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Peep Show: Review by Terence Dick

"I scooted through Peep Show, Lonsdale Gallery’s exhibition of up-and-coming artists, a two-floor extravaganza with Alex McLeod being the only name familiar to me. Either he’s refining his technique or I’m getting used to it, but these virtual landscapes, created “in computer”, approach the combination of representation and spatial disorientation that makes Neo Rauch such a wealthy man. McLeod’s nowhere near that dense yet, but he’s heading in a direction; let’s hope it’s the right one. Besides him, Bogdan Luca shares some easy-on-the-eyes wide-brushed impressionistic work inspired by blurry photographs. Each one looks like it could be part of a larger canvas, so they, in a weird way, leave me wanting more. Amanda McCavour’s thread-drawn birds would look perfect on my daughter’s walls and are so much finer when released from their glass cages. Osheen Harruthoonyan’s photographs are murky and textured. They’re a bit too murky for me, but intrigue when they emerge from the darkness. And the fashionably posing youth in Jamie Bradbury’s watercolours are copping so much ‘tude, I roll my eyes and move on."

for full article, please visit akimblog at: http://www.akimbo.ca/akimblog/?id=315

Peep Show: New Artists Exposed - write up on Canadian Art.ca

"Peep Show: New Artists Exposed!
Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto Aug 12 to Sep 27 2009
Lonsdale Gallery ushers in a new wave of playfully experimental artists this summer with “Peep Show.” This media-diverse exhibition includes works by Jamie Bradbury, Bogdan Luca, Osheen Harruthoonyan, Amanda McCavour and Alex McLeod that share a spirit of creative inventiveness. Photo-based artist Osheen Harruthoonyan, for instance, poetically explores memory dissolution by altering found and personal photographs through unique analog printing processes, while Amanda McCavour specializes in intricate thread drawings that add warm tactility to an otherwise removed viewing experience. Bogdan Luca’s figurative practice weaves in “concepts of distortion, repetition, perspective and even complete disintegration of the form” to create paintings that tingle with colour, motion and feeling, vividly capturing subjective impressions of moments in time. Ultimately, the works in this exhibition are suffused with enough ingenuity and insight to warrant more than just a peep. (410 Spadina Rd, Toronto ON)
www.lonsdalegallery.com"

For Full Article:

http://www.canadianart.ca/online/see-it/2009/08/27/peep-show/

Images from Peep Show - open now until September 27th

images from opening night of PEEP SHOW, Thursday August 13, 2009




artist Amanda McCavour prepared two installations for the show. This install on display in the front window of the gallery.



interior view of installation beside photographs by Osheen Harruthoonyan.


installation shot of second floor of gallery. Watercolour painting by Jamie Bradbury in foreground.


Second floor installation by Amanda McCavour.


Main floor installation view.


Digital works by Alex McLeod.

Noticed: A Summer of Gallery Love for Alex McLeod

image: Alex McLeod, Banked Tallship,2009

Artist Alex McLeod was recently featured on "Unedit My Heart", the blog of Toronto Art Writer and Critic, Leah Sandals.

Sandals writes:

I first saw McLeod's work in a solo at Switch Contemporary earlier in June, and now it turns out the the guy has a two-person show opening at Queen West dealer Angell Gallery this Saturday, as well as a hand in an emerging-artist group show at Lonsdale Gallery opening next Wednesday.

So what is it, many young artists may be wondering, that makes McLeod's work "so different, so appealing"? (Or, in the very least, much exhibited.)

For the rest of the story visit:
http://neditpasmoncoeur.blogspot.com/2009/08/noticed-summer-of-gallery-love-for-alex.html

Artist Alex McLeod Featured in NOW Magazine

NOW Magazine contributor, Sara Titanic, recently conducted an interview with digital artist, Alex McLeod, as part of the series: Meeting the City's Artist One at a Time. The interview discusses Alex's motivations, studio practice, as well as his up coming exhibitions with Lonsdale Gallery.


image of Alex in his studio courtesy of NOW Magazine online

To see the full interview, please see the following link:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=170153

For Immediate Release : PEEP SHOW

PEEP SHOW
August 12 – September 27, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 13 7 – 10pm

Jamie Bradbury
Bogdan Luca
Osheen Harruthoonyan
Amanda McCavour
Alex McLeod


Peep Show is a preview of the next wave of Lonsdale Gallery programming. Showcasing cutting edge artists who work in a variety of media: painting, fiber, installation and digital media. Alongside these works, profiles on each artist will appear to give context to their present and future projects. Peep Show will be open for the 2009 Gallery Hop.


Jamie Bradbury is a painter who is redefining ideas of realism with his figurative watercolour paintings. His use of dense texture of watercolour paint in his compositions is not seen in many artists who use the medium. Jamie draws inspiration from street culture to give unique insights about his generation. In the fall of 2009 Jamie will be leaving for the UK to study
at the Central Saint Martins School as an MFA candidate.

Bogdan Luca is an oil painter who explores the boundaries of his media through ideas of the human form.Through his figurative practice Bodgan plays with concepts of distortion, repetition, perspective and even complete disintegration of the form. Currently, Bogdan is going into his final year for his MFA with the University of Toronto’s Visual Studies Program.

Osheen Harruthoonyan is a photo based artist who uses various analogue printing processes to layer, texture and work into both found and personal photographs to create ambiguous narratives which imbue feelings of nostalgia. In 2008, Osheen’s exhibition was chosen as one of the Globe & Mail’s “Top 5 Shows Not to Miss” for CONTACT Photography festival, and is currently being recognized by Bravo!’s “Arts & Minds” as a top young photographer to watch.

Amanda McCavour is a fibre artist who specializes in thread drawings. In Amanda’s works, thousands of threads are drawn together to define images such as figures and birds. Currently, Amanda holds a residency at the Harbourfront Centre’s fibre studio. Most recently, Amanda was given an award by the Ontario Craft Council for her fibre work. Later this year, Amanda’s work will be featured in the illustrious Cheongju International Biennale in South Korea.

Alex McLeod is an artist who is preoccupied with landscapes. His work is built in digital space, using computer software generally
used for film and advertising. In his digital worlds toy cabins and snowcapped mountains appear as if they could be leftovers from bizarre train sets. Through his new digital form of image making, Alex is pioneering a new form of fine arts. Alex has recently been included in the Magenta Foundation publication Carte Blanche 2.

EXTENDED BIOS AND ARTISTS' IMAGES COMING SOON...

Lonsdale Gallery Curator, Stanzie Tooth, to Co-Host Discussion Panel at International Art Fair 09

Panelists:
Gareth Bate
Ella Cooper
Jim Hake

Discussion Leaders:
Li Koo
Stanzie Tooth

Saturday, June 13 at 3pm
Metro Convention Centre Stage Area

Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. In a society of advanced communication, concepts of borders, both geographic and cultural are being redefined. What will this mean for the identity of artists in Toronto and abroad? Through this panel discussion our aim is to address ideas of identity, internationalism, communication and technology as it relates to art and culture by drawing upon the opinions of arts professionals: Gareth Bate, Ella Cooper and Jim Hake. The lecture will be moderated and led by Li Koo, Director of 918 Bathurst Culture, Arts, Media & Education Centre and Stanzie Tooth, Artist and Curator for Lonsdale Gallery.

Art 2009 is unique to Toronto as it is hosting Canadian artists along side international artists who have been connected to the fair through their national embassies. More than just another commercial art fair, Art 2009 was created in the hopes of bridging the gap between Canadian and international artists to create an expressive and affordable forum for them to exhibit together and share ideas.

Tickets for fair (including admission to discussion and special presentations):
$12 per day/$20 3 day pass
kids: $6 per day

Joan Kaufman featured in the National Post and Now Magazine

Congratulations to artist Joan Kaufman on her recent press coverage in both the National Post and Now Magazine for her "Suspended" Series. This series is featured in two shows for the Contact photography festival, both as part of Illusion, Transformation, Creating the Impossible at Lonsdale Gallery as well as a solo show at Red Head Gallery in the 401 Richmond Art Centre.

For full copies of these articles, please click the following links:

Globe and Mail review: http://joankaufman.com/pdfs/dault_09.pdf

NOW review: http://joankaufman.com/pdfs/schechter.pdf

Joan Kaufman will be giving an artist's talk at Lonsdale Gallery on Saturday, May 23rd from 2-4pm. Contact Festival programing will continue at Lonsdale Gallery until Sunday, May 31st.

Illusion, Transformation, Creating the Impossible

Artists Joan Kaufman, William Mokrynski, Mabel Odessey and Ilan Wolff use photography as a means of constructing still and moving images, for illustrating the fantastic and the bizarre. While photography has been viewed historically as a means of documentation, using a variety of technologies, these artists alter their subjects through photo manipulation, digital processes, or simple multiple pinholes to invent new realities.




mutliple pinhole photo and video installation by William Mokrynski


camera obscura photos by Ilan Wolff


photos for "Suspended" series by Joan Kaufman


coloured pinhole photos and video installation by Mabel Odessey

"The Principles of Design" reception for grade 8 photography students from Forest Hill Public School

Every year, Londale Gallery donates an exhibition space on its second floor to local school groups to display their photography for the Contact Festival. Pleas join us to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these young artists. The principles of design are the elements of composition used in all art works. For the exhibit, each student chose a different element to portray in his or her photograph. Along with their photos brightly coloured collective group portraits of the student-artists are on display. This exhibition will run until May 10th.

Contact 918 - The photograhpy event made for you by you!

Contact 918 in an initiative for the Contact Photography Festival by the new 918 Bathurst Culture, Arts, Media & Education Centre in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood.

Through Contact 918 the centre has created an online hub for photographers worldwide to upload photos. For the month of May these photos will be turned into a rotating video projection in the centre to be accompanied with various other photo related activities.

Lonsdale is on board and we are volunteering for the event. To get involved, to upload photography, or to simply get more information on event dates, please visit the website at:
www.contact918.com

Upcoming for Contact 2009: Illusion, Transformation, Creating the Impossible

April 30 - May 31, 2009
Artist's Talk: Saturday May 23, 2-4 pm

Joan Kaufman
William Mokrynski
Mabel Odessey
Ilan Wolff

The focus of this year's Contact Photography Festival is Still Revolution, an attempt to address ideas of conceptual and technological advancements in photography. Since it's conception, Lonsdale Gallery has strived to give representation to photographers who stretch the boundaries of their media through new processes as well as embracing and reviving obscure or obsolete technologies. As a response to this year's theme we are proud to present Illusion, Transformation, Creating the Impossible.

Artists Joan Kaufman, William Mokrynski, Mabel Odessey and Ilan Wolff use photography as a means of constructing still and moving images for illustrating the fantastic and the bizarre. While photography has been viewed historically as a means of documentation, using a variety of technologies, these artists alter their subjects through photo manipulation, digital processes, or simple multiple pinholes to invent new realities.

image credit: Joan Kaufman, Suspended Series 1.2, digital output on archival media, 2009

Closing Weekend- Responsive Space

The closing weekend of Responsive Space was a full one- marked by a tarot reading by Neelam Kler and the closing tea party hosted by Stacey Sproule. Another warm thank you to all of the artists and guests involved in the show.


guest performer Neelam Kler with Stacey Sproule

and the rabbit watched them all...

interactive piece Of Mice and Men Revisited by Laura Paolini



images of Sunday afternoon tea party hosted by Stacey Sproule

All Over Again- performance featuring Neelam Kler Sat. April 18 at 3pm

Neelam Kler, born in Vernon, BC is an installation and new media artist currently based in Toronto. Her work investigates the social and universal paradox of wholeness/fragmentation along with her anticipation for an entirely new world order.

Previous Work: can be viewed at: http://webspace.ocad.ca/~nk05ls

Neelam will be doing a tarot card reading for Stacey in the gallery at 3pm on Saturday.

image credit: Neelam Kler, still of Hallelujah, Anyways, 2006, video collection of 9 shorts

Review of Responsive Space by Terrance Dick

http://www.akimbo.biz/akimblog/?id=278

All Over Again- performance featuring Randy Gagne Wed., April 15 from 12-3pm

Randy and Stacey will be practicing the act of remembering in the gallery from noon to 3pm on April 15th. They will be recounting events past and making a record of that recollection. Stacey and Randy frequently collaborate together including a performance at the 2008 Toronto International Art Fair and one at 7*a11d International Festival of Performance Art.

Randy Gagne was born in Cambridge, ON in 1983; He received his Bachelor of Art degree from the Ontario College of Arts in 2007, majoring in drawing of painting. Randy is currently active in sound/performance art, writing and music, and just recently had his writing on sound art published in the academic journal "sense & society". Other recent exhibitions include the odB sound art festival in Finland, the 2008 7a11d International Performance Art Festival, and the 2008 Toronto International Art Festival. Randy continues to prolifically record, collaborate, and perform music in and around the Toronto area, and has a new album included in an international anthology of experimental music from the record label Bennifer Editions.

Image: from 7*a11d performance at Xpace Cultural Centre

All Over Again- tattooing with Michael Briand Wed, April 8

"Model Cabin" 24 x 36 inches, archival lightjet print, edition 1/1, 2009

"Garden Sculpture Cycle" 24 x 36 inches, archival lightjet print, edition 1/1, 2009

"Mint Mountains" 24 x 36 inches, archival lightjet print, edition 1/1, 2009

"Candy Tie Signal" 24 x 36 inches, archival lightjet print, edition 1/1, 2009

"55 Treeignalonfire" 24 x 36 inches, archival lightjet print, edition 1/1, 2009

Responsive Space- paintings by Stanzie Tooth

"Three Sisters" 52 x 60 inches, acrylic and oil on canvas, 2008

All Over Again- performance from Sunday, April 5

Alex McLeod write-up by Mike Landry

See blog article featuring Alex McLeod's newest series from Responsive Space:

http://thingsofdesire.ca/2009/04/02/responsive-space/#more-1420

All Over Again- second performance featuring Isla Craig, Saturday, April 4 starting at 1pm

Isla Craig is a song crafter of smooth sailing melody and trance like meanderings. Inspiration comes to her in the form of afghan geometry, early vocal music and R &B listening/imitation, and an all encompassing habitation within a world wraught in textile wizardry and colour explosion.

Unity is both the internal and external focus as one seeks the truth about oneself, one's relationship to others and reality (both the world at large and the unseen realm). The mystic's motivation for such an arduous endeavor appears to be unique to the individual and culture, and sometimes a new religion, order or sect may be the legacy.

Isla collaborates regularly with the Muskox (www.myspace.com/muskoxmuskoxmuskoxmuskox) and the Element Choir (www.myspace.com/elementchoir).



image of Isla Craig in performance

Opening Reception of Responsive Space with Gala performance featuring the Toronto F. Morris Men

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the Gala Performance for Responsive Space on Thursday, April 2nd. A big highlight of the night was the Toronto F. Morris Men, (visit www.tfmm.ca for more information) who entertained us with their traditional song and dance routines.

Please see the below post for the Stacey Sproule's performance schedule, complete with a listing of guest artists and performers.