Moira Clark, Jay Wilson @ Doris McCarthy Gallery, Feb 8-April 4

The "C" Word 

Doris McCarthy Gallery

University of Toronto

Feb 8-April 4, 2012

 Jay Wilson, Floppy Foam Stack, 2011
Craft foam, bracket, 24 x 23 x 21 cm

Moira Clark, Livadia, 2001
Acrylic on canvas, 101.6 x 137 cm

Guest curated by Richard Mongiat

The "C" Word is a group exhibition exploring the role of craft in contemporary art, through the work of eighteen Canadian artists. Suggesting that “craft” sometimes carries negative connotations, the exhibition celebrates the making of things, drawing attention to the continued presence of craft in the work of well-known contemporary artists.
The artists selected for The "C" Word recognize that their production engages in craft—whether rejoicing in, re-framing, or battling against preconceived notions. Recognizing a diversity of approaches, the exhibition includes works in a range of media, including Gord Peteran’s furniture/sculpture hybrids, Sheila Gregory’s raucous paintings, Jay Wilson’s dollar-store-foam wall pieces, Gerard Gauci’s lush interior scenes, Moira Clark's geo-abstraction and Marianne Lovink’s quirky organic forms.  Central to the artists’ work is a love of the process, for the struggle of working with materials and transforming them into objects.
The exhibition is accompanied by a series of video interviews, in which each of the artists speaks about the role that craft plays in their practice, and a publication featuring texts by Shelley Adler, Richard Mongiat and Richard Rhodes. Both the videos and texts will also be accessible on the DMG website, as part of The "C" Word