401 Richmond Update Newsletter_SUMMER 2014

updateSummer 2014 Volume 21, Issue 2

Richmond

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Printed on rolland Enviro 100.

The 401 Richmond Update is a community-building initiative of Urbanspace Property Group. The newsletter began in June 1994 and over the years has documented the eclectic activities and fascinating people who make a home in our historic factory in downtown Toronto.If you would like to be added to the 401 Update mailing list please email: [email protected]

401 Richmond Ltd. Staff alanna Beitz, Executive assistant

Katherine Bravo, Urban agriculture Coordinator

Bob Chandler, security

rosanna Ciulla, administrative assistant

Bogale Gebreyes, security & maintenance

Erin macKeen, director Community

development and Communications

mike moody, Property manager

Cynthia mykytyshyn, Event and Gallery Coordinator

Pamela Lampkin, Janitorial services

rodentar Paragas, Janitorial services manager

dalton rodgers, Property manager

Vicki rodgers, Chief Executive Officer

ronel ruiz, maintenance

Luisa scofano, Office manager

michael siklos, Leasing manager

Brian silliphant, maintenance

Greg spooner, Parking attendant & security

renato Villanueva, maintenance

margaret zeidler, Founder

NewsletterErin macKeen, Editor

Lisa Kiss design (studio 435)

Warren’s Waterless Printing

Published by:

Urbanspace Property Group

401 richmond st. W., studio 111

Toronto, On Canada m5V 3a8

tel 416-595-5900 fax 416-595-5904

www.40 1richmond.netCOVER IMAGE

Adam Zinzan-Harris

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MOVING INART DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA, the only national association of art dealers representing artists throughout Canada, joins us in studio 393.

ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF ART GALLERIES is also new to the third floor in studio 395. OaaG is an advocate and service organization for Ontario’s public art galleries.

LYNN CHRISTINE KELLY, a member of The Red Head Gallery (studio 115), now has studio 216 as her art studio.

MOVING UPSHERYL DUDLEY has moved from the basement to studio 254 where she’ll continue her work in painting and photography.

TORONTO RENEWABLE ENERGY COOPERATIVE shifted downstairs to studio 240 into a larger space that will give them more room to build their work on renewable energy and energy conservation.

MOVING ONJUSTIN DENEAU has moved out of his basement music rehearsal space in B99.

BETH ROHER has left studio 216 bringing her painting practice back home.

WARREN BECK bid us farewell, moving out of his music rehearsal and recording space in the basement.

news

on the cover

tenant profile

spotted & applauded

listings

press check

the Back page

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updateSummer 2014 Volume 21, Issue 2

Richmond

The Wooden Sky Travelling Adventure Show from summerWorks Performance Festival 2013

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news

SummerWorks Performance Festival’s (studio 423)

focus is on new work. We are a home for all artists working

with elements of live performance to experiment. We support

the work by providing artists with many of the resources

they need to present the work. We are endlessly wrestling

with notions of relevance and how the performance we

support fits into both an artistic and civic ecology. We

believe that art is a tool towards meaning-making. In a world

saturated by media, we feel the role of art is to provide an

alternative to popular perspectives. We believe that art is

a useful tool towards the evolution of systems, and we are

proud that summerWorks’ investigation continues to be

complex, surprising, entertaining and often times on the

edge of understanding.

The festival came into being in 1991, when five friends,

frustrated at not having gotten into the Fringe Festival, decided to start their own. Twenty-four years later, it has

become one of the most important places in Canada for

performance-based artists to develop new work. With

its origins in theatre, summerWorks became a multi-arts

festival when current artistic Producer, Michael Rubenfeld,

took the reins in 2008. The Festival now presents multiple

programs of work, including theatre, music, dance, live

art, and performance art and runs from august 7 to 17

at multiple indoor and outdoor venues along the Queen

street West strip. www.summerworks.ca

Above The iShow from SummerWorks Performance Festival 2013

IN THEIR OWN WORDS // SUMMERWORKS PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL

EH?Abbozzo Gallery (studio 128) welcomed american artist

Justin Pierce with an exhibition, I AM JPIERCE. Known

for his bold, urban style, Justin mined iconic Canadian

imagery to create paintings featuring Tim horton’s and a

cheerful beaver, who also appeared on a hand-painted

canoe resting in the centre of the gallery. In early may, the

canoe made its way to the Canadian launch of the Love Art Fair (sister fair to the UK’s popular Affordable Art Fair), where abbozzo had a booth.

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CHEERS TO 20!We celebrated our 20th anniversary with the opening of the exhibition If These Walls Could Talk: The Ongoing Story of 401 Richmond at a private reception with friends and tenants—the pulse of our rich community.

The exhibition runs until July 5 in the Urbanspace Gallery. Please come by to learn about the history of the

building and the unique blend of culture, commerce, and community that makes 401 an enduring destination.

on thecover

WHERE ARE THEY NOWsculptor David Pellettier was one of the first tenants profiled in the pages of our Update newsletter, back in december of 1994, talking about his practice and teaching at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Fast forward to twenty years later, and david is now on the cusp of retiring from his position as the associate Professor of sculpture and Installation at OCadU (a program he was involved in establishing in the early 90s). as a sculptor, he’s responsible for fashioning the remarkable bronze likeness of the late Jack Layton on a tandem bicycle called Jack’s got your back that was unveiled in august 2013 at the renamed Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. david collaborated on the statue with Layton’s wife and mayoral candidate Olivia Chow. he’s also been working on a life-size seated bronze of Dr. Norman Bethune for the Faculty of medicine at the University of Toronto that was unveiled at the end of may.

Right Sculptor David Pellettier working on a memorial statue of Jack Layton

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Lara and Murat Samancioglu of Saman Design with their vinyl

installation

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as the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival (studio 349) enters its fifteenth anniversary season, we

met with Executive director Jason Ryle to talk about the

significance of the festival as an arts and cultural event

and what they have planned to celebrate the year. In Jason’s

own eloquent words, here’s what he had to say…

“We recently came across a survey that was done about

film festivals internationally and the fact that most of them

don’t survive beyond year six and fewer still beyond year

ten. Collectively we’re very proud of how the festival has

grown, both in Canada and internationally and that it’s been

in parallel to an impressive growth in the larger Indigenous

media arts world.

The explosion of aboriginal media arts practitioners

could be explained in part by the fact that most aboriginal

cultures were oral. history was passed through storytelling

and this still persists in a traditional sense with people

sitting around a campfire telling stories. The australian

Indigenous filmmaker, Warwick Thornton, made an analogy

that “the screen was the new campfire” and this is how we

listen to stories now. It’s all about sharing stories, whether

they’re historical, political, or just pure entertainment.

When the festival was founded in 1999, it was really

important to ensure that Indigenous perspectives in the

media arts were given a platform. That distinction is really

significant and has been one of the keys to our success.

We support Indigenous artists working in film, video, radio,

and new media, but we’re not a festival about aboriginal

people or culture per se. Certainly, the work these artists’

create is part of their culture and nations, but it’s maybe

not the type of work someone would expect to see at an

Indigenous festival. We always have work that deals with

issues like language and residential schools for example,

but we also include pieces that have no overt aboriginal

content. People often ask why? and again it goes back

to the founding mandate for the festival: to support the

perspectives of Indigenous artists.

imaginenaTIVE has become one of the largest

aboriginal arts, cultural, and social events in north

america. Last year one of our feedback forms called it

“native Christmas,” which we like a lot and have used in

several grants. What’s wonderful about the festival is that

it’s not just an opportunity to showcase amazing work that

people may not have a chance to see, but it really has

become a place for people to get together – see old

friends, meet new ones, and celebrate the artists.

June is national aboriginal month, so we’ll be doing

co-presentations throughout the month, including a top

secret one with TIFF on June 21, which is National Aboriginal Day.

also this year, we’re doing our second Embargo Collective to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary. The

first one was in 2009 for the tenth anniversary. It’s a

commissioning project where we bring together a group

of filmmakers, who then challenge each other to make

work that pushes them outside their comfort zone. This

year it will be six short films by six Canadian aboriginal

artists and I think it will be one of our hot tickets!”

imaginenaTIVE runs from October 22 to 26 with off-

screen programming at 401 richmond for the month of

October including an Art Crawl that visits the exhibitions.

www.imaginenative.org

IMAGINENATIVE FILM + MEDIA ARTS FESTIVAL Studio 349

tenant profile

Office Manager Violet Chum, Executive Director Jason Ryle, Development Manager Jessica Lea Fleming, Manager, Festival Initiatives Daniel Northway-Frank

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spotted & applauded

EARTH DAY FAIRapril 23, 2014

THIS MAGAzINE (studio 417) was awarded a bronze Canadian Cover Award in the small magazine category. The awards celebrate the success of the industry’s top selling issues and the devilish cover clearly caught their attention.

ERIC CADESKY & NICK DYER (studio B105) were nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for music they composed for the television series Museum Secrets. The duo weren’t winners this time around, but Eric didn’t leave without snapping a shot with a life-size cut-out of Canadian comedy icon Martin Short.

Merch from Not Far From

the Tree (Studio 365)

Park People’s (Studio 119) Kyle Baptista talking parks

ARTREACH TORONTO (studio 350) was recognized for leading a youth-centered

approach to training, mentorship, and collaboration by Tides

Canada’s Tides Top 10. Each year, the awards seek out

initiatives that align with its mission of supporting actions that foster a healthy environment, just

Canadian society, and have demonstrated significant results

in the communities they serve.

CLOCKWIsE FrOm TOP LEFT: ThIs maGazInE, ErIC CadEsKy

& arTrEaCh TOrOnTO

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listings June to August 2014

EXHIBITIONScontinues to JULY 26Prefix Institute of Contemporary Artsteve Payne: False FrontsPRESENTED AS A PRIMARY ExHIBITION OF THE SCOTIABANK CONTACT PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL

continues to JUNE 21Open Studioroula Partheniou: Constructions & shaan syed: Fruit Milk Shade Laura Bydlowska: ThresholdEmma nishimura: The Spaces Between

The Red Head GalleryJack Butler: Dark Body

Abbozzo GalleryKarim Ghidinelli: This Honesty

continues to JULY 5Urbanspace GalleryIf These Walls Could Talk: The Ongoing Story of 401 Richmond

YYZ Artists’ Outletmichael a. robinson: The Origin of Ideasmaura doyle: Who the Pot?

JUNE 20 – JULY 26Gallery 44Proof 21 featuring aidan Cowling, Brett Gundlock, Lindsay Fisher, michelle O’Byrne, and megan morman danika zandboer: We are MonolithsOpening: Friday June 20, 6–8 pm

JUNE 25 – JULY 19The Red Head Galleryanne-marie Cosgrove: ContinuationOpening: Wednesday June 25, 5–8 pm

JUNE 27 – JULY 26Open StudioKatie Bethune-Leamen and mitch robertson: Visiting Artists Residency ExhibitionLeslie shniffer: Mostly New WorkGroup Exhibition: Open Studio National Printmaking Award Shortlisted Artists artist Talks & Opening: Friday June 27, 6–7 pm & 7–9 pm

JULY 10 – AUGUST 9Urbanspace GalleryHomegrown Design ChallengePRESENTED BY WORKSHOP ARCHITECTURE AND THE DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION

JULY 23 – AUGUST 9The Red Head GalleryarC Gallery: SQUAREOpening: saturday July 26, 2–5 pm

AUGUST 12 – 23The Red Head Gallerymarianne Burlew in collaboration with Lizz aston, melissa Bullock, amanda Boulos, david Brock, Jesse Bromm, anouk desloges, an Kott, Grace Eun mi Lee, michelle mackinnon, amanda mcavour, silvia Taylor, Joshua Vettivelu: Don’t TouchOpening: Thursday august 14, 7–9 pm

AUGUST 25 – 30The Red Head GalleryBill Philipovich: FrameworksOpening: Thursday august 28, 5–8 pm

EVENTSJUNE 25401 RichmondLast Wednesdays: After-Hours at 401 Richmond. Galleries, shops, a tour, and a pop-up bar!Time: 5–8 pmFree admission

JUNE 20 – 29Inside Out LGBT Film FestivalWorldPride 2014: a multi-day film series co-presented with the Toronto International Film Festivalwww.worldpridetoronto.com

The Listings Board is your opportunity to communicate with other tenants and keep them informed about what is happening in your organization. If you are having a sale, exhibition, or event you would like advertised, email details to [email protected]. Listings are open to all tenants.

DEADLINE FOR NExT ISSUE: Friday July 25, 2014

GALLERY DIRECTORY

A Space Gallery (Studio 110)Contact 416-979-9633 www.aspacegallery.org

Abbozzo Gallery (Studio 128)Contact 416-260-2220 www.abbozzogallery.com

Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography (Studio 120) Contact 416-979-3941 www.gallery44.org

Open Studio (Studio 104) Contact 416-504-8238 www.openstudio.on.ca

Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art (Studio 124) Contact 416-591-0357 www.prefix.ca

Red Head Gallery (Studio 115)Contact 416-504-5654 www.redheadgallery.org

Trinity Square Video (Studio 376)Contact 416-593-1332 www.trinitysquarevideo.com

Urbanspace Gallery (Studio 117)Contact 416-595-5900 www.urbanspacegallery.ca

Vtape Video Gallery (Studio 452)Contact 416-351-1317 www.vtape.org

WARC Gallery/Women’s Art Resource Centre (Studio 122) Contact 416-977-0097 www.warc.net

YYZ Artists’ Outlet (Studio 140)Contact 416-598-4546 www.yyzartistsoutlet.org

sign up for monthly What’s On updates to your inbox at www.401richmond.net

WHAT’S ONRichmond

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Clockwise from top: Danika Zandboer at Gallery 44 (June 20 – July 26); Michael A. Robinson and Maura Doyle at YYZ Artists’ Outlet (to July 5); Roula Partheniou at Open Studio (to June 21)

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press check

WINNIE TRUONG was one of five Canadian, female artists who Elle Canada thinks are “changing the cultural conversation” and were featured in the may Art Issue.

SKYWORKS’

Real Change Boys Filmmaking Project, a collection of short

documentaries by young men between

the ages of 14 and 21, was featured in

a blog from Huff Post Impact Canada.

TRINITY SQUARE VIDEO’sProgramming director, John Hampton, offered advice to

students interested in a career in the arts in a NOW Magazine special feature called Class Action. John also

made ARTINFO Canada’s 30 Under 30 list for 2014!

SWIPE DESIGN BOOKS + OBJECTSreceived a worthy mention in Marcus Gee’s Globe and Mail article that asked the question: “are bookstores dead, or turning a new page?” Thankfully, the answer was turning a new page!

JANNA WATSON & NICO SOULE were caught lounging on one of their beautiful hand-woven rugs in Design Lines Magazine’s spring issue.

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THE BACK PAGE WATSON SOULE, Studio 282Hand-woven rugs by Janna Watson & Nico Soule

If you’d like to be on ThE BaCK PaGE, please submit your drawing, painting, illustration, photograph or architectural plans at 300 dpi as a photoshop or illustrator file on cd or dvd disk. Please include a word file with your name, the title of the project, your website, your studio address and a brief description of 50 words (maximum) on the disk. The best entry will be chosen for each issue. disks will not be returned. This space is to showcase the talent in the building. It is not for advertising an event or sale.

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