The art and design scene in Toronto and elsewhere
It’s a parking lot which regularly shows some artistic surprises. This time Israeli artist, ILIT AZOULAY, has created a complex photomontage of unrelated everyday objects and curiosities found here and there around the house.
Ms. Azoulay’s work can be found in the Centre Pompidou, PARIS; Shpilman Institute for Photography in TEL AVIV; and JERUSALEM’s Israel Museum. Until August 18 at 952 Queen Street West.
MOCCA (the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art) recently hosted a major photography exhibition, “Collected Shadows”. It consisted of 200 striking images from the Archive of Modern Conflict.
The Archive of Modern Conflict is based in TORONTO and LONDON. Privately owned by TORONTO collector, DAVID THOMSON, there have been few public glimpses into its holdings, which amount to an astronomic 4 million photographs and it continues to grow.
“Collected Shadows” was assembled in LONDON, and debuted at PARIS PHOTO this year. It was curated by TIMOTHY PRUS. The Archive of Modern Conflict has become one of the world’s largest collections of vintage photography.
Torontonians like ‘painting the town’. People beautify their neighbourhoods often at their own expense, by painting and planting, sponsoring panoramic murals, brightening up laneways, creating sculpture. cleaning vacant lots, etc. In a tangible way this makes our big city more of a small town. The art isn’t all museum-quality, but folks have made a real effort – and that counts. Just another reason why I love living here.
<PHOTOS – Givins Avenue, Yorkville, Rosedale, Leslieville, Shaw Street, Adelaide Street, Beverley Street, St. James Town, University of Toronto, Ossington laneway>
TORONTO’s annual month-long photography extravaganza is on now in museums, galleries, subway stations, and on the street – in neighbourhoods across town. A 215 page glossy catalogue (BELOW) lists 125 venues, easily reachable by public transport, along with special events, fllms, installations and speakers.
A few of the exhibits: 1) Martin Parr’s images of ‘Food’, along King St. West at John; 2) ‘Military Shirts, Moscow’, David Hlynsky, De Luca Fine Art Gallery; 3) Arnaud Maggs at Ryerson’s Image Centre; 4) ‘Queer Photographs – Rae’, JJ Levine, Gladstone Hotel Art Bar & Gallery 44.
<PHOTOGRAPH – Ross Winter>
“The Little House’, 128 Day Avenue in the Earlescourt neighbourhood, was built in 1912 by contractor ARTHUR WEEDEN. An Englishman who came to Canada in 1902, Mr. Weeden became one of the early builders in TORONTO’s West End. Originally the lot was destined to be a laneway, but when that didn’t happen he decided to make use of the land – and construct one of our city’s first laneway houses.
Arthur Weeden and his wife lived at #128 for 20 years. When Mrs. Weeden died, Mr. Weeden remained in the ‘Little House’ for another 6 years. Maria Lee Carta recorded a song about the house in 2008. It’s available on YouTube.
Little House website: http://thelittlehouse.ca
There are several other tiny houses in TORONTO, but this one is the smallest. Some others are on Craven Road, Gerrard Street East, Sword Street, Shuter Street and Sydenham Street.
<‘Wall Drawing 1100, Concentric Bands’, Pier F, Terminal 1, Pearson International Airport>
SOL LEWITT (1928-2007), is a Connecticut-born artist who worked in a wide range of media – drawing, printmaking, photography and painting. He was part of hundreds of exhibitions around the world. One of the largest permanent exhibits of Mr. LeWitt’s work is in MASSMoca, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in NORTH ADAMS.
LUIS JACOB, who lives and works in Parkdale, has added glitz to the West End with his shimmering mosaic “Spirits of the Grotto”. The “grotto” in this case is the Dufferin Underpass, connecting Dufferin to Queen Street West. Depicted are the eyes of an owl, a snake, pairs of disco balls and coins – referencing the Parkdale neighbourhood you’re passing through.
LUIS JACOB: “I worked with two amazing teams of people, one in Montreal and the other in Toronto. The metalwork was done by the folks at Punchclock Studio, on Sorauren Avenue, who developed a totally ingenious design for the metal structure. In Montreal I worked with the folks at Mosaika, who produced the beautiful glasswork. I was honoured to work with such dedicated pros!”
Eight TORONTO buildings received Ontario Association of Architects Design Excellence Awards this week . . .
PHOTOS – 1) Centre for Green Cities, Evergreen Brick Works, Diamond & Schmitt Architects; 2) Division 11 Police Station, Stantec Architecture & ERA Architects; 3) Regent Park Aquatic Centre, MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects; 4) Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, KPMB Architects; 5) Ryerson Image Centre, Diamond & Schmitt Architects.
Other winners: 6) Cedarvale Ravine House, Drew Mandel Architects; 7) House on the Bluffs, Taylor Smyth Architects; 8) and the Stone Residence, Hagy Belzberg Architect
