Winter 2009 / 2010

Winter 2009/10 Volume 16, Issue 4
RICHMOND
update
TENANT PROFILE
SAVAC
Kim Tomczak and Lisa Steele’s public art installation Watertable. Photo: Jose San Juan, City of Toronto.
WELCOME
David Donald (Studio 224)
Artist David Donald, a long time 401
Richmond community member, now
has permanent digs in Studio 224.
David, a photo-based artist who is a
member of Gallery 44 (Studio 120) (and
was the President of the board when
the gallery moved into the building) also
works with This Magazine (Studio
396). He is looking forward to pursuing
his artistic practice in the new space.
NECESSARY ANGEL THEATRE
COMPANY (Studio 392)
Necessary Angel Theatre Company
set up shop in Studio 392 in October.
The company has been creating original
theatre in Canada for over thirty years
and their productions have won countless
awards. We welcome Artistic Director
Daniel Brooks and all the staff of
Necessary Angel to 401 Richmond.
WATERTABLE
Everyone knows about coffee tables, and kitchen
tables, but what about a Watertable? Well in this case,
Watertable is a new multimedia public art installation
by Kim Tomczak and Lisa Steele (Vtape, Studio 452)
under the Gardiner Expressway that was unveiled on
October 21. The name Watertable is a reference to its
location at what once was the shoreline for Lake
Ontario. The LED light artwork marks the new pedestrian
entrance to Fort York and incorporates audio (with the
sound of lapping waves) and sensors that read wind
patterns causing the lights to react in patterns that
mimic real water. This was the first time that Kim and
Lisa have done a public art installation of this size and
it was an exciting learning process for both artists.
Watertable artists Kim Tomczak and Lisa Steele. Photo: Martin Lipman.
GENIUS OF COMMON SENSE
FAREWELL
THEATRE COLUMBUS (Studio 224)
After much deliberation, Theatre
Columbus decided it was time to
move on from 401 and leave Studio
224. The company, that celebrated their
25th anniversary last year, will continue
to produce “comedies that describe the
human condition.”
City Councillor Adam Vaughan speaks to an audience at the Canadian
book launch of Genius of Common Sense.
Authors Glenna Lang and Marjory Wunch travelled all
the way from Boston for the Toronto launch of their new
book Genius of Common Sense: Jane Jacobs and the
Story of the Death & Life of Great American Cities in
the Urbanspace Gallery this October. Written for young
people, the book tells the story of a school age Jane
Jacobs and the beginnings of her innovative ideas about
city-building. The Honourable Kathleen Wynne (MPP
for Don Valley West and Minister of Education) provided
an introduction to the book and also held an inspiring
question and answer session with a group of young
people in attendance. City Councillor Adam Vaughan
(Trinity-Spadina) also brought some careful thoughts to
the proceedings and showed his support of the book.
You can pick up a copy of Genius of Common Sense at
Swipe/Built Books (Studio 119) who co-hosted the
event with Urbanspace Property Group (Studio 111).
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HATS OFF
TENANT PROFILE
SUSAN DICKS + CO
The special Michael Jackson tribute
episode of this past season’s So You
Think You Can Dance Canada dazzled
the audience with a sea of sequins
costumes created by Susan Dicks (Studio
360). Susan loves doing costumes for
dance performances and was thrilled to
work on the show once again. Susan and
her team are currently busy creating outfits
for the new Resident Evil: Afterlife the fourth
movie in the series based on an apocalyptic
video game that stars Milla Jovovich.
SAVAC staff (left to right): Executive Director Haema Sivanesan, Programming Assistant Srimoyee Mitra, Kohila Kurunathan,
and Niwah Visser. Below right: Artist Leila Gajusingh performing as part of SAVAC's Ghost Stories during Nuit Blanche.
Dancers from So You Think You Can Dance
Canada in costumes by Susan Dicks.
DR. ERIC HOSKINS
It’s not often that we get to tip our hat to a
tenant who has been elected to provincial
government. Dr. Eric Hoskins, Co-founder
of War Child Canada (Studio 204) with
his wife Founder and Executive Director
Dr. Samantha Nutt, recently secured a
position in the Liberal Party becoming the
MPP for St. Paul’s. We wish him the best
of luck in politics.
www.erichoskins.onmpp.ca
Dr. Eric Hoskins elected MPP for St. Paul’s.
SOUTH ASIAN VISUAL ARTS CENTRE (SAVAC) STUDIO 450
If you made it to 401 Richmond this past Scotiabank
Nuit Blanche you may have stumbled upon a moody
and intriguing group of performances on the fourth floor.
The artists: hidden inside black fabric boxes, drawing
with their eyelashes, dancing in projector light, and
reciting the Arabic alphabet were all part of the South
Asian Visual Arts Centre’s (SAVAC, Studio 450)
Ghost Stories. SAVAC created the program specifically
for Nuit Blanche and designed the performances to
relate to the building placing performers in unlikely
spaces (like our freight elevator).
Being a centre that operates without a dedicated
exhibition and performance space, finding the right
venue is something SAVAC deals with regularly. It is not
just about finding a space but finding the right space that
will fit specific works and ideally add something to the
overall experience of the art. As Programming Coordinator
Srimoyee Mitra explains; “working without a space can
be quite meaningful for the art. With each program we
have to collaborate with a partner who is also investing in
the work.” Collaboration brings added energy to projects
and fuels the process that often includes creative
approaches to dealing with miniscule budgets.
For Haema, issues surrounding cultural diversity are
central to what SAVAC does. “We could easily be
marginalized and operate within a kind of ghetto. It’s
important to start building dialogues as a way to break
down barriers and give different audiences exposure to
our projects.” Haema has been traveling across Canada
working to build a more national profile for SAVAC and
has noted how truly regional Canada is — conversations
around race and diversity are drastically different
depending on the location. Having worked in Toronto
for several years, Haema has been reminded not to take
the cosmopolitan nature of the city for granted.
Finding the perfect partner match for a work can take
time — when we met, Srimoyee and Executive Director
Haema Sivanesan had just secured a space for a
two year old submission. The work can’t just happen
anywhere — it takes all the right elements coming together
for it to be realized and the SAVAC team aren’t willing
to compromise on this. As Haema explains, “you really
have to do a lot of troubleshooting. Venue partners
can have set routines and we come in and interrupt
this — it’s not always easy.”
SAVAC is still rooted in the social justice movement that
incited their creation. The artistic practice of the South
Asian contemporary artists they work with commonly
reflect on what is happening in the world regarding
race, politics, and diversity.
For SAVAC this kind of outreach and collaboration is
in keeping with their larger project of broadening their
scope, their audience, and their membership. SAVAC,
which has been in operation for sixteen years, recently
transitioned from an artists’ collective to an artist-run
centre reflecting changes in their overall approach.
“We wanted to put out the message that we were open
to wider participation” explains Srimoyee. This has
translated into an increase in membership and visibility –
as they build new partnerships the audiences they have
access to expand. For a centre who is interested in
exploring the question of “what South Asia is and where
its boundaries lie” having as many people at the table
for those discussions as possible is vital.
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Haema feels very positive about the current climate,
“We are networked into an international discussion and
see changes in the landscape and discussions about
race. These changes in world events also have an affect
on how artists work. It’s a really exciting time because
there is a new kind of curiousity, interest, and openness
to what we’re doing.”
Upcoming for SAVAC, Srimoyee has curated Crossing
Lines: An Intercultural Dialogue that continues to
January 22, 2010 at The Glenhyrst Art Gallery of
Brant. Monitor 6: New South Asian Short Film and
Video programmed by Richard Fung gets underway in
March at the National Film Board. And in collaboration
with the Images Festival (Studio 448), Bamiyan: “the
heart that has no love, pain, generosity is not a heart”
opens on April 3 at the Royal Ontario Museum. To find
out more about SAVAC’s upcoming shows, events, and
call for submissions visit www.savac.net.
LISTINGS BOARD
The Listings Board is your opportunity to communicate with other tenants and keep them informed about
what is happening in your organization. If you are having a sale, exhibition, or event you would like advertised,
submission forms can be picked up at the 401 management office from 9 am– 4 pm during the week.
The deadline for submissions for the winter newsletter is Friday, January 22, 2010.
Fado Guitar by Nuno Cristo. Photo: Ozan S. Yigit.
HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE
DECEMBER 10 – 13
Holiday Marketplace
It’s the 17th Annual Holiday Marketplace at
401 Richmond Street West. Come celebrate
gift-giving this season with a shopping
experience you’ll remember. Discover an
award-winning creative community right in
the heart of our city. You’ll find unique gifts
and meet the creative minds behind them.
Let your gifts be full of joy and spirit!
Please visit www.401richmond.net to see
all the fantastic people who make the Holiday
Marketplace a not to be missed event this
holiday season.
Thursday to Saturday, 11 am–8 pm.
Sunday 11 am–5 pm.
EXHIBITIONS
NOVEMBER 14 – DECEMBER 19
Wynick/Tuck Gallery (Studio 128)
Jonathan Johnson: New Paintings
NOVEMER 21 – DECEMBER 19
Vtape Video Salon (Studio 452)
Tales from the Crypt: “dragging my
camera down the stairs…”
Curated by John Shipman.
NOVEMBER 27 – JANUARY 15
Roastery Coffee House (Studio 135)
Keli Maksud and Leeay Aikawa: Koraji
DECEMBER 2 – 19
Red Head Gallery (Studio 115)
Red Head Collective: RED DOT SHOW
DECEMBER 3 – 19
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Artist Proof Sale
Opening Night Fundraiser and Open House:
Thursday, December 3, 6–9 pm.
Sale continues to December 19.
Regular hours: Tuesday to Saturday, noon–5 pm.
(PWYC, suggested donation $10)
JANUARY 6 – 30
Red Head Gallery (Studio 115)
Ram Samocha
JANUARY 8 – FEBRUARY 13
Gallery 44 (Studio 120)
Elinor Whidden: Ford Explorer
Vitrines: 12 Point Buck
Opening reception and artists’ talk:
Friday, January 8, 6–9 pm.
SEE MUSIDEUM (DECEMBER 11).
JANUARY 14 – FEBRUARY 20
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Lisa Turner: Shelf Life
Louise Vezina: Daydreams...At Once
Long and Brief
Group Show
Opening reception: Thursday, January 14,
6:30–8:30 pm.
FEBRUARY 2 – 20
Vtape Video Salon (Studio 452)
Curatorial Incubator v.7: Frak Facebook:
Celebrating the Anti-social
Program 1: February 2–6
Program 2: February 9–13
Program 3: February 16–20
FEBRUARY 3 – 27
Red Head Gallery (Studio 115)
Jane Martin
FEBRUARY 18 – 27
Gallery 44 (Studio 120)
Cameralinks: Fast Forward, Rewind, Repeat
Elementary and Secondary School students
from Toronto exhibit their photographic artwork.
Opening reception: Thursday, February 18,
3–6 pm
FEBRUARY 25 – APRIL 3
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Janne Laine: Silence
Lucinda Chen
Group Show
Opening reception: Thursday, February 25,
6:30–8:30 pm.
FEBRUARY 26 – MARCH 26
Vtape Video Salon (Studio 452)
Deanna Bowen: Sum of the parts
EVENTS
NOVEMBER 26 – DECEMBER 6
Gwendolyne Hats (Studio 433)
One-of-a-Kind Show and Sale
Gwedonlyne Hats showcase their fabulous
handcrafted originals in Booth I-49.
DECEMBER 3
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Artists’ Proof Sale & Open House, 6–9 pm.
12 Point Buck's Deer Me.
SEE GALLERY 44 (JANUARY 8).
DECEMBER 17
FADO Performance Art Centre (Studio 448)
Misinformed Informants. Curated by Lisa Visser
XPACE Cultural Centre (58 Ossington Avenue)
www.performanceart.ca
JANUARY 30
Vtape (Studio 452)
Vidi This! Vidi That! An all day screening
marathon of the entire 2009–2010
Curatorial Incubator v.7: Frak Facebook:
Celebrating the Anti-social
Auditorium, Daniels Faculty of Architecture,
Landscape & Design, University of Toronto
(230 College Street, main floor), 1–5 pm.
FEBRUARY 13
Vtape (Studio 452)
On Disturbing the Public: Reflecting on the
recent work of Deanna Bowen
University of Toronto Art Centre, University
College (main floor Laidlaw Wing) 1– 3 pm.
FEBRUARY 26
Images Festival (Studio 448)
Shift Screenings: Film and Video from the
Netherlands and Canada
In partnership with the Impakt Festival
Studio Theatre, Harbourfront Centre (235
Queens Quay W.)
7:30–9:30 pm
EDUCATION
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Registration for eight-week Courses in Etching,
Lithography and Screenprinting, Power Printmaking, Open Sessions, and Weekend Workshops
opens in early January (classes start early
February); register early as classes fill up quickly.
For full details, visit www.openstudio.on.ca and
click on “Education”, and sign up for our email
alerts to make sure you receive early notice.
RETAIL
Gwendolyne Hats (Studio 433)
Looking for magic!
Gwedonlyne Hats will re-open after the One-ofa-Kind Show on December 10 with extended
hours for Christmas shopping.
GALLERY DIRECTORY
A Space Gallery (Studio 110)
Contact 416-979-9633
www.aspacegallery.org
Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary
Photography (Studio 120)
Contact 416-979-3941
www.gallery44.org
Open Studio (Studio 104)
Contact 416-504-8238
www.openstudio.on.ca
Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art
(Studio 124)
Contact 416-591-0357
www.prefix.ca
Red Head Gallery (Studio 115)
Contact 416-504-5654
www.redheadgallery.org
Trinity Square Video (Studio 376)
Contact 416-593-1332
www.trinitysquarevideo.com
Vtape Video Salon (Studio 452)
Contact 416-351-1317
www.vtape.org
WARC Gallery/Women’s Art
Resource Centre (Studio 122)
Contact 416-977-0097
www.warc.net
Wynick/Tuck Gallery (Studio 128)
Contact 416-504-8716
www.wynicktuckgallery.ca
YYZ Artists’ Outlet
(Studio 140)
Contact 416-598-4546
www.yyzartistsoutlet.org
DECEMBER 11
Musideum (Studio 133)
Musideum presents: members of The Glass
Orchestra with guest Anne Bourne on Glass
Armonica, 7–8 pm. www.musideum.com
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WE SAW YOU
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FASHION CRIMES
Fashion Crimes’ (Studio 257) necklace
made from Swarovski crystal and vintage
chain caught the eye of NOW Magazine
(September 10–16) appearing in their
We Want… spot. Fashion Crimes store
at 322 1/2 Queen Street West is getting
ready for the holiday season with perfect
holiday dresses online at www.fashion
crimes.ca plus tonnes of in-store promos
throughout December.
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BUILT BOOKS ON
ARCHITECTURE
Design Lines Magazine Fall 2009 edition
has a line on Built Books on Architecture
(Studio 119) stating that “it’s the little
places that count” for design nuts on the
hunt for something unique. Swipe and Built
will be open for the Holiday Marketplace if
you are just such a design nut looking for
that perfect holiday gift.
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LISA STEELE + KIM TOMCZAK
Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak from Vtape
(Studio 452) have been super busy this fall.
They not only had a text art exhibition at
Diaz Contemporary that received a
whopping 4 N’s from NOW Magazine
(September 10–16) but they launched a
massive public art installation called
Watertable (more on the front page) under
the Gardiner Expressway.
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JEANNIE THIB
Jeannie Thib’s (Studio 362) show this
summer in Denmark at B&K Projects
was written up in many local publications
including a piece from Kunstavisen. We
trust that they only had good things to say
about the artists Lucite wall sculptures
that play with perspective.
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CINECYCLE
Cinecycle (coachhouse) was a hive of
activity this past Scotiabank Nuit Blanche
as a preparation site for Bicitycle (Bike
City). Japanese artists were using the
space to prepare their bicycles for the
exhibition that took place in Liberty Village
and were visited by the National Post
(September 29) as part of their Countdown
to Nuit Blanche series.
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LISA KISS DESIGN
We spotted Lisa Kiss (Studio 435) in a
somewhat unlikely place…a book of
posters from the Obama ’08 electoral
campaign. How did a Canadian end up
there? Lisa designed a graphic during the
election that she ended up posting on the
site designforobama.org. Her poster was
then chosen to be part of a compilation of
submitted artwork that was edited by
Director Spike Lee and website founder
Aaron Perry-Zucker.
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SPOTLIGHT
RED SKY AT THE OLYMPICS
Red Sky Performance’s Tono, part of the 2010
Vancouver Olympics. Photo: Laura Vanags.
Red Sky Performance’s (Studio 420) Tono will be part
of the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver
Olympics on February 12 – check your local TV listings
to be sure you don’t miss it. Choreographed and
directed by Red Sky’s Founding Artistic Director
Sandra Laronde with Roger Sinha, Tono is heavily
grounded in the theme of horse culture. It spans plains
tradition in Asia and North America with a storyline about
shamanism on both continents, and the creature (the
horse) universally regarded as the epitome of strength,
grace, and beauty. This dance creation brings together the
Indigenous cultures of Canada, Mongolia, and China and
was also featured in the cultural programming for the
2008 Bejing Olympics.
If you happen to be in Vancouver in February, you can
catch a full performance of Tono on February 11, 13 and
14 at the Playhouse Theatre as part of the Cultural
Olympiad festival.
www.redskyperformance.com
www.vancouver2010.com
WHO
Ivy Mairi, Assistant Manager at Musideum
(Studio 133), Singer, Songwriter.
HOW I GOT HERE
I am a friend of Anne Bourne, Director
of Creative Development at Musideum.
In Spring 2008, I returned from a year
studying at McGill University in Montreal
and needed a job. Musideum seemed like
it would be a fun place to work, but I had
no idea how enriching an experience it
would really become. I came here with a
good grasp of Western music, but little
idea about how it is practiced in other
traditions. I’m so grateful for all I’ve
learned from Anne, Donald Quan (Owner
of Musideum), and other Musideum staff,
as well as the people of all backgrounds
who come in and share incredible stories
and history with me.
EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
PLANT 90 + NUIT BLANCHE
Alex Durlak’s Anything But during Nuit Blanche.
We celebrated contemporary art once again this year
with a triad of fall events. Art 401 Redux brought together
the talent of twenty-two of 401 Richmond’s artists in a
group show at the Gladstone Hotel that helped launch
the Queen West Art Crawl. Then we headed into a
site-specific group show at 401 called Plant 90: of
Production and Object curated by Persilia Caton, which
referenced the history of the building and its roots in
production. Finally, we stayed up all night with galleries
and studio artists for Scotiabank Nuit Blanche welcoming
thousands of visitors to the building. If you missed it all
during the busy fall season, don’t fret, we will start fresh
next year with a new set of art and ideas. Also, Luis Jacob’s
installation of a flock of pigeons in the main lobby called
From Stream to Golden Stream and Alex Durlak’s
Anything But have extended their stay at 401 Richmond
so you can still get a taste of Plant 90.
FADO DOES IT
FADO Performance Art Centre presented the
Toronto premiere of work by Performance
Artists’ Monika Günther and Ruedi Schill.
FADO Performance Art Centre (Studio 448) hosted
the premiere Toronto performance by Artists’ Monika
Günther and Ruedi Schill this past September. The duo
presented two new works called Silence and Fait a la
Main in the Urbanspace Gallery. FADO is an artist-run
centre for performance art and is the only centre devoted
specifically to this form in English Canada. They continue
to bring exciting programming to Toronto and will be
presenting Misinformed Informants on December 17 at
XSPACE Cultural Centre, their annual emerging artist
showcase. In February FADO’s International Visiting
Artists series welcomes Belfast artists Sinead
O’Donnell, Hugh O’Donnell, and Justin McKeown.
www.performanceart.ca
I am constantly involved in musical activities.
My mother, sister, and I have a band called
kith&kin, which after many years of musicmaking in our home has finally emerged
into the greater public with our album of
lesser-known seasonal music Yet Will I be
Merry. I am a current member of Toronto
ensemble Bruce Peninsula and we just
got back from a ten date tour on the East
Coast (my first tour ever!). Whenever
opportunities arise, I moonlight as a square
dance caller for public and private events.
My mother Kathleen McDonnell and I,
along with a group of neighbours host a
biannual hoedown on Toronto Island.
CONNECTIONS
Musideum, in many ways, has facilitated
my maturation as a musician. I’ve met
countless amazing musicians, and discovered
new ways of music-making. I have learned
the basics of the Zimbabwean mbira, heard
beautiful music from Finland, and been
introduced to the world of improvisation.
Musideum provides a place for instrument
makers and masters to connect with new
peers and the wider public. I am excited to
be a part of it. One of the best parts of my
job is connecting people — I help people
retrieve instruments from their past, find a
teacher, or a kindred spirit.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
A busy time! kith&kin are having a celebration
and concert at the Music Gallery on
December 9. I’m of course looking forward
to 401’s Holiday Marketplace, where
Musideum is hosting some great performances
by the Glass Orchestra, kith&kin, and others.
I recently received a creation/songwriting
grant from the Ontario Arts Council, so I am
looking forward to creating some new music
of my own in the new year.
www.musideum.com
www.myspace.com/ivymairi
www.myspace.com/kithandkintrio
www.bruce-peninsula.com
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The Newsletter at 401 Richmond is intended as a means of building community. Initiated
in June 1994, the publication documents the eclectic activities and fascinating people who
comprise our arts-friendly historic factory in downtown Toronto. If you would like to
be on the 401 Update mailing list, please contact the management office at 416-595-5900.
401 RICHMOND NEWS
2010 is shaping up to be a great year for World Literacy of Canada’s
(WLC, Studio 236) KAMA Reading Series. The organization that works on
international development, social justice, and adult literacy, will be celebrating
the new year with a stellar line-up of authors, including Margaret Atwood
on March 31, and Peter Mansbridge on April 21. KAMA is a fundraiser for
WLC and a celebration of the exceptional talent Canada has to offer so
don’t miss your chance to see (and hear) it first hand. For a complete
schedule of readings that begin on January 27 and to purchase tickets visit
www.worldlit.ca or call 416-977-0008.
Below: Author Margaret Atwood reads for World Literacy of Canada’s KAMA Reading Series.
Photo: George Whiteside.
401 Richmond Ltd. Staff
Benna Brown, Leasing Administrator
Bob Chandler, Security
Rosanna Ciulla, Administrative Assistant
Bogale Gebreyes, Security & Maintenance
Erin MacKeen, Director Community
Development and Communications
Keli Maksud, Office Administrator
Mike Moody, Property Manager
Rolando Morales, Janitorial Services
Rodentar Paragas,
Janitorial Services Manager
Vicki Rodgers, Chief Executive Officer
Ronel Ruiz, Maintenance
Robert Schwager, Security
Greg Spooner, Parking Attendant & Security
Margaret Zeidler, Founder
Newsletter
Erin MacKeen, Editor
Lisa Kiss Design (Studio 435)
Warren’s Waterless Printing
Published by 401 Richmond Ltd.
401 Richmond St. W., Studio 111
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3A8
tel 416-595-5900 fax 416-595-5904
www.401richmond.net
401 Richmond Street West, Studio 111
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3A8
www.401richmond.net
RICHMOND
update
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