Why Can’t Minimal
Works by:
Jennifer Marman, Daniel Borins, John Baldessari, John Boyle-Singfield, John Marriott, John Wood, Paul Harrison, Jon Sasaki, Ken Nicol, Liza Eurich, Tammi Campbell
Why Can’t Minimal
September 2–October 19, 2014
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Curated by John G. Hampton
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Justina M. Barnicke Gallery
Why Can’t Minimal addresses the humorous side of minimal art by embracing its humanity and latent absurdity. The exhibition rejects the assumption that minimal art requires solemn, unmoving contemplation, and instead embraces the more intuitive, jovial, and personal pleasures that occur when one has fun with the comically utopian ambitions of unitary forms. Playing with the forms, traditions and incongruities of multiple minimalisms, the presented works elude rational thought, repositioning conceptual value away from cognitive labour, towards the instinctual recognition offered through levity, play, humour and sentiment.
Produced as part of the requirements of the Master of Visual Studies—Curatorial Studies program at the University of Toronto.
Opening Reception
September 11, 2014, 6-8pm
Justina M. Barnicke Gallery
Curator’s Tour with John Hampton
Saturday September 20, 2014, 2pm
Justina M. Barnicke Gallery
Panel Talk
Tuesday October 14, 2014, 6pm
Featuring Daniel Borins, Jennifer Marman, John G. Hampton, John Marriott, and Tammi Campbell
University of Toronto Art Centre
Publication
Touring Program
Contemporary Calgary August 6 – October 18, 2015
Kenderdine Art Gallery, Saskatoon May 19 – August 12, 2016
Open Space Gallery, September 16-October 22, 2016
The Rooms, January 14–April 9, 2017
Media Coverage
Our Supporters
We gratefully acknowledge operating support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, with additional project support from the Jackman Humanities Institute, and the University of Toronto MVS Curatorial Studies Program at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design and the circulation of the exhibition is made possible in part by a grant from the Ontario Arts Council’s National and International Touring Program.
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Title Image: Liza Eurich, Bad Rainbows, 2010. Sharpie on newsprint. 28 x 22 cm.
