QUEEN ST. WEST 1975-1989
THE REBEL ZONE
Art & Activism Ignite the Culture - Tranforms A City
Tuesday, March 15 - Thursday, March 31, 2016
Opening Reception: Friday, March 18- 7-11 pm
YTB Gallery, 563 Dundas Street East, Toronto
Musician and Regent Park artist-in-residence Lorraine Segato curates QUEEN ST. WEST 1975-1989 THE REBEL ZONE, an exhibition that tells the story of how art and activism ignited a cultural renaissance along Queen Street West and transformed the city of Toronto. Queen St. West (QSW) 1975-1989 The Rebel Zone is apart of the first annual Myseum Intersections Festival, acollection of exhibits that explore different perspectives on the city's natural, cultural, and historical diversity. QSW 1975-1989 The Rebel Zone will be presented at YTB Gallery in Regent Park; Segato, who is currently Regent Park's first honorary artist-in-residence, is fulfilling her mandate to celebrate and raise the profile of the neighbourhood, while curating cultural events that showcase Toronto's many talented artists.
Around the world, specific neighbourhoods are recognized as nerve centers for leading edge art, music, ideas, and activism. In Toronto, this trailblazing neighbourhood was Queen Street West (QSW). From the mid-seventies to the late-eighties QSW was an explosion of fearless creativity that reverberated throughout Toronto and beyond. "QSW The Rebel Zone 1975-1989 showcases a seminal cultural moment when art and activism met, and helped transform Toronto into the diverse city we see today," says Segato. "We're thrilled to be part of Myseum of Toronto's first annual Intersections Festival, and grateful to program partners Daniels Spectrum, The Daniels Corporation and YTB Gallery."
QSW 1975-1989 The Rebel Zone traces some of the key events that inspired the cross-pollination of art, music, and politics, and how key events influenced and nurtured the once derelict area and led to the rebirth of a new cultural scene. The exhibit features photos, posters, film, and other cultural artifacts that represent the events, activities, and people who spearheaded this renaissance including the art group General Idea, Deanne Taylor of the Hummer Sisters, Patti Habib of the Bamboo Club, Lillian Allen, and more.
The exhibit includes and revisits seminal events such as the Body Politic and Bathhouse Raids, The Censorship crackdown, the Hummer Sisters' Mayoralty Campaign, the rise of feminism, and the first wave of a new disease called AIDS. QSW The Rebel Zone 1975-1989 recounts a time when art and activism met, merged, and exploded into an expression of radical creativity that changed Toronto forever.
The Rebel Zone is presented in conjunction with The Complete Unknown (This is Paradise II), featuring artwork by young, emerging Toronto artists, curated by Marjan Verstappen.
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About YTB Gallery
Younger Than Beyoncé Gallery is Toronto's newest artist-run centre. A nomadic gallery, we bring the freshest art exhibitions to different neighbourhoods in the city, providing professional exhibition opportunities for Toronto artists under the age of 33. We are currently based in Regent Park, where we are supported by The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing. www.ytbgallery.com
About Lorraine Segato
Artist-In-Residence, Regent Park
For the past 36 years, Lorraine Segato has fueled an impressive artistic career. Segato's extensive experience as a respected musician, songwriter, filmmaker, event producer, artistic director, lecturer and social justice activist makes her one of Canada's leading cultural commentators. As the co-founder and lead singer of The Parachute Club-one of the most critically lauded and commercially successful groups of the 1980s, Segato enjoyed an impressive career in the music industry before turning her attention to other creative endeavors such as directing and producing large cultural events. Most recently, she collaborated with award-winning documentary director Shelley Saywell The film Lowdown Tracks, a film project that told the stories of the many talented homeless individuals who perform on the streets of Toronto. The film was voted #2 audience favourite at Hot Docs Film Festival and premiered on TVO. In 2015, she released her CD Invincible Decency, and will next be producing her one-woman show Get Off My Dress. www.lorrainesegato.com
QSW The Rebel Zone 1975-1989: A Cultural Artifact Exhibit
Tuesday, March 15 - Thursday, March 31, 2016
Opening Reception March 18 - 7:00 - 11:00 pm
YTB Gallery - 563 Dundas St East, Suite 201
Gallery Hours Tues-Sat 12-6pm - Admission is Free
YTB Gallery Phone: 416-910-5213
QSW 1975-1989 The Rebel Zone is generously supported by:
PROGRAM PARTNERS:
EXHIBIT PRODUCERS:
MEDIA SPONSORS: NOW & The Walrus
myseumoftoronto.com/intersections
@mysceum
www.facebook.com/@mysceumOfToronto
#QSWTheRebelZone
Media contact:
Christine Liber, Liberty Ink Communications
416-651-4722 x 1, Christine@libertyink.ca