"Art Toronto" ~ Canada's Modern and Contemporary Art Fair

Written by Susie Blacklock Wednesday, 28 March 2012 22:09

Toronto, Canada  - Collectors, curators and art enthusiasts will converge on Toronto at the end of October to experience the twelfth edition of Art Toronto - a four-day fair which showcases exhibits by 109 leading and emerging international galleries from 13 countries. Art Toronto 2011 runs from October 28 to 31, and features alternative spaces curated by The Drake Hotel, Canadian Art magazine, the Art Gallery of York University and the Art Dealers Association of Canada. Other highlights of the fair include solo exhibitions, installations and curated projects by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Kent Monkman, Edward Burtynsky, Chuck Close and many more. An Opening Night Preview to benefit the Art Gallery of Ontario will launch the fair on October 27. Media are invited to a special preview tour of the fair on October 27, before it opens to the public.

“Art Toronto is more than a place to buy and sell art, it’s also about opportunity: opportunities for galleries to meet artists, fellow dealers and curators,” said Linel Rebenchuk, of Art Toronto. “It also allows visitors to see the best of what the art world has to offer, and gives attendees the opportunity to learn and take part in forums, interviews, performances and panel discussions.”

Art Toronto presents a dynamic series of presentations, panels and discussions featuring artists, curators, collectors and gallerists. just some of the special events scheduled include, 'The Art Game' a commissioned flagship project by Kent Monkman. Curated by Steven Loft, The Art Game is a life-size maze, constructed from booth walls identical to the Art Fair itself, which takes the audience through an art world “funhouse”. The meandering corridors are made more confusing with the use of double-sided mirrors, trick windows, and fake doors, forcing the audience into a challenging experience of disorientation and multiple choice – not unlike the real art world. Dispersed throughout the maze are four “dioramas”, in the form of four small rooms, each one presenting the four key players in the Art Game: artist, curator/museum director, gallerist, and collector.


With the support of Art Toronto, the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art is pleased to announce Edward Burtynsky as the Art Toronto 2011 MOCCA Benefit Edition Artist As the official vehicle of Art Toronto 2011, BMW Canada is proud to present iconic artist Andy Warhol’s 1979 Art Car – the BMW M1. Since 1975, artists from around the world have turned BMW automobiles into art, signifying a particular period through the Art Car program. The name Andy Warhol is the quintessence of pop art. He began his artistic career as a commercial artist and was successful in holding his own exhibitions in New York as early as 1952. BMW Canada is extremely proud to bring Warhol’s Art Car to Toronto as a means of sharing one of the company’s many cultural initiatives with Canadians.

Established in 1999, with the support of the Canadian Art Foundation, the RBC Canadian Painting Competition is a tribute to Canada’s artistic talent. The goal of the competition is to support and nurture emerging Canadian visual artists by providing them with a forum to display their artistic talent to the country and hopefully open doors to future opportunities. Selected works from previous year’s semi-finalists are on exhibit at Art Toronto 2011. Entitled "Place", an initiative curated by William Huffman explores the notion of navigation as a unifying theme – ultimately moving people through the fair and activating existing elements with a four artist, intervention-based mechanisms. This initiative is a presentation partnership between Toronto Arts Foundation (TAF), Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC) and Art Toronto.


For 4 days, 109 fine art galleries from 13 countries along with the country’s leading cultural organizations will assemble at the 12th annual exhibition and sale of 20th and 21st century artworks. expect to be excited, provoked and visually stimulated as you step into the largest and most celebrated indoor visual art event in Canada. From artworks by renowned masters to young emerging artists there is something for every taste and budget. Art Toronto 2011 marks the most comprehensive and exciting programming in the fair’s history. Visit the fair's website at ... http://www.arttoronto.ca

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