Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Lorène Bourgeois and Ingrid Mida at loop Gallery

loop Gallery is pleased to announce exhibitions by loop members Lorène Bourgeois entitled Entourage, and Ingrid Mida entitled Constructions of Femininity.

Lorène Bourgeois, White Mantle, conté drawing on paper, 57” x 45 ¼”, 2012
With Entourage, Lorène Bourgeois juxtaposes large-scale drawings on paper with smaller paintings in oil on slate.  Her images investigate the ambiguity of the face, the head, and the body, disclosed or obscured through clothing, framing and head-dress. Here, head-dress is examined not only for its social or utilitarian functions, but also as a framing device and a theatrical artifact.  A woman’s bonnet, the veil of a nun, or a bow tied upon a girl’s head are reconsidered in these works as objects of strange beauty.

Lorène Bourgeois lives and works in Toronto.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada, as well as in France, Korea, Russia, and the U.S.  She is represented in numerous collections, including the Canada Council Art Bank, the Banff Centre for the Arts, The Department of Foreign Affairs, Ernst & Young, the MOCCA, the National Bank of Canada, and the Hart House and Donovan Collections at the University of Toronto.

Stephanie, mixed media, 2012
This latest installation by Ingrid Mida is an exploration of the artifice of feminine dress and identity.  This work juxtaposes the extreme silhouettes of the 18th century dress with the armour of the modern day hockey warrior in a whimsical celebration of the power of sport to redefine femininity. Inspired by young women hockey players who display feats of courage, strength and power, hockey equipment has been transformed with feminine signifiers of ribbon, sequins and beading, and then paired with historical silhouettes made from mesh.

Ingrid Mida is a Toronto-based artist, and author of the popular blog Fashion is my Muse! She was the keynote speaker at the Costume Society of America mid-west conference in the fall of 2011 on the topic of "When does Fashion Become Art?" and will speak at the Fashion Tales Conference in Milan in June 2012 on "The Metaphysics of Fashion Blogging."

Monday, May 21, 2012

Interviews on the World of Threads


Toronto artist and loop member Gareth Bate is also the exhibition curator of the upcoming World of Threads Festival. This exhibition of contemporary fibre art will take place in November 2012 in Toronto and Oakville and include the work of local, national and international artists.


Loop members who have been featured in the weekly series of artist interviews include:

Yael Brotman
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/056_yael_brotman_12.html

Sandra Gregson
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/040_sandra_gregson_11.html

Libby Hague
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/044_libby_hague_11.html

Mary Catherine Newcomb
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/051_mary_catherine_newcomb_2012.html


Rochelle Rubinstein
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/030_rochelle_rubinstein_11.html

To learn more about The World of Threads Festival, visit  http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com

Friday, May 18, 2012

Last chance to see Nancy Oakes and Adrienne Trent at loop Gallery


Thurs. Feb. 9, 2012 Queen from Soho to Spadina by Nancy Oakes (top)
Illustration from Paddle-to-the-sea by C. Holling 1941 for Adrienne Trent (bottom)


It is the final weekend for Nancy Oakes and Adrienne Trent's exhibitions at loop Gallery. The gallery will be open Friday, May 18 from 12-5 pm, Saturday May 19 from 12-5 pm and Sunday, May 20th from 1 to 4 pm.


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Constructions of Femininity by Ingrid Mida



Toronto Life Magazine called the title Constructions of Femininity for my upcoming show at loop Gallery "dreary and didactic", but nonetheless the mention in their select picks of art exhibitions to see in Toronto in June 2012 is a coup.




Constructions of Femininity is an exploration of the artifice of feminine dress and identity. This work juxtaposes the extreme silhouettes of 18th century dress with the armour of the modern day hockey warrior and was inspired by young women hockey players who have redefined femininity to include feats of courage, strength, and power. Hockey equipment has been transformed with feminine signifiers of ribbon, sequins and beading paired with silhouettes such as a romantic tutu or panier made out of armour-like mesh. The choice of materials is designed to invoke a Canadian identity: mosquito mesh for a tongue and cheek reference to our mosquito infested north, aboriginal beading techniques referencing the trading practices which founded our country, and hockey equipment as a reference to our national sport. This work is intended to be a whimsical celebration of the power of sport to redefine femininity. 

Please join me for the opening reception on Saturday, May 26, 2012 from 2-5 pm. On the final day of the show, Sunday, June 17th there will be a Q&A from 2-3 pm, moderated by Peter Legris.

loop Gallery is located at 1372 Dundas Street West, Toronto (Dundas, west of Ossington). For further information, call the gallery at 416-516-2581 or visit their website at www.loopgallery.ca

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Photos from the Opening Reception of Nancy Oakes and Adrienne Trent at Loop Gallery

loop Gallery is fragrant with the scent of pine from the current installation by loop member Adrienne Trent called Ground Classification: Without a Trace. Inspired by the children's book "Paddle-to-the-sea" by C. Holling, this installation sets up a poetic, and at the same time actual representation of a catastrophe. An ancient handmade canoe with large holes in the bottom becomes a survival kit/getaway vessel. The boat is packed with obsolete and some state-of-the-art equipment for survival against the elements (both natural and human created) and is oriented towards the St. Lawrence Seaway awaiting its imminent escape.

Gallery Guests watching Adrienne Trent's video

Canoe installation by Adrienne Trent


Adrienne Trent and friends
In the back part of the gallery, Nancy Oakes presents Walking Drawings, a series she began in 2006 where she navigates the city streets while simultaneously producing drawings that captured her lived experience as it happened. Later enhanced with graphite, and stained with tea and wax, the final drawings are believable urban scenes composed of elements encountered separately over time and space. This experiential peripatetic strategy exists at the intersection of all four of Oakes’ key interests: human beings, the urban environment, walking, and drawing.

Gallery visitor admires Nancy Oakes drawings


Nancy Oakes and friend