There was already a crowd upon entering the foyer of TIAF in the early Friday afternoon. Schoolbuses deposited students from OCAD U and other universities, people lined up for tickets. TIAF, in its 15th year, became really popular – an art event not to miss.
Photo: Brinae Bain
On the top of the escalator the installation titled Pavillion of Blind greats the visitors with its confusing visuality. At first sight, it looks like a Home Depot store room, but when its multisensory machinery kicks in and it starts moving and producing many different visions, you can gasp the artists’ intentions.
The print for MOCCA’s benefit has a very strong, surrealistic tone.
Mocca Benefit Edition: Valérie Blass, No regarde pas II, 2014, 13 x 19 inches, digital print on matte paper, edition of 25 unique prints. Courtesy of the Artist and Parisian Laundry, Montreal
At the front we can see the work of RBC Canadian Painting Competition winners. Then we see this urban forest of about 100 booths of art galleries and organizations, overwhelming even at first sight. Just looking at them makes you dizzy. It is always a hard decision what method to follow, go straight to the end in a vertical way or criss-cross horizontally. I start horizontally in the right side corner then go straight in the first lane. My policy is not to look at the sign of the gallery but at the art work only. Something very strong with burning red catches my eyes on the right side and I think, “vow, isn’t it a bit too much” and I keep walking but somehow after three more booths, I turn back. There is something intriguing about that painting. It turns out to be Steve Driscoll’s Seared by the Sun and I am not surprised to learn that is already sold. As I turn into the booth there is Jamie Angell of Angell Gallery, standing in front of Kim Dorland’s large painting, Bedroom #3, depicting the artist’s wife on their bed. Kim Dorland, one of Toronto’s most interesting painters, currently has a show on at Angell Gallery, running untill November 8th. Angell has a unique taste and is a risk taker; noone really knew Dorland when Angell took him as a gallery artist and now he is one of the best sellers. Gavin Lynch and Rafael Ochoa, Angell’s newest artists are also doing well on the fair.
Angell Gallery with Steve Driscoll, Seared by the Sun. Photo: Brinae Bain
Jamie Angell of Angell Gallery, with Kim Dorland’s large painting, Bedroom #3. Photo: Brinae Bain
I leave Angell’s booth on the other side and – there goes my methodical walking plan – so I just walk and look and enjoy the art works.
MA2 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Nicholas Di Genova’s installation, LE Gallery, Toronto. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Works by Attila Richard Lukacs and Angela Grossmann, Winsor Gallery, Vancouver. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Pari Nadimi Gallery’s booth is unusual too, showing works that are not typically displayed at fairs, like some dirty boots, a video piece by David Rokeby, Machine for Taking Time. The two lenticular images by George Legrady seems to be different from each angle you view them, so you can enjoy at least eight different pictures. In the center of the gallery there is a funny little group by Sarah Farndon, that is very popular. Pari Nadimi Gallery is also celebrating its 15th anniversary in its newly renovated large space on Niagara Street.
Pari Nadimi of the Pari Nadimi Gallery with work of Trevor Mahovsky (left) and Rhonda Weppler (right). Photo: Brinae Bain
Exhibition view with Sarah Farndon’s work, Pari Nadimi Gallery. Photo: Brinae Bain
Two exhibitors share a very colorful booth: Laura Ortiz Vega of Antena Estudio from Mexico city and Noah Antieau of Red Truck Gallery from New Orleans. It is the fifth year at TIAF for Ortiz Vega, who really likes Toronto and who is quite satisfied with the sales at this fair. For Antieau, this is the first year here. The two of them met a year ago in Chicago and connected right away beceause of their love for folk art, so they decided to share a booth at TIAF.
Laura Ortiz Vega of Antena Estudio with her work. Photo: Brinae Bain
Noah Antieau of Red Truck Gallery. Photo: Brinae Bain
I try to put some order back into my wandering and get to the NEXT section when I run into Paul Petro. His gallery was one of the first I started to visit when I came to Toronto many years ago. Paul Petro Contemporary Art has a large place in TIAF and it is intricately planned. The display starts with Molinari’s painting on the back and continues with more geometric compositions, while on the side Carol Wainio’s large, fairy tale like painting covers the whole side wall. Its greyish tones complimented by Tom Dean’s Peaceable Kingdom, an idealistic depiction of peace between animals.
Paul Petro of Paul Petro Contemporary Art in front of Carol Wainio’s painting. Photo: Brinae Bain
Peaceable Kingdom by artist Tom Dean at the Paul Petro Contemporary Art Gallery. Photo: Brinae Bain
Back to NEXT, I walk through the small booths of emerging galleries that occupy this section, Neubacher Shor Contemporary and Robert Kananaj from Toronto, Gurevich Fine Art from Winnipeg among them.
Robert Kananaj of Robert Kananaj Gallery. Photo: Brinae Bain
Mitch Billinkoff of Gurevich Fine Art with Elder Brothers by Buffy Sainte-Marie. Photo: Brinae Bain
Break Room by Thrush Holmes. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
I love photography so Stephen Bulger Gallery is always on my list. Bulger, besides being an excellent dealer, is also an amazing, charismatic teacher when it comes to photography. It is not a surprise that his booth is always crowded with people listening to his presentations. When asking him why all the displayed pieces are historical, he said, that luckily this year there is another art fair, Feature, when he can show the contemporary photographs of his collection. He, himself, rotated between the two places and was explaining images at TIAF on Friday, while doing the same at Feature on Saturday.
Stephen Bulger Gallery. Photo: Brinae Bain
Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Bruno Dahl Gallery, Ebeltoft, Denmark. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
Halcyon Art International, Pudong, Shanghai, China. Photo: Elena Iourtaeva
The talks and presentations were also well attended.
Bryne McLaughlin of Canadian Art Magazine, that celebrates its 30th anniversary, gave an energetic presentation in GENERATION(S) TALK. Photo: Brinae Bain
Lecture on Collecting with collectors: David Angelo, Beverly Creed, Alan Schwartz, Moderated by Christiane Fischer, CEO of AXA Americas. Photo: Brinae Bain
Text: Emese Krunak-Hajagos. Photo: Brinae Bain and Elena Iourtaeva
Featured image by Elena Iourtaeva