIP / Gene Pendon (4 x 4' Tall House), EGR / Erica Gosich Rose (4 x 4' Tall House), ELICSER / Elicser Elliot ( 4 x 4' Tall House), CASE / Ryan Mackeen 4 x 4' Tall House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

The sizes of the ten houses were based on the approximate income levels of individuals living in Toronto: two low-income, two high-income and six middle-class homes. The original 2008 installation was fenced off with construction fencing and the fences were covered with 560 small 12'x12' canvases painted by Daser, one of Canada's first graffiti artists. On the back of each canvas was the name of one person who died in Toronto due to lack of shelter.

EGR / Erica Gosich Rose (4 x 4' Tall House), ELICSER / Elicser Elliot ( 4 x 4' Tall House), CASE / Ryan Mackeen 4 x 4' Tall House)
DSTRBO/ Dan Buller (6 x 6' Medium House), ROYAL / DIXON - Juan Carlos Noria (6 x 6' Medium House), EVOKE / Patrick Thompson (6 x 6' Medium House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

For Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter the ten houses have been transplanted into the Roloff Beny Gallery on the 4th floor of the Royal Ontario Museum. The installation is stunning, although oddly juxtaposed against the angles of Libeskind's Crystal. Together the canvas houses make a powerful and poignant statement on the state of poverty and homelessness in Toronto, in Canada and worldwide. Individually they are beautiful works of art, each with a personal but sadly universal message.

DSTRBO/ Dan Buller (6 x 6' Medium House), ROYAL / DIXON - Juan Carlos Noria (6 x 6' Medium House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

The houses hold at once a sense of hope, but also hopelessness. This is the power of street art, or any form of art that is socially or politically motivated. It forces us to think about who we are and our place in the world. The vibrant colours, the exquisite drawings and the painterly quality on most of these houses is visually stimulating and exciting, however, I would hope that this work challenges the viewer to think beyond the surface of the canvas.

FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron
One of Twenty digital portraits from The Unaddressed 2009
Housepaint & CONTACT 2009
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

I still remember a conversation I had with a City of Vancouver social worker after I moved into my loft in Gastown, in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. I asked her what can I do that would really make a difference to the all too many homeless individuals I encountered each day on my way to work, when walking my dog, or just running daily errands. I remember her telling me one of the most important things I or any of us can do is treat everyone no matter who they are with respect. This sounds so easy, so simple, but do we do it? Do we always do it? Her other comment that sticks with me to this day, and one that I will never forget is that we are all just a thread away from being homeless or impoverished. I heard many stories as I got to know my homeless neighbours. Many of these individuals were really no different than you or I, others came from backgrounds where they never really had a chance.

OTHER/ Derek Shamus Mehaffey (11 x 8' Large House), CANT 4 / Amanda Marie (3 x 3' Small House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Housepaint Phase 2: Shelter challenges us and forces us to think about these issues. Who are these "unaddressed" individuals depicted by FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron? And what are they saying about the state of poverty and homelessness?

FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron
One of Twenty digital portraits from The Unaddressed 2009
Housepaint & CONTACT 2009
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Like the figures that appear on the walls in various spaces and corners of the museum, or seen on empty storefronts, alleyways, or walls in and around Toronto during CONTACT 2009, the homeless and those living in poverty are living amongst us. He has placed these images and the messages they hold like panhandling signs to confront us and confront our perceptions.

FAUXREEL / Dan Bergeron
One of Twenty digital portraits from The Unaddressed 2009
Housepaint & CONTACT 2009
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

This exhibition closes this Sunday, July 5, 2009. I wish I had made the effort to see it earlier, to talk about it and discuss it. It is an exhibit that deserves and demands more than one visit.

LEASE/ Lisa Mansfield (3 x 3' Small House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Like the street art, on which it is formed and based, the exhibit evolved and changed over the six months it was on view, with elements such as SPECTOR / Gabriel Reese's Scrap Condo and EVOKE / Patrick Thompson's Expansion / Contraction that were completed on-site.

DSTRBO/ Dan Buller (6 x 6' Medium House), ROYAL / DIXON - Juan Carlos Noria (6 x 6' Medium House), EVOKE / Patrick Thompson (6 x 6' Medium House) 2008
EVOKE / Patrick Thompson Expansion / Contraction 2008 - 09 on back wall
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

The individual house panels will be auctioned off to support Habitat for Humanity. Originally planned as a live auction, this event has moved on-line so that all of the money raised can go directly to this worthwhile cause.

EVOKE / Patrick Thompson (6 x 6' Medium House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

The Housepaint for Habitat auction contains 52 lots and bidding starts at the very affordable price of $150 for some works. The auction closes August 4, 2009 at 4 pm.

ELICSER / Elicser Elliot ( 4 x 4' Tall House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom

Not only can you support Habitat for Humanity Toronto in helping to give Toronto families a fresh start, but you also have the opportunity to collect work by some of Canada's most talented and important street artists.

EGR / Erica Gosich Rose (4 x 4' Tall House), ELICSER / Elicser Elliot ( 4 x 4' Tall House), CASE / Ryan Mackeen 4 x 4' Tall House) 2008
Housepaint, Institute of Contemporary Culture
Roloff Beny Gallery, 4th Floor
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
December 13, 2008 - Juy 5, 2009
Curated by Devon Ostrom