Artists Space

7 Toronto Artists

April 5 – May 10, 1980

7 Toronto Artists presents the work of Susan Britton, David Buchan, Paul Campbell, Robin Collyer, Jerry McGrath, John Scott and Shirley Wiitasalo for the first time in New York. The work in the show reflects the current concern with cultural content and the new approach to mediums as a way to best express it. The changed intent in using traditional mediums is reflected in the work of Shirley Wiitasalo, John Scott and Jerry McGrath. In Wiitasalo's paintings, recognizable, mundane images are rendered in distorted ways or are peculiarly juxtaposed, to convey a sense of the ludicrous. Scott uses a cartoon-like drawing style of sophisticated images from media sources. Jerry McGrath inverts the meaning of non-art materials - typewriter correction tape and newspaper - taking them from their usual context, to make sculpture.

Many artists now exploit photography's informational aspects. Paul Campbell stages photographs with such objects as dime store toys. Susan Britton both stages photographs and finds them in the media. She then changes their cultural meaning by juxtaposing them in new contexts. Robin Collyer and David Buchan use photographs in conventional magazine format and combine them with ironic captions.

7 Toronto Artists is organized by Artists Space with the cooperation of A Space, Toronto and generous assistance of the Canadian Consulate General.

Artists Space and the Committee for the Visual Arts are non-profit organizations partially supported by the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.