Canadian Art Smart Party

Last night, the Canadian Art Foundation’s Gallery Hop Gala Dinner and Auction showcased a conceptualist theme in both the bright collection of works gathered by top contemporary Canadian artists for the auction and in the creative and sharp, info-graphic-influenced, environmental design - enhancing the already dramatic The Carlu event venue.

Jade Rude "You Look Great", 2011

Courtesy of the artist

The artworks featured in the auction highlighted the collective of Canadian talent materializing from both well-known academic communities such as Guelph as well as international experiments based on our home and native turf.

Daniel Hutchinson "Above and Below a Grey Storm", 2012

Courtesy of the artist and Angell Gallery

Winnie Truong "In the Hood", 2011

Courtesy of the artist and Erin Stump Projects

Laurel Woodcock "cloud", 2011

Courtesy of the artist and MKG 127

Kim Adams "Truck Container IV", 2007

Courtesy of the artist and Diaz Contemporary

Jimmy Limit "No Party, No Jokes, No Fun", 2011

Courtesy of the artist

Lee Henderson"The Emptiness: Calla Lily #1 (after Mapplethorpe)", 2011

Courtesy of the artist

Artistic Directors Micah Lexier and An Te Liu’s corporate identity aesthetic featured a slick, gelatin silver colour palette and crisp, conceptual iconography - perfectly fusing The Carlu’s spectacular Art Moderne atmosphere with thought-provoking, contemporary design accents. In fact, Lexier’s and Liu’s environmental graphics accurately anticipated and reflected the ambiance and theme of the evening as visually orchestrated and cleverly organized. 

This memorable event drew all members of the Canadian Art community together to celebrate the launch of the annual Gallery Hop, showcase the work of prominent Canadian visual artists and support the prominent enterprises of the Canadian Art Foundation including Canadian Art Magazine.

Tech-slick, Blackberry-esque keypad devices kept the silent art auction digitally progressing all evening with many works securing tops bids above estimates. The live auction conducted by Sotheby’s Senior Auctioneer, C. Hugh Hildesley kept the collected audience actively bidding on featured works by Graham Gilmore, Julia Dault and other key Canadian artists. 

A New York Art Trip for four was a unique and attractive highlight of the evening which included two nights accommodation at the 5-star Plaza Hotel, access to and tour of Frieze Art Fair and an exclusive behind the scenes look at Sotheby’s Auction House.

 Graham Gilmore "Op Ed (First Version)", 2008

Courtesy of the artist and Monte Clark Gallery

The significant evening collected the visual art community together in celebration at the launch of an exciting Fall season. It is clear the Canadian Art world is transforming into a new era of recognition beyond sustainability with artists, dealers, patrons, critics and collectors forming new structures of meaning production. This is reason enough to celebrate. 

Amanda Reeves "Untitled 07 2011", 2011

Courtesy of the artist and p|m Gallery

 Ray Fenwick  "Y YES", 2011

Courtesy of the artist and Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects

 Martin Golland "Monstera Deliciosa", 2009

Courtesy of the artist and Birch Libralato

Sponsors, partners, celebrities and arts supporters are greatly contributing to the excitement and momentum for this subjective art movement - which has been building for some time from local conceptualist foundations  - and is now ready to activate transformations in parallel and linked visual art arenas.