Art Toronto, After 25 Years, Retains Regional Focus

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Art Toronto, Canada's principal art fair, has resisted mega-fair trends to diversify their offerings, establishing itself as a regional art fair with a national identity since its inception in 2000.

Its 25th edition, held at Metro Toronto Convention Centre between 24 and 27 October, sees the fair welcoming over 100 galleries, almost double the size of its first edition. A great majority hails from Canadian cities, including Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax, and Ottawa.

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There's a strong local presence among exhibitors. Familiar names include Patel Brown, with locations in Toronto and Montreal, and Daniel Faria Gallery, who represent the artist June Clark, recently surveyed at Toronto's Power Plant Gallery and Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

Returning international exhibitors notably have strong ties to Canada. Taglialatella Galleries and Rebecca Hossack, for instance, either have a location in the city, as with the former, or predominantly represent Indigenous artists.

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The minority group's historic mistreatment by Canadian government has become a central topic in Canadian art in recent years, notably informing multiple editions of the Toronto Biennial of Art.

'First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists are highlighted in greater numbers than most fairs as the interest from collectors and institutions alike continues to rise,' director Nielsen said.

Led by Métis curator Rhéanne Chartrand, a curator of Indigenous art at the Royal Ontario Museum, the 'Focus' sector, originally conceived to show work from other countries, will engage with notions of home and its connection to identity and politics.

Toronto, home to Canada's banking sector and renowned institutions such as AGO and the Museum of Contemporary Art, sees the strongest presence of contemporary art in Canada.

Nielsen expressed ambitions to eventually turn the city into a major North American art destination.

Her initiatives include 'a year-round national Collectors Series that includes private dinners in collectors homes, curated trips to other cities and art fairs', and behind-the-scenes VIP tours of local art institutions.

'Our mission is to build deeper connections within the national art scene, attract new international exhibitors, and forge partnerships that highlight Art Toronto as a premier platform for viewing and collecting art in Canada,' Nielsen said. —[O]

Main image: Exhibition View: Art Toronto, Metro Toronto Convention Center (26–29 October 2023). Courtesy Art Toronto.