Installation view of The Sex Show at Gallery 1313
The Sex Show defines “sex” as an ambiguous word, a range that encompasses all the connotations arising from experience and fantasies; its politics and history; and, above all, the expansive range of feelings and private memories which intimacy stirs within oneself. The artists exhibited at Gallery 1313’s annual The Sex Show explored these reactions, presenting diverging definitions of “sex” in grasping the essence of feelings like comfort, limerence, courtship, envy, magic, and pure sensual pleasure.
David Theron, Interwine, 2026, mixed media
The subject of these works transcends the usual connotations of the word and the act of sex itself: some depict nude muses or self-portraits; the “natural” aspect is observed through flesh-like textures and depictions of literal birds and bees; others assemble text and collage to create new, suggestive images.
Kate Greenway, Gardening Tips, 2026, collage, watercolour
Others produced avant-garde sculptures to materialize their experiences and ideals, like the readymade American Heavy Metal (2025) by Kiara Harrigan and Untitled (2025) by Hamed Morovati, a make-shift disco relic (appropriately priced and sold at $69).
Harrigan repurposed the handlebars and the exhaust pipes of a Harley Davidson into poetry, with one of the two pipes inscribed with half of the verse “You & me til the / Wheels fall off!” which the artist pulled from a 1995 personal ad reading, “Heavily inked & pierced NYC riot girrrl looking for butch lover. I love to get messed up, get wild & get off. I need an accomplice. Hey baby, you & me ’til the wheels fall off! WRITE: Box #013”. When displayed together, the exhaust pipes convey a message of commitment in a relationship. However, when separated, one captures the idealization of a lasting partnership, while the other stakes the heartbreaking yet often inevitable conclusion– or, in another interpretation, the thrill of a long night.
Kiera Harrigan, American Heavy Metal, 2025, mixed media, motorcycle exhaust pipes
On the other hand, Morovati’s Untitled mythologizes sex by combining the aesthetics of an archaeological find, like a stone tablet, and kitsch in lining the inside of the phallic silhouette with mirror tiles, adding a simultaneously enigmatic and playful element to the word “sex”.
Hamed Morovati, Untitled, 2025, mixed media
Still, the piece that immediately catches the viewer’s eye is The Spine Knows When It’s Safe (2025) by Carmen Mahave. This sculpture is cast directly from the body of the artist’s partner, without any corrections or alterations. In the work’s statement, the artist explains that the focus on the back is intended to evoke feelings of trust and unconditional love, as this body part is vulnerable and one that her partner will never fully see for himself. The cascade of hair that runs down the spine recalls the sensation of a lover’s hand softly gliding down the back – satisfying the longing for the rush of anxiety that comes with being touched by someone you love. Through this work, the artist captures the feelings of tenderness, connection, desire and unconditionality, which are synonymous with the word “sex.”
Carmen Mahave, The Spine Knows When It’s Safe, 2025, mixed media, silicone, human hair
By selecting works that other galleries might find too explicit, The Sex Show takes intentional risks, allowing curator Phil Anderson to create a safe environment for a sincere, intimate, and opinionated dialogue with viewers. Anderson, who has been curating the show for the past 30 years, states that this initiative is consistent across all shows. As for the curatorial process, he focuses on provoking conversation and illustrating diversity of understanding, both visually and conceptually. While the content changes annually, The Sex Show’s visual strength lies in its consistent presentation of vulnerability, audacity and diversity.
Installation view of The Sex Show at Gallery 1313
I invite viewers to explore this show to reflect on the various synonyms of “sex,” which can provide a deep, introspective solo experience or a meaningful conversation with a partner. The exhibition runs until February 15th – so consider including it in your Valentine’s Day plans.
Antonella Pecora Ruiz
Images are courtesy of Gallery 1313.
*Exhibition information: The Sex Show, February 4 – 15, 2026, Gallery 1313, 1313 Queen St West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 1 – 5 pm, Sunday 1 – 4 pm.