The artist-run centre YYZ Artists' Outlet in Toronto recently held an
exhibtiion called Art + Activism, curated by Kym Preusse. Our website
doesn't allow me to give you the exact page URL but if you dig a little you
will find info about it att:
http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org/exhibitions.asp?language=en
use the drop down box for ARCHIVES > 2006
Art + Activism is the last show listed (the 1st one scheduled in 2006)
I work at YYZ but not on exhibitions so my observations here are "casual"...
I was surprised how the show drew a whole different audience into the
gallery. Activists, hactivists, politico's, union people; it was really
interesting for us, being more used to the "usual suspects:" artists,
critics, teachers, students, people gallery hopping...
No small part of the success of the exhibition was due to the diversity of
the program, which included screenings and workshops, and the partners
involved, Interaccess, a Toronto media arts centre, and the Canadian Auto
Workers Union. There was something different going on every week and the
press was very responsive with several articles about public performances or
other aspects of the program.
About the issue of the autonomous space of art, with few exceptions, the
work in this exhibition did not pivot on that, most were more like
documentation of works that are "active" in other contexts. The gallery
operated more like a museum in this respect. Similarly, screenings and
workshops did not operate in the "neutral zone" of critical reflection
typical of art galleries and art discourse, but were made for and attended
by activists who are artists and artists who are activists.
Our 'zine, a 16 pp. tabloid newspaper, acts as a kind of catalogue for the
exhibition. Request a free copy by emailing [log in to unmask]
YYZINE: VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1 (on Art + Activism)
Robert Labossiere
Managing Editor, YYZBOOKS
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