Akin Community Highlights: Hands of Fire at Akin Waterfront

Every Saturday afternoon in the Akin Waterfront Flex Room, Hands of Fire busts out the clay to create beautiful, original artwork. 

Hands of Fire is a sculpture group working out of our Akin Waterfront location. They offer creative services for blind and visually impaired individuals. Founded in 2013, and an official chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) since 2016, they provide opportunities for folks to express their creativity through sculpting in a safe and welcoming environment. 

“We pride ourselves on our thriving sense of community, encouraging confidence in our members’ artistic abilities and social lives.”

— Hands of Fire

Organised by Chapter President Alicia Modeste and secretary/treasurer Noora Mahmoud,  Hands of Fire is a vibrant group, filled with laughter and kindness. We’re so glad Hands of Fire decided to join us at Akin Waterfront this past year! We were able to drop by and visit the group recently, and met with Hands of Fire artists’ Rohan, Karen and Michael, as they worked on their creations. 

Image Description: Karen, a sculptor with gray hair and a purple sweater sits at a table, working on a clay sculpture of a key. They are facing Noora, standing in a white shirt and blue jeans, standing beside them, laughing. On the table in front of them sits sculpting equipment, a spray bottle, a block of clay and wooden sculpting tools

Image Description: Rohan, a sculptor wearing a black and gray sweater, with short brown hair sits at a bright teal table, rolling a tube of clay in their hands. On the table in front of them sits several other pieces of clay, a spray bottle, and a rolling pin.

“Hands of Fire is a great way to meet new people, express yourself creatively, build confidence, and most importantly - have fun! As part of our sculpture group, you will receive hands-on instruction from our talented instructors and you can enjoy a great social environment with our diverse and dynamic members. We focus not only on artistic excellence and skill building but community wellbeing and ensuring members cultivate a sense of confidence in themselves and their creative spirits.” 

People with any level of vision loss are welcome to join, no sculpting experience is necessary!

Find more information about Hands of Fire here 

#AkinCommunityHighlights

Artist Faisal Karadsheh featured this Saturday at the Deep Wireless Festival of Radio & Transmission Art

This Saturday, March 4th, artist (and Akin Member) Faisal Karadsheh will be presenting his work ‘to be heard (soundwalk’in_2021)’ as part of New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA)’s annual Deep Wireless festival.

This work includes all three audio pieces from Faisal’s soundwalk project which were produced in 2021 using personal recordings of street protests in Toronto, each responding to national and/or international events. By visiting each of the three locations in the sound walk, the listener may consider how bodies connect, congregate and organize themselves together.

In the soundwalk project the process of concentrating or suppressing “voices of protest”, as suggested by Hito Steyerl, is being explored formally. The site is composed of three distinct locations within a very specific region in Toronto. The three protests transpired at varying times during 2021, yet seem to align across a section of the city. The abstracted sound works examine the process of documenting and formally articulating protests, in connection to its position within the urban fabric and sonic landscape of the city.

Image Description: The Deep Wireless logo which includes a cartoon drawing of a radio and the words ‘DEEP Wireless”

Deep Wireless Festival of Radio and Transmission Art

The 22nd annual edition of the Deep Wireless Festival of Radio & Transmission Art is presented on the theme Remote Connections with and exhibitions, performances, artist talks, an online compilation and radio programs being transmitted from and hosted at the NAISA North Media Arts Centre in South River.

Three works from the Deep Wireless 17 Radio Art Compilation Album will be included in this in-person and online hybrid event on the theme Remote Connections. Join in person for multichannel listening or connect online with your headphones.

What: Remote Connections Concert
When: Saturday March 4, 2023, 7:00 pm
Where: Online, and/or in-person at NAISA North Media Arts Centre in South River, Ontario
To register: click here the cost is $12 per person

“Radio over its history has built societal connections across multiple and remote locations. Radio Art evolved by way of artists and writers across many disciplines adding their diverse approaches to the way time, space and content could be re-imagined over the airwaves and later over digital streaming formats. The content in this year’s festival adds to that tradition with stories told through digital interactivity, round table discussions, documentaries, interactive art, poetry and sound art on the theme Remote Connections.”

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About the artist

Faisal Karadsheh is an Akin staff member and an Akin Studio member. He is an emerging Jordanian-Palestinian multidisciplinary artist, who has exhibited work in Jordan, Lebanon and Canada. Although his work does not necessarily depict a personal narrative, lived experiences emerge as thematic starting points throughout the art-making process. Once completed, these individualized fragments in time may instigate a wider dialogue within disparate communities about tradition, the body, ecologies, and how we define ourselves as moving beings. His oeuvre continually explores in-between spaces, where interior and exterior modalities can exist as one. By attempting to search for this mode of hybridized representation, different mediums unravel interrelated narratives, or imagined histories, revolving around the self and its ties to the body. As a result, these formal investigations into spatial possibilities always seem to be contingent on a somatic subject's perceptions, as the producer or constructor of reality. Choosing a medium to express these sentiments requires openness, which leads to a myriad of forms. Learn more about Faisal and his work at faisalkaradsheh.myportfolio.com

Eulogy for the Coffin Factory at Nuit Blanche

We invite you to join Akin Ossington artist Nicole Crozier, and Akin Dupont artist Alison Postma (formerly members of the Coffin Factory) along with 22 other artists at Nuit Blanche at 89 Niagara St on October 5, 2019 for ‘Eulogy for the Coffin Factory’. 24 coffins adorned by former artist-tenants of the Coffin Factory will transform the audience into a funeral procession, mourning the passage of this creative hub.

“Eulogy for the Coffin Factory” is a ceremonial exhibition that will mourn the passage of the Coffin Factory at 89-109 Niagara Street. Originally built in the 1880s, this was home to the National Casket Company from 1908 until 1973. In more recent years, it has become known as the Coffin Factory, been used as artist studios and workshops, and served as an important space for the creative ecology of downtown. Now, these buildings are slated for redevelopment. Tenants were evicted in early 2019, marking the end of an era for the area. This project will provide an opportunity for the public to grieve, reflect and celebrate the Coffin Factory. Playing on the building’s casket-factory history, 24 former artist-tenants have been commissioned to adorn 24 coffins produced for the event. These will be displayed in a long row lining the south side of Niagara Street.

About Nuit Blanche:
For one sleepless night, experience Toronto transformed by hundreds of artists and nearly 90 art projects. This year's program responds to one event-wide curatorial theme of Continuum. The theme follows many paths during the event – set against a backdrop of the ever-present renewal of night into day, a continuum of experience and ideas is brought to light by the participating artists. A series of Nuit Talks will take place before and after the all night art event and nine extended art projects will remain on display through October 14.

Date: October 5, 2019
Time: Sunset to Sunrise – 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Photography by Akin Sunrise artist Janne Reuss at Artscape Youngplace until June 1

There is still time to check out the Gallery 44 group show ‘Spectra’ in the Artscape Youngplace 3rd floor Hallway Gallery! ‘Spectra’ showcases work that represents a variety of photographic concepts and techniques, celebrates artistic practice, and reveals ways seemingly disparate work can intersect. Spectra reflects the spirit embodied by the community of Gallery 44.

Akin Sunrise artist Janne Reuss is exhibiting photography in this exhibition along with other members of Gallery 44 as a part of the CONTACT Photography Festival. ‘Spectra’ runs until June 1, 2019.

Artscape Youngplace
Hallway Galleries, 3rd Floor
180 Shaw Street, Toronto
Hours: 8:00am-8:00pm

About Janne Reuss:
Janne Reuss is a multidisciplinary and conceptually driven artist. Her work addresses the existential and cultural human conditions of freedom, confinement, as well as identity; especially from the female point of view, which she often performs and photographs. The spaces she creates are ambiguous and multilayered inviting the viewer to contemplate. Reuss cuts her photographs and rearranges the fragments manually. The resulting handmade collages are then scanned and printed as photographs. The final work consists of the initial original photomontage and a small edition of 3-5 digital prints. www.janneart.net

Ming Smith, June Clark and Suzy Lake in Conversation - today at 7pm at the AGO - FREE!

June Clark, pur laine, 2004, mixed media, Collection of Peter Caldwell + Stephen Mader, Toronto. © June Clark

Join Akin Sunrise artist June Clark, along with Ming Smith and Suzy Lake this evening at 7pm the Art Gallery of Ontario for a conversation about photography, career, and critical reception for the CONTACT Photography Festival. This is a free event.

About June Clark
June Clark has earned a national and international reputation for her photo-based image works, installations and interventions. Clark’s works explore the intersection of family history, recollection and identity. Clark grew up in Harlem, a major centre of Black cultural and artistic excellence. In 1968 she moved to Toronto, where she continues to live and create art. She has exhibited widely throughout Canada and abroad, including exhibitions in Ecuador, Austria, Paris and New York. She has taught studio and academic visual arts courses at York University, the University of Guelph, and the Ontario College of Art and Design. Clark has an MFA in visual arts from York University. www.juneclark.ca

“Perimeter” an exhibition of recent Work by Bernadette Peets at #Hashtag Gallery

“Perimeter” is an exhibition of recent work by Bernadette Peets of Akin Dupont coming soon to #Hashtag Gallery (830 Dundas St West). The show runs from March 28 - April 7, 2019.

Bernadette’s work explores the natural beauty of the Canadian landscape and the concept of ‘sharing space’. Opening Reception is March 30th from 7:00-11:30pm.

About Bernadette Peets
Bernadette is a Toronto born artist and an Akin Dupont studio member. Although she mainly uses painting as her medium she has also included three dimensional installation work as well as other pictorial devices that include shadow boxes, photographs, drawing and printmaking. Her subjects of interest have been rooted in her political, social and aesthetic ideals and her approach is always connected to her strong sense of design, colour and technical precision. www.bernadettepeets.com

"WOODS" by Walter Segers at SNAP Toronto 2019

“WOODS” by Akin MOCA artist Walter Segers has been selected to be auctioned off at SNAP 2019, an annual photographic fundraiser for Aids Committee Toronto (ACT) featuring a live curatorial collection and a photo competition collection.

SNAP provides patrons with an opportunity to support ACT’s programs and services, increase their awareness of HIV and AIDS, and add to their art collections. The event provides a great opportunity for both established and emerging artists to showcase their work. SNAP has raised over $2.5 million since its inception in support of the important programs and services at ACT.

You can bid on Walter’s work in the silent auction (Lot # SA46) at the event on March 21, 2019 at the Arcadian Court (8th Floor of the Simpson Tower at 401 Bay Street). There will be live and silent auctions as well as performances, food, music, drinks and dancing!

Tickets still available for the event.

About Walter Segers
Walter Segers emigrated from Belgium in 1993 and currently lives and works in Toronto. He graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in 2008 with honors and received OCADU’s prestigious M.C. McCain Post Graduate Photography Residency in 2009. His art practice is located at the Museum Of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) through Akin studio programming. He has exhibited his photo-based works at Spin, Gallery Thirteen Thirteen, Lonsdale, The John B. Aird Gallery, Propeller, The Window Gallery YYZ, P|M Gallery and the Gladstone art hotel in Toronto. In Ontario he exhibited at Open Studio at Cambrian College in Sudbury, FHM in Cambridge, Markham Museum and Lilliput Gallery in London, ON. His work has been shown internationally at Leslie Lohman Annex Gallery in NYC, Peter Deckers in Belgium, Galerie AMU in Prague and Galerie 12 in Zlín in the Czech Republic. Segers’ work is published in ArtWindsor, muse magazine (Canadian Museums Association) as well as the online magazines Wondereur, Frank by The Genteel, and Pixie & Rotter. His photo-based works explore issues surrounding gender, sexuality, immigration and identity.
www.waltersegers.com

About ACT
ACT has been a respected leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS for over 30 years. ACT works with gay men, women and young people to increase their knowledge, skills and resilience in the face of HIV and AIDS. ACT also helps to reduce HIV transmission by working with our communities to develop information about HIV, and provides outreach and education. We also help support and train people living with HIV so that they may lead healthier, more productive lives.

With your support, ACT can continue to deliver innovative programs and services to those living with, at risk, and affected by HIV and AIDS.

ACT relies heavily on the support of its partners to carry out the important work it does in HIV prevention, outreach, education and support. ACT would be unable to continue this tradition of excellence without the generosity of individual donors, and the support we receive from corporate, foundation, and community sources. Your donations are vital in keeping the fight against HIV and AIDS alive in our communities.
www.actoronto.org

SAMARA Contemporary inaugural exhibition 'Centrepiece' opens tonight featuring work by Akin Dupont artist Luke Parnell and Akin MOCA artist David Salazar

SAMARA Contemporary, a new multi-use contemporary art space located in Kensington Market, will open to the public with its first exhibition, ‘Centrepiece’ tonight from 7-9pm. Featuring work by a variety of artists working in diverse media including sculptors Luke Parnell of Akin Dupont and David Salazar of Akin MOCA.

From the elaborate to the absurd centrepieces can direct and command attention or initiate and guide conversation. A centrepiece can exist as a concept, such as a central political or social issue in a debate. It can aesthetically unite a space, or set the tone for a soirée.

Throughout history, centrepieces have been a reflection of the times, whether they be large-scale installations of the 18th century that invoked a feeling of escape into imaginary worlds, or represent a rustic tableau, implying a contemporary preference for a more simple or eco-conscious lifestyle.

With the rich history of display pieces in mind, Centrepiece, the inaugural exhibit at SAMARA Contemporary presents a fantasy world of curated islands, laden with enticing objects.

Participating Artists:
Shary Boyle
Cathy Daley
Kaley Flowers
Emily Jan
Kent Monkman
Julie Moon
Luke Parnell
David Salazar
Leo Scopacasa
Chason Yeboah

Exhibit opening: March 2, 7-10PM
Exhibit closes: March 24
Gallery hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11-7pm
Gallery location: 156 Augusta Ave, Toronto


About Luke Parnell:
Luke Parnell is a multidisciplinary Indigenous artist of Nisga’a and Haida descent. He is from a long line of fishermen and is Wilp Laxgiik Nisga’a. Follow Luke on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lukifer10/

About David Salazar:
David Constantino Salazar is a Toronto based sculptor who joined the Akin Studio Program at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada in September 2018. In his work he is interested in exploring the borders between necessity and excess, desires and addiction. Salazar's goal is to create work that is approachable through humour with the intent that the viewer can explore their own relationships with desire and overindulgence through his allegorical sculptures. www.davidsalazar.ca

About SAMARA Contemporary:
SAMARA Contemporary’s core mission is to embrace and support the work of national and international contemporary creators working in the field of art + design. In addition to our in-house programming, SAMARA C will work closely with exhibiting partners and guest curators to present thoughtful and engaging exhibits that will entice the art-curious and the seasoned collector alike. Located in Toronto’s historic Kensington Market neighbourhood, SAMARA C contributes to the longstanding history and bright future of the area as an innovative and inclusive hub for creative culture. www.samaracontemporary.com

SALON VI Annual Holiday Show at Project Gallery

Project Gallery is pleased to announce its 6th annual holiday salon-style exhibition on display from now until January 6, 2019, featuring hundreds of artworks including works by Akin King artists Rebekah Andrade and Mark Liam Smith and Akin Dupont artists Sarah Letovsky and Sara Pearson.

Exhibition Dates: Nov. 8 2018 – Jan. 6 2019
Exhibition Hours: Wed-Sat: 11am-6pm / Sun: 12-5pm
Location: Project Gallery Queen, 1151 Queen Street East

Project Gallery integrates this historic exhibition style for this show. The Salon exhibition style was established in 1667, by the French Academie des Beaux-Arts and held in Paris at Louvre. In order to accommodate the vast quantity of work submitted by students of the Academie des Beaux-Arts, artworks were displayed from floor to ceiling with little space separating frames. This style has since been incorporated throughout history in museums and galleries.

Introducing the Akin Studio Program at MOCA 2018/2019 Cohort

Akin is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Akin Studio Program at MOCA. These artists will be starting their one-year studio residency at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada in September and will share their practices with the museum’s visitors through programs such as open studio events. The studios vary in size from approximately 25 to 250 square feet and were designed by Akin to create a light and welcoming environment for artists to develop their work. Similar to Akin’s other locations, the space will foster a community atmosphere and the exchange of ideas.

The artists: 
 
Adria Mirabelli
Carrie Chisholm
Christian Milan Butterfield
David Constantino Salazar
David Frankovich
Emily Woudenberg
Emma White
Eugenia Elder
Eva Kolcze
Ghazaleh Avarzamani
Helen Liene Dreifelds
Humboldt Magnussen
Jamie Ellis Pasquale
Jennifer Dany Aubé
Jess Thalmann
Jieun June Kim
Leone McComas
Liang Wang
Maggie McCutcheon
Maren Boedeker
Michaela Macleod
Nuff
Raoul Olou
Raquel Da Silva
Samar Hejazi
Sara Mozafari
Stanzie Tooth
Stephanie Avery
Stephanie Fortin
Steve Lee
Su Bin Ee
Tanya Louise Workman
Walter Segers

We invite you to come and visit the studios during the International Grand Opening of MOCA Toronto Canada on September 22 and 23, 2018 from 10am-5pm. The Akin Studio Program is located on the 4th floor. Following the official ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday morning, explore all five floors of the museum all weekend for free! An Akin staff member will be on site on to answers questions about Akin. Several artists will be in attendance throughout the weekend. 
 

Click here to RSVP

Accessibility: 

MOCA Toronto is a barrier-free and accessible museum for all. We are located on floors one to five of the Tower Automotive Building, with elevator serving each floor. The museum has wheelchair and stroller parking as well as two walkers and wheelchairs available onsite for use. If you have other needs we should know about, contact us at visitorexperience@moca.caahead of time to make any arrangements.
 

Akin Dupont artist Mark Buck presents 'MARKBUCK.ART PREMIERE ART EXHIBITION 1987- 2017' at Artscape Youngplace

Akin Dupont Artist Mark Buck presents 'MARKBUCK.ART PREMIERE ART EXHIBITION 1987- 2017' from June 5 - 16 in studio 107 at Artscape Youngplace.

This solo show will be exhibiting over 25 of Mark’s art: from acrylic on canvas and paper, mixed media, silkscreen mono prints and some sculptures. All the artwork is available for purchase.

Mark will be discussing his artwork and techniques on Saturday, June 9 2018 at 12:30 PM and again at 3:00 PM. Please RSVP which time slot you will be attending with your number of guests to me@markbuck.art.

Mark Buck was born in Toronto in 1953. Art has always been part of Mark’s life. Mark’s multi-faceted talents are reflected in his own artwork which he creates. His silkscreen mono prints, acrylic paintings on canvas or paper, mixed media creations often have a “Jackson Pollock” effect which represents the metamorphosis of form, texture, shape or colour. Mark remarks: “The struggle of each colour, form, texture and shape, like man against the elements and nature, are in a never-ending struggle for their freedom and identity.” Mark’s artistic style is very influenced by the Bauhaus Shape Principles. For more information visit www.markbuck.art

EXHIBITION HOURS:
MON:   12:00 PM-5:00 PM
TUE:    1:00  PM - 7:00  PM
WED:  12:00 PM - 5:00  PM
THU:   1:00 PM  - 7:00  PM
FRI:    12:00 PM - 5:00  PM
SAT:   12:00 PM - 5:00  PM
SUN:    12:00 PM - 5:00  PM

TONIGHT ONLY: Mind Blend Exhibition Feat. Samar Hejazi →

Blank Canvas Presents: Mind Blend. A one day group art show featuring nine artists who each represent a different medium of art, including Samar Hejazi of Akin King (soon to be Akin MOCA). Blank Canvas invites you to a medium bending atmosphere with each piece aimed to challenge the viewers’ understanding of different art forms. There will be plenty of Instagrammable moments!

Featured Artists: 

Ness Lee https://www.instagram.com/nessleee/
Jordan Sook https://www.instagram.com/jordansook/
Tahsin https://www.instagram.com/tahsinthegood/
Tabban https://www.instagram.com/tabban__/
Jessica D'Angelo https://www.instagram.com/seriousbetty/
Brianna Roye https://www.instagram.com/briannablank/
Katherina Ilenseer https://katherinailenseer.cargocollective.com
Claire Davis https://www.instagram.com/citystitch/
Samar https://www.instagram.com/samarhejazi/

Samar Hejazi is an artist of Palestinian descent, born in the U.S. and raised in diverse communities in the Middle East and Canada, she uses her art to question ideas surrounding identity. 

Through meditations on traditional practices and her present environments, Samar's work merges eastern and western styles to express how the crossing of cultures can form new identities. Her choice in medium follows the conceptual needs of the piece which has primarily been embroidery, but also includes works on paper and new media.

Show sponsored by: Ace Hill
Curated by John Samuels and Stefany Lee
Sounds by Beat Sampras

Hours: 7-11PM
Admission: $10 at the door

*This is a 19+ event*
*Free Space is not accessible*

Community Arts Space Open Studio: Treaty Talk with Akin King artist Louis Esmé this Saturday at the Gardiner Museum

Sat May 26, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen's Park, Toronto
Registration required. 

Part of the Community Arts Space: Recent Histories at the Gardiner Museum, Treaty Talk is Co-presented with Akin King artist Louis Esmé and Titiesg Wîcinímintôwak Bluejays Dancing Together Collective. 

Join knowledgeable community members Jodi Lynn Maracle (Kanien’kehá:ka) and Shane H. Camastro (anishinaabe) in this short, interactive workshop on Treaty relationships and responsibilities in Dish with One Spoon Territory. As practicing artists and educators from this place, they will facilitate activities and discussions to root community arts and museum practices in these original agreements.

About the Community Arts Space: Recent Histories:
Inspired by the transformative aspects of ceramics, both real and metaphorical, the Community Arts Space is the Gardiner’s incubator for arts-based community projects. In collaboration with local artists, designers, and collectives, the Museum will mount five public projects that examine how cultural knowledge is passed on or performed, and the role of the museum in cultivating the so-called lived and living memory.

About Louis Esmé:
Louis Esmé (Mi’kmaq-Acadian, Irish) is an artist, writer, and illustrator whose social art practice spans over 20 years working within grassroots, artist-run, and academic spaces. A co-founder of Titiesg Wîcinímintôwak // Bluejays Dancing Together Collective, which has gathered knowledge, stories, and desires for re-urbanized Two-Spirit people and their relations since 2012, Esmé’s work is granny craft/old media with social commentary akin to Statler & Waldorf from Sesame Street. For the Gardiner’s Intervention Project, which will evoke participation and educational potential within the expanded field of ceram­ics, Esmé will make seven clay districts representing the Mi’kmaq Seven Directions in the Gardiner’s Exhibition Hall, lobby, and permanent collection galleries. Vessels referencing Woodland pottery forms will reckon with ongoing colonialisms, while offering witness to Indigenous survivance on the Dish with One Spoon Territory.

Community Arts Space Open Studio Schedule: 

1 – 5 pm | Micro Comedies, Macro Tragedies
2 – 4 pm | Treaty Talk
2 – 5 pm | ‘Take a Future, Leave a Future’ All-Ages Game
3 – 4 pm | Invisible Footprints Panel
4 – 5 pm | Panic in the Labyrinth Open Mic

The Community Arts Space is the Gardiner Museum’s annual summer incubator program for arts-based community projects conceived by up-and-coming local creatives. Since 2015, we’ve partner with artists, curators, and cultural innovators to present free, accessible programming—from live musical performances and film screenings, to collaborative art workshops—all inspired by the transformative aspects of clay.

This year’s theme, Recent Histories, is inspired the Gardiner’s mission to be an active force in the community, and to truly reflect the histories, lived experiences, and traditions of its publics. Through five different project streams, our partners will transform the Museum according to this theme, activating our 307-square-metre third-floor Exhibition Hall as well as our Outdoor Plaza.

'A Portrait Gallery' Group Show Featuring Akin Member Andrew Kennedy →

Akin Dupont member Andrew V. Kennedy will be exhibiting two works in the group show 'A Portrait Gallery' at Propeller Gallery in Toronto: 'Always Within Our Hearts' (72" x 60", Oil and printed text on canvas) and 'Timing' (40" x 30", Oil on board). 

Through the use of painting, portraiture, and text, Andrew's work seeks to explore the 'water' surrounding the modern human condition. Andrew received a BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Painting from Brooklyn College. 

'A Portrait Gallery' runs from May 2 to May 13th at Propeller Gallery.

Opening reception on Saturday May 5th, 2 to 5pm.

Exhibition features the work of Andrew Kennedy, Audrey Smith, Corynn Kokolakis, Elham Fatapour, Elsa Hashemi, Evelyn Rapin, Five Eight, Gabrielle Lasporte, Janet Horne Cozens, Janet Kimantas, Jason Lee Rhyno, Kari Serrao, Kathryn Kirkpatrick, Lea Belegris, Lisandro Pena Madeline Strang, Michelle Winters, Mo Jamal, Paul Kilbertus, Qiao Wang, Ross Winter, Shahla Etemad-zadeh Jamal, Shawna Munro, Vanessa Le Page, Wilfred Wong and Zoey Zoric.

Akin Artist's Spring Courses at Toronto School of Art

Akin members Rebecca Houston, Jess Thalmann, and Candice Davies are instructors of some amazing courses happening this spring at the Toronto School of Art. Join these Spring interdisciplinary courses that follow our belief of Artists Teaching Artists!

Mouldmaking and Multiples with Rebecca Houston  
starting wednesday May 9, 6PM-9PM 

Artists create multiples to emphasize a contemplation of form, to challenge us to see difference or the unique in the face of repetition, to ask questions about value in an age of disposable, identical consumer products or as a meditation on the very process of making. In this course, we will make a series of objects using moulds in plaster and create installations with those objects. Projects will include making push moulds of symmetrical objects and creating multiples with air-drying or oven-hardening clay, making a larger object cast in plaster and a collaborative project in which students will swap cast objects. Casting in plaster has certain limitations as compared to silicone, but also certain benefits. It is cheaper, less toxic and can be used for ceramic slip casting.

Beyond the flat: The photograph as Material and Object with Jessica Thalmann
starting Thursday May 10, 6PM-9PM 

This course investigates the intersection of contemporary photography with sculpture, print, painting, drawings and new media. Since Conceptual Photography, artists have been challenging the ideas and implications of the image, pushing the boundaries of what can be considered a photograph. The inherent qualities of the medium will be explored in this class as it brings together a group of stylistically diverse but similarly innovative artists. Students are guided through technical demonstrations to alter photographs including paper folding, cutting, embroidery, surface treatments and digital interventions. Beginning with the waning days of conceptual art, this class presents a wide variety of artists including Matthew Brandt, Marco Breuer, Alison Rossiter, Letha Wilson, Sigmar Polke, Julie Cockburn, Jessica Eaton, and Gerhard Richter— all of which have reconsidered and reinvented the role of light, color, composition, materiality, and subject in the both analogue and digital photography.

Beyond the Surface: A Contemporary Approach to Drawing with Candice Davies
starting Wednesday, May 2, 10AM-1PM

This course examines the link between drawing, material and space, with a key emphasis placed on contemporary approaches to drawing. Students will reconsider the relationship between the drawn surface and the conceptual/physical concepts of form, space and display. The following questions will be asked:  What defines a drawing?  Are there limits to drawing, and if so how do you overcome them or exploit them?  What are contemporary approaches to drawing?  How can a drawing exist in space, from the space on the page to physical space of ones surrounding?  Can a drawing be a three dimensional object and how can material transform the drawn surface?  What are alternative methods of display in drawing and how can these methods enhance the drawn surface?

This course consists of weekly exercises, discussions, and group critiques. Traditional elements of drawing are utilized, such as various types and sizes of paper and the graphite pencil, providing a foundation in which to build upon. Students are encouraged to think outside the box, to think beyond traditional notions of drawing and display, in order to reconsider drawing in contemporary art.

Introducing our Akin Vitrine Gallery artists for the month of April - Sarvenaz Rayati and Jill Smith

** Please note that both exhibitions run for the entire month of April. **

Akin Dupont Current Exhibition:

'mother / rhythm' by Jill Smith - April 2018 / May 2018

Introducing our April / May 2018 artist, Jill Smith. Jill is an Akin Dupont member, and her new work 'mother / rhythm' is on exhibition in the Akin Vitrine Galleries for the months of April and June. 
 
Transforming space into narrative, 'mother / rhythm' presents a series of bodily sculptures that come together to explore complex power-based relationships. This installation emphasizes materiality, scale, and gesture as elements that have the ability to relate to human forms and body movement. Primarily using clay and concrete, mother / rhythm demonstrates a compassionate, yet commanding relationship between ambiguous material bodies.
 
Jill Smith is an interdisciplinary artist based in Toronto, Ontario (b.1995) and recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honors Specialization in Studio Art) At Western University. Her most recent work explores the fragility and absurdity of the body and mind, as well as the connective possibilities of materiality. Smith has exhibited work in galleries across Ontario, such as the Artlab Gallery, Forest City Gallery, The Arts Project, Open Studio, and Earl Selkirk Gallery at ARTiculations, as well as Friends and Neighbours Gallery in Montreal, Quebec. She has recently participated in artist residency programs at Sparkbox Studio in Picton, ON (May 2017) and at AGA LAB in Amsterdam, NL (September 2017). Currently, she is a member of the AGO Youth Council, and has upcoming residencies with Graven Feather and Artscape Gibraltar.

'mother / rhythm'
mixed media
2018
dimensions available

'mother / rhythm' will be on view for the month of April in our Dupont Akin Vitrine Gallery, located in the Clock Factory Building at 1485 Dupont Street (entrance on Campbell Avenue). Find Akin Studio 215 on the second floor and follow the sign into the hallway around the corner. The building is open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
 
The exhibition will then travel to the Akin St. Clair Vitrine Gallery and be on view for the month of April at 1747 St. Clair Avenue West. Gallery is street level and can be viewed at any time.
 
To contact the artist:
www.jillpaulinesmith.ca
Instagram: @very.petite
#Akinvitrine

For more information about Jill Smith and her work, follow our Instagram account @akinvitrine.

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Akin St Clair Current Exhibition:

'The Embrace' by Sarvenaz Rayati - April 2018

Introducing our April 2018 Akin St Clair Vitrine Gallery artist, Sarvenaz Rayati. Sarvenaz is a multidisciplinary artist and an Akin Lansdowne studio member, . Her new installation 'The Embrace' will be on exhibition at the Akin St Clair Vitrine Gallery. Her work discusses ones love or longing for nature, particular mountains and trees.

'The Embrace'
mixed media
2018
dimensions available
 
The Embrace will be on view for the month of April in our Akin St. Clair Vitrine Gallery at 1747 St. Clair Avenue West. Gallery is street level and can be viewed at any time.
 
To contact the artist:
www.sarvenaz-rayati.com
Instagram: @sarvenaz_ray
#Akinvitrine

Art Show Reception: Haunted & Healing by Foot to Face of Akin Lansdowne

Haunted and Healing is a collection of ghost paintings and collage poems by Foot-to-Face of Akin Lansdowne at Queen's Shop Hair Salon (near Dufferin Station). The show runs now until April 28. You are invited to the reception on Thursday April 12 from 7-9pm.

Foot-to-Face (Julianne Ess) is a multimedia artist and storyteller who uses her art practice to document processes of transformation and cycles of apocalypse. Her art is about doing the visceral, imaginative and embodied work of exploring and healing our fears around change, the unknown, and our capacity for intimacy. She makes zines, collages, mixtapes, and stop-motion animations, and she draws with ink, watercolours, and acrylic paint pens. Originally from Winnipeg, she’s currently based in Toronto and has done a few stints creating and exhibiting in Edinburgh. www.instagram.com/foottoface

The Artist Project opens this Thursday featuring work by many talented Akin artists!

This year The Artist Project contemporary art fair Feb 22-25 at the Better Living Centre and will feature work by over 250 incredible artists from Canada and abroad including some Akin Collective studio members!

Today only you could win two free passes to the early access preview party which is happening on Thursday! Follow us on Instagram and comment on the Artist Project post we put up today with which friend you'll bring along and at the end of the day we'll pull a name from a hat! 

Click here to visit the Instagram post and participate in the ticket giveaway competition. 

The Artist Project is a four day contemporary art fair. From collectors and curators, to gallerists and designers, visitors can explore and discover works of art from over 250 top contemporary artists from Canada and abroad. This is a unique opportunity to meet and buy art directly from artists. We encourage you to check out the fair this week and while you are there please visit our talented Akin artists and chat with them about their artwork! 

Kayla Polan of Akin Dupont - Booth U-6 (UNTAPPED Emerging Artist)

Monique Resnick of Akin Lansdowne - Booth U-15 (UNTAPPED Emerging Artist)

Nancy Bennett of Akin Sunrise - Booth 514

Laura Kay Keeling of Akin Dupont - Booth I-11

Nicole Krstin of Akin Dupont - Booth 812

Chris Harms of Akin Dupont - Booth 340

SHOW SCHEDULE:
Thursday February 22: Opening Night Party  7-10 PM
Friday February 23: 11 AM-10 PM
Saturday February 24: 11 AM-8 PM
Sunday February 25 11 AM-6 PM

Luvsuone of Akin St Clair and Javid Jah present "OPENING" at Hashtag Gallery

To open is to create opportunity - to manifest new pathways for growth and transformation.

Akin St Clair artist Luvsumone has collaborated with street artist Javid Jah on an exhibition of new artwork using modified discarded steel corrugate from shipping containers as the canvas to create a conversation about spiritual openness. The images depicted on these discarded pieces play with our perceptions of individual sacred space - meditative spatial manifestations originating from various spiritual traditions.

OPENING launches tomorrow night with a reception starting at 6pm at Hashtag Gallery and runs until February 18, 2018. 

You can follow the artists Instagram for sneak peek videos, and progress shots of their work for the show:  Luvsumone @luvsumone  /  Javid @javid_jah

New work by filmmaker and photographer Andrew Budziak of Akin Lansdowne on the Algonquin Wolf

Andrew Budziak is a filmmaker and photographer and owner of the video production company 8 String Media. Andrew has worked in media production and story telling for over a decade and has shot and produced video around the world including Pakistan, India, Philippines, Bosnia, and Japan. His most recent work focuses on species threatened by human-wildlife conflict.

In his recent article for Earth Island Journal, Andrew follows Hannah Barron, a wolf researcher and director of Wildlife Conservation Campaigns for Earthroots, and her research assistant Adrienne Chalaturnyk in Ontario’s Killarney Provincial Park as they as they hunt for DNA samples of Algonquin wolves in and around the park to help better understand the population distribution of the threatened species of canid. 

Read the full article and view the photo slideshow to learn more about Algonquin wolf research in Ontario by clicking the link below:

Want to learn more about Ontario's efforts to save the Algonquin wolf? Andrew and his team have also produced a video for CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks series on the subject. Click the link below to check it out: 

Follow Andrew on Instagram to keep up with his latest projects: @andrew_budziak