On the Fear “That There Wouldn’t be Another Project”: A Conversation with Lisa Hsiao Chen
As soon as I heard about Lisa Hsiao Chen’s novel Activities of Daily Living, I wanted something from it. I had been searching Publishers…
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Bad Faith in MOCA Toronto’s Inaugural Show, “Believe”
I’ve spent the better part of five months trying to write a review of a show that’s now closed: MOCA Toronto’s inaugural exhibition, Believe….
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That’s the Way to Do It!: The Fairy Tale Life of Ydessa Hendeles
Let’s start with the premise that Ydessa Hendeles is an artist. And why shouldn’t we? Is it the fact that she started as a…
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“Made in Germany”: Can the Artworld Have a Nation?
Like exotic flowers, international art exhibitions bloom in Berlin, Kassel, and Münster every two, five, or ten years, helping to establish Germany, alongside Venice,…
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An Elegy for Beau Dick (1955–2017)
Beau Dick was given the name “Walis Gwy Um,” which means “big, great whale” in the Kwak’wala language. His carvings tap into the supernatural,…
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An Elegy for Annie Pootoogook (1969–2016)
Annie Pootoogook was from the Arctic near the North Pole. Her community is called Kinngait in Inuktitut – the language of Inuit people – and…
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Chantal Pontbriand Will Not Curate Your Biennial: On “Demo-Graphics,” and Its Potential to Reignite Toronto
There is a bracing moment at the end of my interview with Chantal Pontbriand in early July, where, just as I’m about to leave,…
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