The Arts Junction: An Exploration of Contemporary Art Scene in Toronto: Reflections on Life and Art

Explore the Art of the City of Toronto: Junction Centennial Contemporary Art Tour with Jen Morin

Photo: Explore the Art of the City:
Junction Centennial Contemporary Art Tour with Jen Morin
2009 @ artjunction.blogspot.com

The Junction Historical Society would like to thank Jen Morin, a local resident and cultural facilitator for offering to lead a tour of the Contemporary Arts in our vicinity as part of the Amalgamation Centennial events to raise funds for the Junction Historical Society on Saturday, May 16th 2009.

With a weather forecast of rain, thunder, lightening and hailstones 12 brave souls and our intrepid leader met at 401 Richmond St at 11 am. We carried out umbrellas as talisman against the rain and they worked miraculously. We swirled through a light shower as we entered the Power Plant and whilst we were there the skies opened and we watched the storm through the huge plate glass windows over looking the lake: the clipper ship bobbing in the harbour and the raindrops trickling down the glass. We came out into sunshine and wove through the first of 3 weddings that appeared along the tour. The second was posed just inside the gates as we arrived at The Distillery District and as we headed to the Corkin Gallery, two tiny children were jumping in a large puddle with great glee and delight. As we reached Union station and were saying our goodbyes a third wedding fluttered by on their way to having photos taken at the station. A comedy is famous for having lots of weddings and this was fun…

We visited 10 Galleries in all at 401 Richmond. We visited Open Studio. Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography -- where an installation of feathers photographically reproduced on silk organza, cut out, and pinned to the wall so they fluttered just like real ones, by artist Sally Ayre was a favorite of the tour. A Space Gallery, Red Head Gallery, YYZ Gallery and Wynick/Tuck Gallery. Seeing work by Mary Pratt and a bronze telephone by Michael Snow. Echoes of fresh ideas lingering as we broke for lunch and sprinkled ourselves through local restaurants enjoying a multitude of culinary cultures. At Mamas Pizza a lunch discussion of John Ralston Sauls' latest book "A Fair Country" brought The Children of Peace to the table; the legacy of fairness and equality they shared with the First Nations tradition and their commitment to celebrating art and culture.

At The Power Plant the vacuousness of the corporate lie was turned inside out by artist Carey Young with the trained voices of our own High Park Toastmasters, who meet in the room opposite the Historical Society downstairs at the Annette St Library on the first Thursday of the month. There we were. Our own trained speakers, part of an international exhibit. What more can I say, isn't that what art is supposed to make of life: a mirror and we found ourselves in the picture front and centre in the middle of the tour.

In the Distillery District we saw the exploration of the relationship between a lady and a gentleman, a couple, who were both artists giving a more contemporary multi-dimensional perception of Adam and Eve at Artcore, I believe it was and I'm sorry I didn't catch their names but the metaphor came through loud and clear echoing eternity with a much broader and equal vision. Ronnie Woods of the New Faces had a painting of Rod Stewart and the other guys for sale at the Blue Dot, which set of a whole raft of storytelling and anecdotes about what our lives were like when that music was released, lots of laughing …

Then we had tea and ice cream and gave Jen a birthday card and chocolates along with our deepest thanks. Despite the forecast, the weather was perfect and we parted in the sunshine with hugs and smiles all round. It was a great day to remember and financially beneficial to the WTJHS. The Golden Mean: the rule of thirds that artists and architects copy from nature applied perfectly. $300 less $100 expenses (TTC passes and Power Plant admission). When Jen first proposed this idea as a silent auction item for The Local Option Art Awards Gala she valued it at $200.

Thanks again Jen and we hope the rest of your birthday was as wonderful as the part you shared with us.

2009 © Cara Reeves

Collage: Explore the Art of the City of Toronto: Junction Centennial Contemporary Art Tour with Jen Morin

Photo Collage: Explore the Art of the City:
Junction Centennial Contemporary Art Tour with Jen Morin
2009 @ artjunction.blogspot.com
Curator Jennifer Morin leads a tour on a journey of artistic exploration through some of Toronto's most innovative and influential galleries in a guided tour: 401 Richmond, Power Plant, The Distillery District