A peak into contemporary art with the Art Toronto art fair 2022

With over 90 galleries and 1831 artworks Art Toronto was back in the swing of things post-pandemic featuring art from all over Canada as well as other parts of the world. I have chosen 32 here but there will be more in future installments. The art was that good. Here I have featured Michael Pszczonak from the Michael Gibson Gallery who recorded moments in time during the Covid pandemic. He painted monthly to capture the different moments in time from the outside in. His realist style reveals layers of everyday scenes of his family home in London, Ontario.  Kristy Templeton Davidge's mother and daughter-like rendering is humourous and beautiful at the same time. The younger woman is nonchalant that a bird has landed on her head and is happy following her mother for some important event. Kim Dorland's Green painting is something else. With thick layers of green paint the artist redefines what it means to paint the Canadian landscape. Rita Letendre's Rencontre is an abstract vision painted in two colours. Yellow and black twisting together to come to the final fruition. Meanwhile, Julia Campisi's Hard Surfaces in Warm Places is a welcome gift to the Toronto art fair. Pink bricks made up of hand-painted acrylic sit on top of one another and warm up the scene. Little does she know how appealing her work is. I could say more but the discovery is all yours. I hope you enjoy these selections and come back for more.

 1 Michael Pszczonak, February 2022, Canadian

An eye on ArtXLagos 2022 Continued

ArtXLagos was one of the finest art fairs I have seen in a while. It put the spotlight on Art from Africa and diaspora like no other. From 476 artworks I have selected 32 here on top of my previous post of 27. It was difficult to narrow down the select few but a pleasure to show the final few. I like Victor Ubah's Rest and his rendering of a fragmented body done in black and white. It is a dramatic finish and a beautiful piece of art. Morgan Mahape's beaded work is a feast for the eyes. How painstaking it must have been to put it together is beyond me. Nana Opoku's serene portrayal of a man holding a large jar on top of his head walking down a beautiful path is breathtaking. Meanwhile Ugandan born Henry Mzili Mujunga;s warrior with orange background 2 2020 shows the loving embrace of two sports lovers entangled in their affection for each other and for their sport. Daniel Onguene's Pause commentaires shows a couple on a shopping excursion wholly engrained in what they are doing. We look but can't see their intentions. They are alone against a puzzling background. Olufemi Oyewole's Coded Message shows a beautiful young woman with paint on her face and body highlighting her features. She's calmly taking in what's happening before her, her portrait cemented in history. 

 1 Victor Ubah, Rest, 2022, Nigerian

An eye on West Africa with Art X Lagos 2022

 Art X Lagos is now in its 7th edition showcasing art from over 40 countries, 31 galleries and representing 120 artists. Based in Lagos, Nigeria the fair has a strong base in Africa and casts a spotlight on art from Africa and it diaspora. Nigerian artists dominate here but there is a good representation of artists from other countries as well. The show featured some familiar names such as Oliver Okolo and Nedia Were both of whom are known for their portraitures. Rendered in a timeless fashion one can see their future success is cemented firmly. Leila Rose Fanner's ritual, the first piece shown here, is reminiscent of the ethereal beauty of Portia Zvavahera's work. The subjects faces are as dark as the night and the features dissolved with paint. The pair are getting ready, one guesses, for a wedding and the angelic aura that surrounds them promises a spiritual event. All of the artists here are worth noting however and once you take a look for yourself you'll see what I mean. 

 Leila Rose Fanner, Ritual, 2022, South African

Art on Paper 2022 Art Fair II

This is my second edition of Art on Paper. I hope you like it as much as the first. I particularly liked the abstract work by Soile Yli Mayry. Its deep blue combined with vibrant colours make for a painting one could contemplate for days. The image of the late Queen Elizabeth II was another favourite. The work engrained her profile forever in my memory. Rance Jones's, Mythology of Valor, brings to mind images of a different world some of it less than appealing. Its rawness is beautiful. Another mention goes to Yelena Lezhen whose abstract work I could stare at forever. Together these and the other selections are what made Art on Paper such a success. And I hope you enjoy them too.

1 Rance Jones, Mythology of Valor, 2022, American

 

Art on Paper 2022 Art Fair

Art on Paper is on the only art fair distinguished by its showing of art only on paper. With 100 galleries showing 2,153 artworks this year it was difficult to make only a few selections. Here, I have chosen 28. Each one is unique and comes from either the US or from a whole host of other countries. From the humorous artwork, Sleepless Night by Chihiro Taki to the romantic embrace by Croatian artist Miroslav Sekulic Struja's 's city scene in Ville VI, it was a strong showing. The fair sold fairly well and is well positioned to becoming an essential art fair that's not to be missed. I chose Alyssa Monk's Vine first in order to display her rich use of colour and also to show her talent in rendering the female nude. I hope you enjoy these; there will be more coming up. 

 Alyssa Monks, Vine 2017, American