Meet the artists taking over SMASH: We Are More
Named “one of the city’s must-attend events of the season” by FASHION Magazine, SMASH: We Are More, presented by RBC Wealth Management, returns Thursday June 21 with its most immersive experience yet.
This year, Jacquelyn West, who has gigs at NXNE, Nuit Blanche, and RALLY Ossington under her belt, takes the helm as Art Director to mastermind a night of art and entertainment inspired by the power of connection in the digital age.
“At the heart of SMASH: We Are More is the desire to connect and find inspiration in things maybe we overlook in our busy modern times,” she explains.
“For this night, we tempt partygoers to explore the positive connections that our modern world creates, to pause in celebration, and revel in the magic of this incredible time.”
An explosion of Canadian creativity awaits as a talented roster of contemporary artists, technologists, designers, mixologists, musicians, DJs, and botanists get ready to transform the entire Museum into an explorative wonderland.
Read on to meet the exhibiting artists who will be taking over, and be sure to get your tickets early—this is a night you won’t want to miss!
Eli Schwanz is an interdisciplinary artist whose work focuses on animation in potential forms and contexts as well as its representation and exploration in alternative media, including installation, light, sculpture, and video. Schwanz received his MFA from OCADU in 2017, where he received the graduate award for Media Experimentation and Excellence for his work in the Interdisciplinary Masters in Art Media and Design program.
Camille Jodoin Eng’s work is an experiment in intuitive language, a meditation of interplay between physical and psychological space. Jodoin-Eng has developed a studio practice that involves drawing, sculpture, fabrication, installation, and a growing visual language of personal symbols. She completed her BFA at OCAD University in 2014, and is currently represented by Art Works Consulting.
Jon Todd combines multiple media in his art, including painting on found objects, collaging various papers, wood block cuts, and screen-printing. His artistic process involves layering various media coupled with distressing techniques. Varying from hyper-detailed, elaborate portraits to bold and intense collage pieces, all of Todd’s works are adorned with intricate symbolic images and patterns that allow the viewer to decipher the story behind the piece and its characters.
Sabrina Ratte holds a BFA and MFA in Film Production at Concordia University . Her interest in early video art led her to work with analog technologies and 3D animation. From utopian architecture to painterly textures, Ratte investigates the fine line between the virtual and the physical realm. Her work includes single-channel videos, installations, sculptures, live performances, and prints.
And that’s not all! A talented roster of contributing artists will be working alongside our exhibiting artists to transform our space: Justin Broadbent, Liam Higgins, Maryam Keyhani, Giles Monnette, Jaime McCuaig, Graham Teeple, Dasha Valakhanovitch, and graduates from George Brown College’s Interaction Design program will also be adding their touch to the party.
Get ready to indulge in magical outdoor spaces, immersive contemporary installations, curated food and drink, and much, much more. Last year’s event sold out, so get your tickets early!
[Header image] Sabrina Ratte, RADIANCES VI, 2017 [1] Eli Schwanz, Aspect Melt. Photo courtesy the artist [2] Camille Jodoin-Eng, wires webs veins nerves roots stems, 2018. Photo courtesy the artist [3] Jon Todd, Ghost Face, 2016. Image courtesy the artist [4] Studio Baillet, We Are Made Of Air. Photo courtesy the artist [5] Sabrina Ratte, RADIANCES V, 2017. Image courtesy the artist.