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Toronto International Art Fair 2003 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front West), open to the public November 14-17, Friday and Saturday noon to 8 pm, Sunday and Monday noon to 7 pm. $16. 604-925-0330.
The fourth instalment of the Toronto International Art Fair, sprawling across the Metro Convention Centre floor, looks to be better than ever, with some excellent special programming and an impressive lecture series bolstering the gallery lineup. Crucially, there's a large contingent of international galleries, many of them repeats from last year, a necessary part of putting the "I" in TIAF. As for the "T," the above phone number is correct. Strangely enough, a Vancouver group puts on this city's art fair.
Here are some highlights to look out for.
Lisson Gallery, Booth 436
This is a serious British gallery with serious British artists like Anish Kapoor , the chap who made that grey faux mountain that sits stoically on the north side of Front directly across from the Convention Centre. Alongside the big names, look for work by young Brits.
Magnets The News At 5, Sunday (November 16), 5 pm, Booth 204
A special hosted tour, part of the News At 5 daily series, Magnets has culled a strong and varied group of contemporary Canadian artists who work in the abstract. From Graham Gilmore 's word jumbles to Ron Terada 's playful twists, this presentation is sure to impress. Othergallery, Booth 126
This movable feast of a gallery is based in Winnipeg but spends much of its time travelling to new locales. You'll see Toronto artists like Karen Azoulay (see interview, previous page) mixed with a crop of talented young artists from west of here like Simon Hughes and Kim Ouellette .
Partners lecture Sunday (November 16) at noon, Room 204
Amid a series of interesting lectures about collecting and curating is this gem that focuses on collaboration. It will be fascinating to hear about the process of partnering in what is typically a very solitary and sometimes ego-driven field.
Vice Versa
More than a dozen Austrian galleries have been invited as part of a cultural exchange organized by bigwig dealer Jane Corkin . This is a great way to get a snapshot of what's happening in a country that has a fair share of social and political intrigue.
Super Art Market, Booth 700
Forget white walls, snooty staff and the sound of pens scratching zeros onto cheques. Here come the neon lighting, staff aprons and ringing of a good old-fashioned cash register. Art Metropole and the Power Plant are making art accessible at prices ranging from $1 to $250. A must visit for anyone with a few extra loonies.
Fountain of Youth The News At 5, Saturday (November 15), 5 pm, Booth 800
Here's a hosted tour of works by some of the most lauded young talents in the country, including Sobeys Award winner Brian Jungen , current Québecois phenom Pascal Grandmaison and Toronto darling Karen Azoulay (see profile, previous page). There's a lot of hype here, and some are sure to pull through better than others.
Sobey Art Award shortlist at MOCCA (5040 Yonge) to November 20. 416-395-0067.
Speaking of Sobey Awards, the shortlist will be on display offsite at MOCCA. Compare grocery-money winner Brian Jungen 's Beer Cooler with the fantastic work of runner-up and prairie boy David Hoffos .
Tracey Lawrence Gallery, Booth 123
A number of Vancouver's young artists have rebelled against the dominance on the West Coast of photo-based work, and Tracey Lawrence is at the centre of this conspiracy. Smarts and subtle humour mark the work of Robert Arndt , David Carter and Tim Lee (who also has a show on at YYZ).