Art galleries and museums were once considered the exclusive domain of society’s elite – not for nothing was the term “art snob” coined. But in recent years, Toronto’s largest galleries, museums and performing arts centres are aggressively targeting a younger and hipper audience. This may be a strategic decision – get ‘em while their young and today’s party-goers will be tomorrow’s benefactors. Whatever the motivation, the cutting-edge events taking place at these established institutions are unquestionably widening their appeal.
Doug Coupland’s Gumhead
The Art Gallery of Ontario, after a massive renovation under the direction of acclaimed Canadian “starchitect” Frank Gehry, has offered a number of pop culture exhibits in the past couple of years: the Patti Smith Camera Solo exhibit, the David Bowie Is…. exhibit and the current Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time retrospective. You can’t get much more rock ‘n roll than that – unless you consider the AGO’s “First Thursday” events, an art, booze and music-infused event (Canadian rock band Sloan has played there in the past) held the first Thursday of each month.
A crowd celebrates at Operanation 2014
Another classical institution, the Canadian Opera Company, has also been made more accessible to the younger generation with events such as the “Operanation” fundraiser and Ensemble Circle events (which includes shows and backstage tours) for young opera lovers and its “Nights Out” discounted events that are expressly targeted at the “Under 30” crowd. For singers, there’s the Ensemble Studio.
Not to be outdone, the ROM is also on the “shiny new object” bandwagon. Like the AGO, the ROM underwent a massive facelift in recent years. Daniel Libeskind’s “The Crystal”, a crystalline form jutting out of the heritage building shocked the architecture world upon its unveiling in 2007. Now, the ROM holds its own parties for young adults, both in the form of its annual PROM event presented by the ROM’s Young Patron’s Circle as well as the less formal DJ-infused FNL (Friday Night Live) parties held throughout the spring.
The ROM’s exhibits are likewise appealing to Gen X’ers and millennials. In fact, Canadian artist and “Generation X” author recently Doug Coupland held an exhibit there in conjunction with MOCCA called “Everywhere is Anywhere is Anything is Everything”. The exhibit incorporates found objects, debris and products derived from Western society, such as Lego, into mixed media works and installations, all acting as commentary on issues relating to cultural identify, the environment and technology. Using his trademark humour and mix of high/low art, one of Coupland’s marquee pieces is called “Gumhead” – a massive rendering of Coupland’s head with copious amount of already-been-chewed gum stuck all over it (though part of the ROM exhibit, it was actually currently on display at Holt Renfrew Men on Bloor).
Purists and cultural elites may complain about this trend toward the democratization of art. Or they may fear the significance of the underlying works will get lost in the mayhem of late night revelry and “hashtaggery.” In my opinion, however, art has the power to resonate with people in ways that words sometimes cannot, and if that means “sugar coating it” – quite literally, in the case of Coupland’s “Gumhead” – to widen its reach, then so be it.
