Douglas Coupland’s latest exhibition opens in Toronto at the ROM and MOCCA
Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything presented by TD
Exhibition is first major survey of work by Douglas Coupland
Features more than 100 artworks on display at two venues in Toronto
Exhibition complemented by Coupland’s GUMHEAD on display at Holt Renfrew Men store
In a first-time partnership between the Royal Ontario Museum’s Centre for Contemporary Culture (RCC) and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything, presented by TD Bank Group is on view in Toronto at both the ROM and MOCCA (ROM dates: January 31 – April 26, 2015; MOCCA dates: January 31 to April 19, 2015). The exhibition features more than 100 works by Douglas Coupland, one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists, writers and thinkers.
Coupland’s exhibition is the first major survey of his work and looks at what defines Canadian culture through the exploration of popular culture, cultural identity, and technology’s ubiquity, raising provocative questions about the 21st century condition. Through diverse media ranging from Lego to found materials, painting to installation, Coupland probes the way that the things, images and process of contemporary life affect our understanding of the world around us.
“Douglas Coupland’s work sheds light on subjects as varied as the distinct nature of Canadian identity, the rise of utopian ideas, the power of words, the presence of digital technologies, the significance of the everyday, and the unshakeable nature of one’s own constitution—ideas that Coupland examines with both optimism and some trepidation,” says Daina Augaitis, Vancouver Art Gallery’s Chief Curator/Associate Director and exhibition curator.
“ROM Contemporary Culture is delighted to collaborate with MOCCA and bring this dynamic exhibition to Toronto. It’s a unique opportunity for visitors to both venues to experience and interact with one of Canada’s most iconic artists and thinkers,” says Ann Webb, Managing Director of ROM Contemporary Culture.
"This landmark partnership between MOCCA and ROM Contemporary Culture is an exciting alignment that will ensure wide visibility in Canada's largest city for the prescient and provocative artworks and ideas of this internationally-renowned artist," says David Liss, Artistic Director and Curator, MOCCA.
“At TD, we recognize the importance of learning about our cultural identity as Canadians," says Alan Convery, Director, Community Relations, TD Bank Group. "We are thrilled to support the ROM and MOCCA’s exciting exhibit featuring the work of Douglas Coupland – one of the most prolific artists and cultural thinkers of our time.”
In addition to the ROM and MOCCA exhibition, one of Coupland’s most high profile and provocative works, GUMHEAD, will be presented at Holt Renfrew Men (100 Bloor St. West). GUMHEAD is described as “a gum-based, crowd-sourced, publically interactive, social-sculpture self-portrait.” Pedestrians on Bloor Street will be invited to visit Holt Renfrew Men to interact with the sculpture and contribute to its changing design with their own gum. Over time the work will be transformed eventually obscuring the artist’s face and creating a unique Toronto version of the piece. GUMHEAD will be on display from January 15 - March 9, 2015. In addition, Holt Renfrew’s flagship store (50 Bloor Street West) will feature Coupland inspired designs in all 8 of its main windows from January 5 to February 15, 2015.
Exhibition is included with general admission. For exhibition, event and programming details visit http://www.couplandto.ca and join the conversation at #CouplandTO.
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Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything is organized and circulated by the Vancouver Art Gallery and curated by Daina Augaitis, Chief Curator/Associate Director. The exhibition is presented in Toronto by the Royal Ontario Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and is being held concurrently at both institutions. This exhibition was made possible with the generous support of The Keg Steakhouse + Bar, and The Artworkers Retirement Society. |
Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Like: ROM Facebook MOCCA Facebook
Tweet: @ROMContemporary @MOCCA_TO #CouplandTO
CONTACTS
Amand Fruci, Publicist, ROM Mark Savoia, Head, Marketing & Communications, MOCCA
amandaf@rom.on.ca msavoia@mocca.ca
416.586.5558 416.395.7490
About the ROM
The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Opened in 1914, Canada’s largest museum of natural history and world cultures has six million objects in its collections and galleries showcasing art, archaeology and natural science. The ROM is the largest field research institution in the country, and a world leader in research areas from biodiversity, palaeontology, and earth sciences to archaeology, ethnology and visual culture - originating new information towards a global understanding of historical and modern change in culture and environment. For tickets and 24-hour information in English and French, please call 416.586.8000 or visit www.rom.on.ca.
ABOUT MOCCA
The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art was born on the cusp of the millennium and has exploded onto the Toronto and Canadian art scene with ambitious local-to-global programming. Showcasing the work of 1,000 Canadian and international artists since re-locating to Queen Street West in 2005, MOCCA functions as a hub for cultural production and creative exchange. With a pioneering approach to partnership, MOCCA actively collaborates with like-minded organizations, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the National Gallery of Canada.