Love and Money at the Ontario Crafts Council

Hi folks! Tara here, with a long-overdue post about the show I'm curating at the Ontario Crafts Council for City of Craft this year, Love and Money.

Love and Money is an exhibition that stems from my own preoccupation with the role of money in my art practice. Around the time I conceived of this theme, I worried a lot about money...I found myself struggling, and I remember specifically wondering if there would be a point in time where I would actually not be able to sustain my art practice. While the making of art is one matter-- I generally use cheap and plentiful materials so making work is usually not financially taxing (pardon the pun!) for me-- other matters such as presentation, framing, taking time off of work to produce work or participate in a residency are another. Sometimes I feel like money is the elephant in the room for art makers. Honest, creative dialogue about money (or a lack thereof) is uncommon, perhaps because the topic is simply too loaded and stressful.

Through Love and Money, I wanted to exhibit the work of artists and crafters who engage issues of money and making in creative ways. Much of the work in the show is playful, mischievous, smart and critical. I am so thrilled with how the show has panned out, so grateful to the eleven participating artists and I am looking so forward to it's run from December 16th to 31st!

Here is some more information about the show and reception on the 16th. Please come out and celebrate! Also, keep your eyes peeled on this blog for short Love and Money exhibitor profiles over the next few weeks, up until the show's opening.

-Tara

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Love and Money

December 16 - 31, 2010

At the Ontario Crafts Council, 990 Queen Street West, Toronto

Reception: Thursday, December 16, 6 - 9 pm

Participating Artists:
Helen Benninger
Kalpna Patel
Leah Buckareff
Lizz Aston
Matt King
Meags Fitzgerald
Rachael Kess
Sandra Gregson
Stephanie Cormier
Steven Tippin
Wendy Walgate

City of Craft, in partnership with the Ontario Craft Council, presents Love and Money, a group exhibition that will take place at the Ontario Craft Council Gallery as a part of City of Craft’s 2010 off-site programming. City of Craft is Toronto’s largest independent craft sale and weekend-long event featuring craft-based installations, free workshops, and craft-related programming.

This year’s exhibition will explore the broad relationship craft and crafting has with commerce. Craft(ing) is currently a multi-billion dollar industry. From mainstream craft media personalities and the DIY Network to hipster how-to guides, mega craft fairs and fabric designers du jour, the commercial nature of the contemporary “crafting” movement often seems to starkly contrast the idea of crafting for necessity from days gone by. On the other hand, there are people who turn to craft and craft processes for a sense of transcendence and autonomy. Many would argue that there is more of a need to craft for crafts sake now than ever-- either to re-skill ourselves for an uncertain future, or simply to learn to slow down.

Are money and craft strange (or natural) bedfellows? How does craft transcend issues of commerce? How might one navigate or perceive the dichotomy of craft for love/craft for money? How do examples of contemporary craft and craft practices address or challenge issues of ownership, value, and exchange?

Love and Money is curated and coordinated by Tara Bursey.

For more information, contact cityofcraft(at)gmail(dot)com.

Images, from top to bottom: Leah Buckareff, Wendy Walgate, Steven Tippin