Destruction is Creation
Walking into a construction area is not ideal. It’s overwhelming, filled with bright lights, loud machinery, and in a constant state of disorder. Viz Saraby brings this setting to Gallery 1313’s Cell Gallery, but with a purpose. Chaos is taken and reshaped into a creative force, encapsulating the philosophy of “Conefusionism”. Here, confusion, fragmentation, and ambiguity are not destructive forces, but rather, forces of creation.
The cones, a recurring motif throughout the show (and perhaps different variants of the “Conefusionism” mascot simply named Cone), serves as a metaphor for this idea. They are more than just mere objects wearing different hats and coloured differently, but rather, they represent the disordered process by which new forms and ideas emerge. In “Conefusionism”, the cone’s inherent impermanence and workplace instability mirror the unpredictability of the creative process, but also, the city of Toronto itself. Many of Toronto’s safe spaces have been closed down in favour of more infrastructure and condos around the city. For instance, many LGBTQ+ post-pandemic have been closed down, either due to the crippling economic effects of the pandemic or the city’s relentless pursuit of more luxury condos. The instability that we face on a daily basis is brought to the forefront, and in a more controlled and “safe” environment, despite the fact that you have to sign a waiver before even entering the exhibit!
Saraby seems to imbue each cone with a sense of humor and diversity. They are all characters in Cone’s narrative, where we follow it around the city where it falls into potholes or even looks “inward” on itself. One cone wears a teapot for a hat, blending domesticity with absurdity; another wears a wheel, evoking a sense of confusion that is almost Magritte-like. But what’s most interesting is the big fluffy orange cone in the center of the gallery, where viewers are invited to touch it, breaking the boundary between the observer and the object, but also, creating a clever commentary on safe spaces themselves. The fluffy cone evokes this–it’s comforting, but also raises questions about the intentions behind the system that put them in place.
This playful engagement seemed to soften my sense of confusion, just like my brief conversation with Viz Saraby during the reception. I asked her about her piece right on the floor in front of the gallery that she deemed as “city checkers”; a black-and-white checkerboard with cones on one side and pieces of trash on the other. When I asked Viz about this piece, she simply said, “It’s a game between the two biggest issues in Toronto – who’s going to win? The overwhelming amount of construction, or the trash overflowing in our streets?”. The interactivity in this part of the exhibit is what I found fun. No matter what, you’re always going to get a different outcome when one side “wins”, but neither feels very victorious.
The exhibit also features hand-crafted road signs that reinterpret the ones we encounter in everyday life. Instead of typical arrows, the cones now point the way. Stop signs, usually a command to halt, now become permissive and inviting, encouraging viewers to extend a hand rather than use it to push people away. One particular sign in this exhibit creates a sense of whimsy and serendipity, with its winding twists and turns on a sign that typically only portrays two different directions. This sign now has several twists, turns, and paths, encouraging viewers to follow their own unique path and embrace wherever it may lead. These signs transform the familiar into something fresh and cheeky, evoking a sense of community and belonging. This is just another way that Saraby has turned an everyday object into something new and playful.
This exhibit becomes a meditation on how creation and destruction are not opposites, but rather, two sides of the same coin. It is playful and tongue-in-cheek goodness that everyone will enjoy interacting with. Whether you’re spinning the wheel trying to figure out which cone you are or watching the videos of Cone’s adventures, this exhibit challenges us to rethink our relationship with uncertainty around us.
Victoria Filippo
Images are all Installation views of Viz Saraby, Conestruction. Courtesy of the artist.
*Exhibition information: Viz Saraby, Conestruction, October 10 – 20, 2024, Gallery 1313, 1313 Queen Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Sat 1 – 5 pm, Sun 1 – 4 pm.