Radiant Dark - Truly unique Canadian Design

THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
by Siya Chen



Amidst the tragedy of the Queen West fire, Radiant Dark premiered last night with a great party at the Burroughes Building 'round the Bathurst corner, celebrating a new page of Canadian modern design while collecting donations for our fellow Queen West fire victims.

Curated by MADE’s Shaun Moore and Julie Nicholson, the exhibit brought together the highest quality works of Canadian emerging modern designs all under one roof.



In this 6,000-square-foot space, you can find 70 pieces of unique designs, such as Andre Ooi's Origami pendant light, Jonathan Sabine's beaded shaped lamp, also strikingly organic yet modern pieces of wood like Agostinis & Harrison’s "Where Does Lumber Come From, Mommy?" - a bench with its carved plank seat emerging from a raw walnut stump. Oh, and Brit Olauson's "Flow" - a rocking chair that got our guests rocking at the party.



Most designs showcased at Radiant Dark are available for sale. If you fall in love with what you see in Radiant Dark, MADE is open all year around with new shows and new works on a monthly basis to keep you "wowing" and "wooing" for Canadian designs.

Radiant Dark is running through Feb 27, Mon-Sat Noon-7 p.m. Sat Noon-5 p.m, @Burroughs Building 639 Queen Street West (at Bathurst) Free admission.
Made is located at 867 Dundas St. West.

Toronto International Art Fair

Camilla Singh (MOCCA) and Simon Farrington (Paul Petro) in front of "Rose" by Jennifer Murphy | Nathalie Atkinson (fashion writer, National Post) in Tevrow and Chase, is seated on a mixed media installation by Emily Duke and Cooper Battersby

This year's 8th Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF)is far more interesting that last year! With a focus on vibrant, contemporary art, Toronto artists and dealers steal the limelight, although Montreal comes in a close second. Galerie Donald Brown was selling T-shirts by Sandeep Bhagwati whose artwork includes inscriptions like - "I have a religion exactly like yours, only a little better".

Remember, you don't need to be a Tannenbaum to buy art. Here's some advice on getting started.

Tips For Buying Art

1. Start small. Check out work sold on the walls of small cafes, holiday studio sales, or outdoor art shows. Artists selling in these venues often have small affordable works ranging from $30 - $300. Buying low priced gems is a great way to get your collection of to a quick start.

2. Always ensure that the work is archival. This means the work has been created and framed with materials that won't turn yellow, or start disintegrating!

3. Don't buy art for other people.

4. Buy for joy, not investment. If a painting you bought for $300 increases in value to $2000, and you'd rather have the painting than $2000, you've got a good deal.
5. If you love it and can afford it, buy it. I once let go of a piece that was $200. A few months later the artist had been discovered and similar work was $4000.
6. Bid and win with class. If your bid wins at auction, please don't gloat - it's tacky. Use your Toronto street style to accept your good fortune with grace and poise.

Sandra Ainsley - always on the cutting edge of glass | Frozen pigeon from Bjornson Kajiwara Gallery

Is it UNWEARABLE!!!!

All things fun and freaky were let loose at Gallery 1313’s fundraiser at Lula Lounge.

Hosted by Enza Supermodel, the work showcased a head on collision of art and fashion. Of note were Richard Preston’s obsessive embroidery and beading, which transformed military jackets into dazzling works of art and hope.

Menno Krant brought the idea of recyclable clothing to a whole new level by painting ‘clothes, onto fully nude models – it was like a Keith Haring painting come to life.

Sheila Lam erased the lines between sculpture and fashion with three dimensional clothing, and Karen Darricades’ multi-coloured pinafore was not made of plastic, but fruit roll-ups.

Don Simmons depressed clowns were reminiscent of Tokyo Harajuku kids on way too much valium. A walk on the wild side of the Toronto art scene.
By Liza Zawadzka

Photos are from the 10 Years of Unwearable Art Fantasy Fashion Show - a fundraiser for Gallery 1313, held at the Lula Lounge.

Photos by Krist Papas http://www.kristpapas.com/

You tell us! Would you consider this fashion? Sure some of us would.......

Nice T-Shirt by Bowman

by Siya Chen




Bowman got new works!
Using old mirrors, door and window frames as canvas, layered with various real fabrics for the textured of his idolized and fashionable characters, Bowman's works are what they called the "New school lounge pop".

The new works are at Omy Gallery Boutique for at least another two weeks. Go admire the works closely before they are all sold to Omy's Hollywood celebrity clients.

WTF TCAF

The ink is still wet on the Toronto Comic Arts Festival weekend [TCAF]. It was my first time and I have to admit that I am already completely devoted to a comic artist. My heart belongs to Sock Monkey by Tony Millionaire. So I was hard to please, and worried about the fashion that may surround such an event. Was hoping for some manga characters dancing around...oh well not the case. But the comic book uniform lives on. Knee socks, tennis shoes, slogan t-shits with comic or graphic prints, pig-tails and short mini skirts for the gals.

I was drawn to the art work by British artist Tom Gauld, and work by Steve Wilson [Ghostmilk Studios]. Met a cute gal who works in comic industry Emily Ragossino aka Dorkgirl [see photo of gal in knee socks]. It was an interesting day out in the city. Get outside or get comic. Be a dork! or draw.

No more Pandas after Sunday

I implore you not to miss the last day of this show - No Pandas.

Get your fashionable wee butts down to Xpace Gallery at 58 Ossington [Queen Street] to feast your eyes on the newest and rawest Chinese media and photography talent. Curator Siya Chen has assembled a fab selection of work exploring the emerging cultural landscape of the new generation of China.

Torontostreetfashion was at the opening night party and got an eye-full of fashion and drama not just from the artists but the audience.

pics Sonja Andic