Collective Identity │Occupied Spaces

Curated by Matthew Brower, David Liss and Bonnie Rubenstein

Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, 952 Queen St W, Toronto

April 27 - June 3, 2012

Philippe Chancel, Cheryl Dunn, Barry Frydlender, Baudouin Mouanda, Michael Wolf, Jon Rafman, Bill Sullivan

University of Toronto Art Centre, 15 King’s College Circle, Toronto

April 28 - June 30, 2012

Tarek Abouamin, Ai Weiwei, Ariella Azoulay, Sabine Bitter / Helmut Weber, Benjamin Lowy, Noh Suntag, Sanaz Mazinani, Richard Mosse

In an age of social media, global urbanization, protest and revolution, photography plays a crucial role in mediating our understanding of socio-political issues and conflicts. This two-venue exhibition, Public: Collective Identity | Occupied Spaces, brings together images from around the world to explore the ways we perform and articulate our identity in public, and the tensions that arise from our occupation of public space. From street photography to appropriated web imagery, photojournalism to conceptual projects, the works in this show challenge and redefine our perception of the public sphere.

Since its inception, photography has documented, participated in, and influenced social struggle. The works presented at the University of Toronto Art Centre suggest that the role photography plays in engaging conflict can be as contested as the spaces it represents. As cameras have become ubiquitous and networked, photography has become a more crucial component of social change. Activists use digital cameras and social media to facilitate protest; academics use archival images to deepen our understanding of history; and artists use photographic technologies to challenge our perception of public space. As mass movements become global events and international conflicts become matters of domestic concern, the production and circulation of images are an ever more important part of our collective identities.

The artists showing at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art expand the boundaries of street practice and the shifting parameters of public space to make visible unseen aspects of urban existence.

Curatorial Essay

REVIEWS

Shani K Parsons, “Philippe Chancel, Jon Rafman, and Michael Wolf at MOCCA: Collective Identity | Occupied Spaces,” Typologica, June 2, 2012.

Sholem Krishtalka, “Strife in Snapshots,” Toronto Standard, May 25, 2012.

Luis-Enrique Arrazola, “Avenue,” National Post, May 18, 2012.

Bridget Coaker, “Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival,” Troika Editions, May 14, 2012.

Murray Whyte, “For Contact, A Public Spectacle unravels,” Toronto Star, May 12.

Charlene K. Lau, “Public: Big Ambitions,” Canadian Art Online, May 10, 2012.

Terence Dick, “Toronto,” Akimblog, May 8, 2012. Akimbo.ca

David Jager, “Caught Unawares,” Now Magazine, May 3, 2012.

Leah Sandals, “Contact 2012: Going Public,” Canadian Art Online, May 3, 2012.

Ben Fisher, “Five must-see exhibits at the Contact Photography Fest,” TRNTO, May 3, 2012.

Anonymous, “2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival: Our Top 10 Picks,” She Does the City, May 2, 2012.

Nina Boccia, “Top 5 Exhibits at Toronto’s Contact Festival,” Azure Magazine online, May 2, 2012.

Christopher Jones, “CONTACT: Takin’ it to the Streets,” Live With Culture, April 27, 2012.

Kate Fane, “CONTACT Photography Festival 2012,” Blog TO, April 26, 2012.

Murray Whyte, “Contact Photography Festival 2012 Preview,” Toronto Star, April 26, 2012.

Melissa Leong, “Photo Festival Spotlights International Talent,” National Post, April 25, 2012.