The wait is over! Meet the TOAF62 Artists!
You know by now that revealing the Artist Roster is one of our favourite times of the year. Just like that sweet time before an exciting new journey, you can start researching, browsing, and making a wishlist. It is the perfect time to dream about the art you are going to bring to your spaces (and start saving to make those dreams come true :-)).
Our Jury this year was simply spectacular. Jason Lujan, Jennifer Simaitis, Nava Messas-Waxman, and Paul McClure were committed, laser-efficient, and incredibly thorough in their process. They’ve put together a stunning selection of 400+ artists for you (out of 1,020 applications). Their passion and knowledge blew us away, and we are thrilled to present a preview of their stand-out artists below.
The artists are joining us from every corner of Canada, and bringing you diverse perspectives from around the world. As always, the selection reflects contemporary artists from all career stages and represents a variety of mediums. See you soon: July 7 – 9 at Nathan Phillips Square & July 2 – 9 at TOAF.ca.
Enjoy planning your journey of discovering new works and new artists!
PS. Keep an eye out for this year’s look by Monnet Design. We are obsessed!
Jason Lujan, originally from Marfa, Texas, is an artist and co-owner of the Native Art Department International. In his artistic practice, he creates tools for understanding and interpreting the processes by which different cultures approach each other as a result of travel and communication and are later homogenized.
Jennifer Simaitis brings her strong ties within the arts community and passion for social justice to her role as Director at Patel Brown, Toronto. She has also served as Manager of Special Events at Casey House Foundation.
Nava Messas-Waxman is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher working with performance, choreography, moving images, drawing, and immersive installation. Her praxis engages identity, memory, and the body.
Paul McClure is a leader in the contemporary craft and design community, an avid educator and a professor in the renowned School of Jewellery at George Brown College in Toronto.
Juror’s Picks
C.M. Duffy
“C.M. Duffy’s delightfully intricate works, with surreal and whimsical imagery, bring a fresh perspective to a longstanding tradition of Canadian landscape painting.” – Jennifer Simaitis
Christopher Reid Flock
“I appreciate an artist who is masterful in material language. Earthenware works of art that, to me, highlight the processes of bringing works to life, are worthy of special recognition.” – Jason Lujan
Susan Gale
“As a Torontonian, Gale’s Evolve painting gives me a sense of hope and pride in my city. The quality of light she renders in stippled paint is so optimistic. Her streetscape celebrates a new dawn with our iconic streetcar, humble bicycles, and barely a car in sight.” – Paul McClure
Linh VH Nguyen
“Gleaning from the natural world, Linh VH Nugyen constructs images that anthropomorphize flora debris into distinct characters, which are playful, sincere and celebratory.” – Jennifer Simaitis
Jiaqi Pan
“Pan’s photographic work gives visibility to an overlooked space we encounter in our daily lives while reminding us of the human aspect that often remains hidden in our current culture, with a smilingly familiar composition and a powerful gaze suspended in time.” – Nava Messas-Waxman
Joseph Sagaj
“Joseph’s innovative imagery carries both urban and traditional views that I found carried a sense of urgency and positive messaging. Partnership and healing are two themes that are needed now more than ever.” – Jason Lujan
Sorrel Van Allen
“I love how this brooch uses positive and negative space to create volume in a small size. Van Allen’s process is visible, and the intricate detail is a nod to the traditions of jewellery. This beautiful form recalls growth in nature and the ornamental preciousness of a flower.” – Paul McClure
