 Hi, art lovers! | | |  | Courtesy of Art Toronto | | | Today’s your last chance to swing by Art Toronto, Canada’s largest contemporary art fair, and if you’re making the trip, bookmark our guide before you go.
I got the chance to make a few laps around the fair during its opening night party on Thursday. Navigating between the booths (and wine-sipping visitors) is a dizzying experience — or it is for me anyway, with or without a glass of my own. And it can also feel a bit intimidating, which I was reminded of during my visit. I brought a friend to the fair, and it was her first time taking in the scene. One question she repeated in some form throughout the night: “What is this place?!”
What is an art fair? Well, every fair is unique, and if you want to go deep into the history of how they function, this primer will take you all the way back to antiquity. Other links I probably could have texted my pal: how Toronto’s art scene is making a global impact, plus tips (upon tips upon tips) for first-time art collectors.
But hey, one of the best ways to understand something is to feel it out yourself, and just be walloped with all the colour and bustle — and art! — that comes with seeing more than 100 galleries in one place. Skip to the eye candy section for a few things that stopped me in my tracks. | | | | | And because we promised you eye candy ... | | | | |  | Julia Sbriller and Joaquin Wall | | Oh, hi! It’s me, arriving at Art Toronto! Not really, of course — but the performer in the photo sure is diving into the unknown. The image is from Julia Sbriller and Joaquin Wall’s Torontoides and it’s appearing at the Quimera booth along with the video performance it comes from. | | | | |  | Norberg Hall | | From the unknown to the uncomfortably familiar! Erica Eyres’s homey (and grody) ceramic sculptures were drawing a crowd at the Norberg Hall booth when I passed by. | | | | |  | Erica Eyres | | According to the gallery’s website, Erica chooses objects that have personal significance, but as a viewer, I can’t help but feel nostalgic myself — especially when it comes to this replica of Garfield Gains Weight (only the best Garfield collection of all time). | | | | |  | Ari Bayuaji | | This piece from Ari Bayuaji’s ongoing series, Weaving the Ocean, is appearing as one of the fair’s standalone Project Spaces, but I have to say the photo doesn’t capture how delicately woven his tapestries are. The thread is unspooled fishing rope — found ocean trash, really. And Ari collaborates with a group of artisans from Indonesia to make the works. Next month, he’ll be opening an exhibit at the Biosphere in Montreal. | | | | |  | Shanie Tomassini | | This one’s better in person too — though as an iPhone addict, I find it has undeniable appeal, however you view it. Screen Glimmer Under a Moonless Sky by Shanie Tomassini. See it at Patel Brown’s booth. | | | | |  | Brendan George Ko | | Rivalry Projects has a captivating selection of travel photographs by Toronto-born artist Brendan George Ko. This one is Night View at Williams Lake Ramada. | | | | |  | Sukaina Kubba | | Sukaina Kubba references textile patterns in much of her work, including this piece (It’ll Fade Over Time), which is hanging in the Next Contemporary’s booth. It’s a choice that’s packed with meaning: a carpet isn’t just a carpet — it’s a means of carrying culture across borders and generations. But on a purely esthetic level, the texture of her 3D-printed rug — coarse but lustrous at the same time — is simply irresistible. | | | | |  | Erika Harrsch | | Before I wrap things up, a reminder to wear comfortable shoes if you visit the fair. Portrait in the Forest II by Erika Harrsch. (It’s at the Plataforma ArtBase booth.) | | | | |  | CBC Gem | | | | | Just in time for Halloween, watch this all-Indigenous web series inspired by classic horror. It’s streaming now on CBC Gem. | | | | |  | IFC Films | | | | | The nominations for the Gotham Awards were announced last week, which means awards season is officially underway. These five performances deserve Oscar gold. | | | | |  | Bruce McBroom & Apple Corps Ltd. | | | | | | | With the help of AI, one of John Lennon’s final recordings can finally be heard. The tune, “Now and Then,” will be released this week, and in a CBC exclusive, a behind-the-scenes video about the making of “the last Beatles song” will air Nov. 1. | | |  | Bryan Espiritu | | As the founder of streetwear brand the Legends League, Bryan’s collaborated with big brands (Nike) and big stars (Drake). But he’s also an artist, and his latest gallery show (Passage) opened in Toronto last week. The work blends painting and poetry, a choice that Bryan unpacked in this wide-ranging interview. | | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | | |
