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Art & Books

Fall Preview : Art

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Scent of Cologne

Cologne was one of the major centres of the contemporary art boom of the 80s, a time when the line between art and life was particularly thin. Make Your Own Life: Artists In & Out Of Cologne asks the question: to what extent should the personal mythology of artists inform their art? In this show 25 creative minds from Cologne, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin and London piece together a collective portrait of one of the most complex and vibrant art scenes of the last two decades. Look for works by Mike Kelley , Rosemarie Trockel and, of course, Martin Kippenberger . Runs to December 3 at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery , 231 Queens Quay West, 416-973-4949.

Fashion crimes

In what promises to be another MOCCA extravaganza, Unholy Alliance: Art + Fashion Meet Again features work by artists who have used fashion and costume as a central element in their work. Nick Cave (not the musician) is known for his Soundsuits, costume sculptures obsessively embroidered and beaded with found objects that resemble ritual garments from an alternate dimension. Venezuelan artist Clemencia Labin , who’s appeared in photos and performances dressed as the Virgin Mary and a flamingo, also contributes. Kent Monkman , known for his flamboyantly costumed drag persona Miss Chief Share Eagle Testickle, weighs in with Hudson River School landscapes featuring cowboys and Indians in Tom of Finland trysts. October 6 to November 12. 952 Queen West, 416-395-0067.

Uppity upstart

Curator and collector Wil Kucey , a graduate of the criticism and curatorial program at OCAD, has already stirred up the Toronto scene with his modest signature gallery Le. , just a few doors down from the Communist’s Daughter. Representing a stable primarily made up of OCAD grads under 35, he has already managed to launch many of them in major gallery and museum exhibitions across Europe and the U.S. The Third Anniversary Show celebrates with a stellar lineup of 14 artists, including rising star Nicholas Di Genova ‘s mutagenic creatures and graffiti sensation DALEK . October 25 to November 19, opening party October 27. 1183 Dundas West, 416-532-8467.

Koop flies

Passionate activism has always been a part of much-lauded artist Wanda Koop ‘s career. She can be counted, along with Janet Cardiff, Michael Snow and Jeff Wall, among the greats in the current Canadian art pantheon. Her show at Birch Libralato focuses on carefully calibrated landscapes, pure visual exercises in restraint and colour that attest to a lifetime of focus on her craft. October 19 to November 18. 129 Tecumseth, 416-365-3003.

Boy wonders

Anthony Goicolea is known for digitally modified C-prints that construct disturbing dreamlike scenes with icy realism. Set in a barely pubescent male world saturated with a violent and homoerotic subtext, many of these prints feature the artist portraying various characters, extending Cindy Sherman’s style of self-portraiture into complex, almost filmic narratives. This series, a work in progress, centres around scenes in a boy’s boarding school. November 23 to January 14. Monte Clark (55 Mill, building #2, 416-703-1700).

Angell celebrates a decade

Jamie Angell celebrates a groundbreaking 10 years with a show of 10 artists he has promoted during his highly influential tenure on Queen West. Highlights include Kristine Moran ‘s high-velocity semi-abstract paintings, Geoffrey Pugen ‘s hilariously bizarre altered digital portraits, Kim Dorland ‘s paintings and acclaimed husband-and-wife team Nick Pye and Sheila Pye ‘s conceptual photography. November 24 to December 23. 890 Queen West, 416-530-0444.

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