FROM OCTOBER 7

UNTIL JANUARY 30, 2011,
AT TORONTO’S GARDINER MUSEUM

BREAKING BOUNDARIES presents four young Canadian artists whose work challenges our perceptions and expectations about materials, form, function and meaning. The four artists – Shary Boyle, Marc Courtemanche, Carmela Laganse, and Brendan Tang – create works that are both accessible and ambiguous. They are accessible because they draw on objects and images familiar to us from our popular culture. They are ambiguous because it is not always clear what the works are made of, what their forms and functions are, and what stories or meanings they convey.

This combination of accessibility and ambiguity requires viewers to engage actively with the works of art in order to appreciate them fully. The works are not merely demonstrations of technical skill, expressions of the artists’ personalities, or didactic statements about specific aspects of our culture. Rather, they are catalysts that encourage viewers to draw on their own memories, experiences, assumptions and imaginations to create meaning and significance.
In this way, the works in the exhibition break down the boundaries between artist and audience, and transform the gallery visit into a truly democratic experience. In keeping with the dynamic quality of the art, Breaking Boundaries will include spaces in the installation and on the Museum’s website where visitors will have opportunities to respond to the artworks, to create their own artworks, and to engage with each other through the artworks. Come and be part of this exciting exhibition. Breaking Boundaries is curated by Gardiner Museum Chief Curator Charles Mason. It is complemented by a 56-page catalogue of the exhibition published in 2010 by the Gardiner Museum.

EXHIBITION-RELATED EVENTS

		Members’ Preview Lunch with Curator Charles Mason Wednesday October 6 12 – 1:30 pm BUY TICKETS – LIMITED SEATING, REQUIRES ADVANCE BOOKING A special Members’-only lunchtime sneak peak at Breaking Boundaries with Chief Curator Charles Mason including a delicious lunch from Jamie Kennedy Kitchens. $35 Limited Seating
		Brendan Tang Talk and Demonstration Wednesday October 6 6 – 8 pm BUY TICKETS – LIMITED SEATING, REQUIRES ADVANCE BOOKING Exhibition artist Brendan Tang demonstrates his working methods and reveals his artistic influences – from manga-influenced comics, Ming dynasty ceramics, European decorative ormolu and post-modern theory. $10 / $8.50 for Gardiner Members, seniors and students
		Shary Boyle Tuesday October 26 8 – 10:30 pm BUY TICKETS – LIMITED SEATING, REQUIRES ADVANCE BOOKING One of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists conjures visual magic in this piece of performance art. Shary will create “live drawings” with the help of vintage overhead projectors and music. $25