UPCOMING:         Souped Up at Gallery TPW, Toronto        /         YTB at Momentum 12 in Moss, Norway


Marsya Maharani

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AN INDEX
Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto
July 25 - September 8, 2019

Works by Adria Mirabelli, Carrie Chisholm, David Constantino Salazar, Emily Woudenberg, Emma White, Eva Kolcze, Helen Liene Dreifelds, Humboldt Magnussen, Jennifer Dany Aubé, Jessica Thalmann, Jieun June Kim, Leone McComas, Liang Wang, Maren Boedeker, Nuff, Polymetis, Raoul Olou, Raquel Da Silva, Samar Hejazi, Sara Mozafari, Stephanie Avery, Su Bin Ee, Tanya Louise Workman, and Walter Segers

Co-curated with Marjan Verstappen
Graphics by Strike Design Studio
Photos by Yuula Benivolski
158 Sterling Road is a site of making: from its beginnings as a historic car parts factory, to an underground venue for raves and artist studios. Throughout the past year, the fourth floor of this building has served to extend this legacy by opening space for studios, residencies, as well as programs exploring art’s utilitarian role in contemporary society. In the context of the site’s histories, this exhibition features works by artists who have produced within this space. An Index makes visible the labours of artistic creation through an open and honest charting of the processes, challenges, delights, and failures of making art in the city.
On a neon blue background, a black-and-white 3D illustration of a circuit breaker cap, the kind that was produced at the historic factory at 158 Sterling Road. The cap swivels on a vertical axis.
GRAPHICS BY STRIKE DESIGN STUDIO

A photo of the start of the exhibition. In the middle of the image, a black vinyl text on a white wall lists the exhibition title and statement, as well as credits the artists and curators. On the left side of the image, a mural by Kim of a colourful dream world that animates a nook in the gallery with a large paned widow. On the right side of the image, a grey structural column is draped with an aluminum chainlinnk site-specific scupture.
MURAL BY JIEUN JUNE KIM

A photo of the south side of the gallery, taken from in the middle of a  gallery. In the foreground, two black headsets rest on a white bench in the centre of the room. An audio piece by Workman. Behind it, various artworks are displayed along the three walls of the gallery. Viewed from left to right in the photo: a TV is hung on eye-level, screening a black-and-white video work by Kolcze. On the white wall, a silvery vinyl text reads, quote, how to be with one another?, end quote. A TV monitor hangs low on the wall of the gallery centred between and below two big windows, screening an animated video by Nuff of a crystal-like landscape. A small black sculpture by Polymetis hangs from the ceiling, in the middle of the room. The wall on the right is dark grey. Against it, a red velvet chair and a stack of zines by Woudenberg. Grey sculptures scattered on the wall by Salazar. A sculptural installation featuring an aluminum door frame, bandages, and plants by Dreifelds.
LEFT TO RIGHT: KOLCZE, NUFF, POLYMETIS, WOUDENBERG, SALAZAR, DREIFELDS, FOREGROUND: WORKMAN

Closer view of the black three-dimensional sculpture by Polymetis. Its top surface is straight and smooth, but in contrast the rest of the sculpture is organic and reminiscent of landscape. Behind it, the black-and-white video of work by Kolcze depicts mountains and trees.
POLYMETIS, INVISIBLE GEOGRAPHIES AND KOLCZE, THE IMAGE IN THE STONE

From left to right, on a structural grey column, a sculptural assemblage by Dreifelds using an alumninum door frame, wire mesh scraps, bandages, and plants. On anoteher column to its right, another assemblage by the same artist made of black strapts, neon sculptures of body parts, and pulleys. A mural-like painting of a figure in red sweater by Olou. The white bench with black headphones for an audio work by Workman reappears.
L-R: DREIFELDS, OLOU, WORKMAN

Close-up of aluminum door frame assemblage by Dreifelds, showing a jasmine plant in a test tube secured by a black zip tie.
DETAIL OF MEANWHILE BY DREIFELDS

Close-up of neon orange assemblage by Dreifelds, showing partial casts of a hand and a foot in neon resting on a slab of stone and gravel with a jasmine flower. A stack of bubblewrap on the background.
DETAIL OF MEANWHILE BY DREIFELDS

On the grey floor, a silvery vinyl text reads, quote, and for one another?, end quote.
DIDACTIC

A photo of the north side of the gallery. Workman's audio piece on the white bench again in the centre foreground. Behind it, depicted from left to right, Dreifelds's black-straps, neon-sculpture assemblage on the grey column. Olou's painting of a figure in a professional and stylish clothing, holding a lunch bag. A mural and tryptich by McComas goes down a long hallway, depicting a figure seemingly in exploration of a dream-world construction site with aluminum beams. Dreifeld's assemblage of chainlink drapings on another grey structural column.
L-R: DREIFELDS, OLOU, WORKMAN, MCCOMAS, DREIFELDS


MURAL BY KIM


L-R: MAGNUSSEN, WORKMAN, HEJAZI, DREIFELDS


L-R: WOUDENBERG, SALAZAR, DREIFELDS, POLYMETIS

As the white wall meets the grey floor, a silvery vinyl text reads across the two surfaces, quote, how do we make space?, end quote.
DIDACTIC


L-R: THALMANN, MOZAFARI, EE


DIDACTIC


L-R: AVERY, MIRABELLI, SILVA


INTRO & CODA


CODA




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