Pedro Reyes, Vasco Araújo and Akram Zaatari, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada

Part of the internationally-focused Harbourfront Centre, The Power Plant showcases the latest work from artists around the world. This summer it opens three exciting new exhibitions by Pedro Reyes (b. 1972), Vasco Araújo (b. 1975) and Akram Zaatari (b. 1966). Although hailing from very different backgrounds, these artists are united by their perspectives on the world and their exploration of ideas.

Some of the work on display has been commissioned by the gallery and is premiering for the very first time in Canada. The projects delve into the relationships between individuals and the larger socio-political arena, exploring how our environments impact upon our lifestyle and health. Mexican artist, Pedro Reyes, shows his new work Sanatorium, a transient clinic that provides visitors with brief, unanticipated therapy sessions in an effort to cure ills associated with urban living. The participants are volunteers and their involvement challenges the notion of hierarchy, democratising the process.

The work of Portuguese artist, Vasco Araújo, instead looks at the notion of representation and the canonization of history. He offers the idea that history is not a closed narrative but open to renewal and re-appropriation. He is interested in the human condition and showcases pieces that transcend boundaries and work across a variety of media. Akram Zaatari also looks at the concept of history and the manner in which this entwines with personal and individual experiences. A founding member of the Arab Image Foundation, Zaatari has collected more than 600,000 photographs from the Middle East, North Africa and the Arab diaspora. In tune with Araújo, he recontextualises these to question the ways in which we catalogue history and experience.

Pedro Reyes, Vasco Araújo and Akram Zaatari, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at Harbourfront Centre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON, M5J 2G8, Canada, www.thepowerplant.org.

Credit:
1. Installation view of TheSpirit of Utopia, (2013). Whitechapel Gallery, London. Courtesy Whitechapel Gallery, London. Copyright Timothy Soar.

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