Attitude / Opening Reception

Opening Reception: October 24, 2013, 6 – 9 p.m.
Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts
678 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto

A joint venture between industrial designer Emelia Jojart and long-time artist Jonathan Bolyki gives birth to Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts, a new gallery space which opened on Sheppard Avenue East on October 24.

Jonathan Bolyki and Emelia Jojart  in their new space at 678 Sheppard Avenue East.

Although Jojart and Bolyki only began discussing the possibility of a partnership back in August, both share a fundamentally similar approach to their work; as a designer, Jojart likes to keep her interiors clean and fresh, with unexpected surges of colour, while Bolyki chooses to forgo extraneous detail in favour of thought-provoking, colour-rich contrasts.

Opening night at Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts.

With a look to use the new gallery space as a cultural bridge between Europe and Canada, Bolyki aims to show a varied roster of talent, introducing well-established European artists such as Agnes Szikra and Jozsef Baksai alongside emerging Canadian artists. While the gallery hopes to enable European figures to penetrate the North American market, new names on the Canadian scene will gain international exposure through sponsored residencies in Europe.

Explaining this desire for highlighting new talent alongside established, seasoned artists, Bolyki referred to one of his favourite paintings: “I love to create stark contrasts; the strong play of light against dark always makes the whole more interesting. This is exactly what I want to bring to this new space—to show emerging artists beside established artists, to create a dialogue that is heightened through contrast.”

Jonathan Bolyki, Remembrance, 2012, oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches.

For its inaugural show, Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts presents a solo exhibition of recent works by the artist, combining previously unseen pieces from both his Barn and Attitude series.

 Jonathan Bolyki with works from his recent series, Barns and Attitude.

Inspired by a serious conversation with his adult daughter, Attitude seeks to capture strong gestures and impassioned scenes from Bolyki’s own life, translating them with untamed strokes to trigger an emotional response in his viewers. Using his characteristically strong light and dark contrasts, the artist uses colour rather than detail to narrate these deeply human moments.

Jonathan Bolyki, Attitude, 2012, oil on canvas, 30 x 24”.

Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts has an attractive roster of shows for the season ahead. Following Emilia Jojart’s mandate, 20% of the gallery’s revenues will be donated to fund human rights initiatives in Ethiopia.

Exhibition dates: October 24 – November 26, 2013, Jonathan Bolyki Fine Arts, 678 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto. Gallery hours: Monday – Sunday 11 – 6 p.m.

Text and photo: Veronica Scarpati