FOREIGN LEGIONNAIRES: ART COLLECTIVES AT WORK at Edward Day Gallery (952 Queen West), to September 6. 416-921-6540. Rating: NNNN
John Ralston Saul might say it’s a legacy of Canada’s tradition of aboriginal consensus decision-making, or it may be a result of our relative reluctance to crown superstars. Whatever the reason, from General Idea to Broken Social Scene, Toronto’s been fertile ground for collectively created artistic endeavours.
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Fortunately, despite curator Kelly McCray’s fanciful title, the five groups in Foreign Legionnaires use their collective discipline to expand the imagination rather than a colonial empire.
Fastwürms are the best known and longest-running group here. The Wiccan duo bring their animal familiars: four decorated ceramic forms vaguely reminiscent of toad houses sold at garden shops that sit on a black felt pond under a sign reading “Toads Eat For Free,” an amusing string-art mouse and two cats drawn with pins on pegboard.
Retro crafts media are also explored by Shake-n-Make, who’ve embroidered oval plaques with scenes from 70s TV, sewn sculptures that could be toaster cozies out of cheesy upholstery fabric and encrusted a gas can with plastic beads.
The Toronto Terrarea Club take up much of the floor space with a semi-symmetrical altar-like installation of mirrors and carefully arranged small-scale junk. Made for the show, it’s a Value Village version of The Index, David Altmejd’s high-end mirrored boutique at the AGO.
I may be losing my patience with art based on kitsch, but I still have enough of a soft spot for the thrift-store/crafts aesthetic to find all these works endearing.
Instant Coffee’s Violator nuclear-logo wallpaper complements their fun Disco Fallout Shelter installation at the Toronto Sculpture Garden, and Team Macho show a series of their small ironic graphic collaborations of drawn and painted figures and surreal creatures.
It’s the kind of humorous, lively and playful work that makes an ideal late-summer show.
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