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Art Toronto 2023: 5 Things to Look Forward To

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Canada’s largest art fair returns for its 24th edition from October 26 – 29th

Since its launch twenty-four years ago, Art Toronto has become the country’s largest art fair and one of the city’s most highly anticipated annual events. For its 2023 edition, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre will host exhibits from more than 100 galleries, sharing the work and stories of artists from around the globe. Here are five things we’re looking forward to most from Art Toronto 2023.

Art Toronto 2023

Fresh Faces

This year’s fair will feature displays from 17 first-time exhibitors, including Andrew Rafacz (Chicago), Bonny Poon /Conditions (Toronto), and Nil Gallery (Paris), to name a few. While every year, Art Toronto aims to connect local and international audiences with newly established and emerging talent, this year’s growing exhibitor list will present more new talent than years prior. 

Indigenous Excellence

Across Turtle Island, Indigenous art serves as a powerful vehicle for storytelling, cultural preservation, and intergenerational transmission of knowledge. As these diverse expressions gain recognition and prominence on the global stage, Art Toronto will be presenting a discussion on October 28 to highlight upcoming programming within the Indigenous arts space. In addition to the work of Indigenous artists present at the show, visitors can also look forward to the book launch for Breaking Protocol— transdisciplinary artist Maria Hupfield’s debut book referencing the protocols of Indigenous performance. 

Discovery Galleries

This dedicated gallery section at Art Toronto 2023 has been designed to provide a platform for artists in the early stages of their careers. Each gallery is dedicated to shining the spotlight on rising star artists and connecting them with enthusiastic new audiences. 

Toronto Art 2023

Books & Editions

Book lovers rejoice! In its second year at the fair, Content is a section dedicated to showcasing and selling editions and books produced by non-profit institutions and independent artists. This is the place where audiences will have an opportunity to connect with museums and non-profits, learn about their programming and purchase prints, books and catalogues. Exhibitors include the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators, Open Studio and Peripheral Review.

Opening Night Gala

If you’re looking for a reason to dress up, Art Toronto will be kicking off with an Opening Night Gala on October 26 which will benefit the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. This event is a return to the ‘gala opening’ format putting a celebratory spin on the night. ARTTORONTO.CA

The Arts, Designlines Magazine

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Okay, but it clearly is

For the first 16 years of my life, the bat cave at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)—a reconstruction of an actual cave in Jamaica—was among my favourite places in the city. The cave was decorated with cast stalactites and wax bat models, which hung from the ceiling and threw jagged shadows on the walls. A few other features imbued it with spooky verisimilitude: the drip-drip-drip sound effects, the mirrors arranged to create the illusion of infinite depth, the strobe lights strategically placed to make the shadows flutter. When I visited as a five-year-old, the bat cave scared me. When I visited as a stoned fifteen-year-old, it scared me even more. Then came the renovation.

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