March 4, 2024 News Release
Human in the Loop
April 6-14, 2024
Shay Salehi & Gina D’Aloisio
Human in the Loop is an immersive and collaborative exhibition by Shay Salehi and Gina D’Aloisio. Through kinetic steel and hyperreal silicone sculpture, the artists explore the interconnectedness of nature, technology, and humanity, however simulated and memetic.
Augmented by the whir of motors, video and sound installations, the sculptures form a landscape held together by the circuitry of exchanged memory. Human in the Loop takes inspiration from the phenomenon of mud-puddling, a behavior observed in butterflies where they seek liquid nutrients, often from the dead or living bodies of other species. Salehi and D’Aloisio's collaborative installation delves into the complexities of our relationship to technology, examining themes of biomimicry, consumption, and the blurred boundaries between the natural and the artificial.
As attendees navigate the exhibition, they are encouraged to contemplate decay as lack of consciousness and our diminished connectedness to nature. With a glitch in the balance of life, our shared sense of reality and collected knowledge breaks down. The exhibition complicates technology’s integration into the living world and how it has altered humanity’s narrative of existence.
Human in the Loop opens its doors on April 6th with an evening reception from 5-8 pm at The Lost & Found, located at 420 Queen St. E in Toronto. The exhibition will run until April 14th and is presented in partnership with NYC-based artist curator Katie Chin.
The artists would like to extend a special thanks to Cody Frost, Benjamin Dimock and Jonathan Onyschuk in fabrication support of this work, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Nurielle Stern.
This project was made possible with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Shay Salehi
Shay’s practice is anchored in the boundary between human and non-human relationships. She explores the ownership and capitalization of non-human bodies by highlighting animal exploitation within our current societal standards. Her installation work provides a new perspective that contributes to the dialogue toward our use of the animal body while giving viewers an opportunity to contemplate themes such as dominance, domestication, and the space to decipher our ethical standards within contemporary society.
Gina D’Aloisio
Gina D’Aloisio’s practice is focused on hyperreal mold-making and found objects. She explores the human relationship to the material world through the replication of flesh with silicone in combination with found objects. Her work is a reflection of the contemporary moment, employing satire and irony to both poke fun, and critically contemplate our world. Lately, Gina’s work has been focused on the relationships between material culture, technology, social media, and their effects on identity.
@ginadaloisio
www.ginadaloisio.com
Curated by Katie Chin
Katie Chin is a NYC-based artist and curator. She is currently a participant in the Interdisciplinary Art and Theory Program and is in residence at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center. Her questions are often concerned with social phenomena related to economic and societal transformation, exploring themes related to collectivity, precarity, freedom, and alienation.
@katie.chin.and
www.katiechin.com
Human in the Loop
April 6 - April 14, 2024
The Lost & Found
420 Queen St. E Toronto
Opening Reception Saturday, April 6, 5-8pm.
Hours as posted online or open by appointment.
Hi-Res Images
The Lost & Found, Human in the Loop
Photo credit: Shay Salehi
February 5, 2024 News Release
BLUEPRINT
March 2-31, 2024
Zandra UNKWNZJ Jack
Local artist Zandra Jack, also known as UNKWNZJ, is proud to announce the opening of her latest exhibit, BLUEPRINT. The month-long showcase, featuring a series of mixed media portraits, is a culmination of her artistic and personal explorations of how beauty is perceived in society. BLUEPRINT will kick off with an opening reception during 5-8pm on March 2nd, 2024 at The Lost & Found TO, an artist-led project space located at 420 Queen St East. The exhibit is supported by OAC funding and presented in partnership with Funmi Ajala and Shadio Hussein of Muse and Museums, a Toronto-based curatorial team dedicated to spotlighting local BIPOC artists.
With a passion for altering geometric and curvilinear forms, UNKWNZJ’s work is a unique departure from more traditional modes of portraiture that lean on being as naturalistic to the human form as possible. Her subjects often don enlarged facial features and intensely darkened skin, aspects that she further amplifies with her use of bold color and intricate patterns. UNKWNZJ’s distinct creations exist as a disruption to the prevailing standards of beauty. BLUEPRINT challenges the status quo by paying homage to the unconventional; the features of black beauty that are undervalued yet paradoxically commodified in society. It invites introspection and dialogue, encouraging viewers to reflect on their perceptions and biases with a singular question - “Who gets to be beautiful?” The exhibit is poised to be an interactive experience that allows audiences to deeply engage with the art by taking part in an in-person workshop that will be held on March 16th and led by UNKWNZJ. Through hands-on activities and guided instruction, participants will create mixed media artworks by experimenting with various materials and collaging techniques to bring forth their own artistic visions.
Muse and Museums and UNKWNZJ are excited to welcome visitors to view and immerse themselves in an exhibit that is both a display of artistic talent and critical commentary on societal norms. BLUEPRINT opens next month and will be available to the public, free of charge, from March 2nd to March 31st, 2024.
For more information, please contact Shadio Hussein and Funmi Ajala at museandmuseums [at] gmail.com or visit https://www.museandmuseums.com/.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museandmuseums/
BLUEPRINT
March 2nd - March 31st, 2024
The Lost & Found
420 Queen St. E Toronto
Opening Reception Saturday, March 2nd, 5-8pm.
Artist Led Workshop: Saturday, March 16th, 12-4pm.
Admission is free and all are welcome, please RSVP at:
Hours as posted online or open by appointment.
Hi-Res Images
The Lost & Found, BLUEPRINT
June 2023 News Release
home life / still life
July 4 - July 23, 2023
Elycia SFA
Elycia SFA is a queer textile artist based in Toronto. Her work explores personal narrative and the deconstruction and reconstruction of memory, as well as nostalgia and loss, by portraying these concepts in the form of handwoven cloth.
This series is an ongoing exploration of the past few years spent in varying states of lockdown, and features benign yet intimate images of the home space. Lockdowns forced us into an extremely still experience with layers of grief and challenges of acceptance. This project invited image submissions from all over the world, and asks: What areas in your space have been helpful to get you through your own grief in this time?
What spaces made you feel safe?
Curated by Erin Candela
@candles_
This project has been generously supported by the Ontario Arts Council.
Opening Reception: July 4, 6-9 pm, 420 Queen St. East, Toronto
For more information, please contact Nurielle Stern at thelostandfoundto [at] gmail.com or visit www.tlaf.ca. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelostandfound_to/
home life / still life
July 4 - July 23, 2023
The Lost & Found
420 Queen St. E Toronto
Opening Reception Tuesday July 4, 6-9 pm. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Hours as posted online or open by appointment.
Hi-Res Images
The Lost & Found, home life / still life
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March 2023 News Release
The Lost & Found Art Space Launches in Toronto with Inaugural Exhibition 'Other Tigers,' Featuring 25 Artists Who Contributed to the Creation of the New Community-Oriented Gallery
Toronto, Ontario – March 12, 2023 – The Lost & Found is proud to announce its grand opening as Toronto’s newest art space. Located in Corktown on the boundary of Regent Park, the gallery aims to provide exhibition space for artists in a city where space is at a premium.
The Lost & Found is a new project space accepting submissions from independent curators, artist-curators, and organizations. Centrally located at Queen St E and Parliament, The Lost & Found aims to provide exhibition opportunities for emerging and established contemporary artists working in any medium. Founded by local artist Nurielle Stern, The Lost & Found was made possible by the City of Toronto Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program and the gallery launch is generously supported by Tucker’s Pottery Supplies Inc.
The gallery's inaugural exhibition, Other Tigers, opens on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The exhibition features the work of 25 Canadian artists working in a variety of media including interdisciplinary sculpture, photography, printmaking, craft-based media, and painting.
Contributing artists include: David Salazar, Marlene Zagdanski, Nicholas Crombach, Helen Liene Dreifelds, Sami Tsang, Phil Pax and Hannah Enkel, Rashmi Baird, Ninat Friedland, Tonya Corkey, Monica Wickeler, Nurielle Stern, Emily K Iseman, Shay Salehi, Erin Candela, Garrett Owen Gilbart, Andrew Rowat, Alice Phieu, Dayna Gedney, Jason Bomers, Keenan O’Toole, Doris Chu, Nadine Maher, Micah Donovan, Timothy Manalo.
The opening reception will take place on April 15 from 7-11 pm. Members of the press and the public are invited to attend.The exhibition will run from April 15th to May 7th, and will be open by appointment. For more information or to book an appointment please visit www.tlaf.ca. Admission is free.
The artists in Other Tigers were all involved in the creation of The Lost & Found and were instrumental in every step of the process, from laying the concrete floor to plasma-cutting a sign, painting walls, providing graphic design, hauling things, and offering their support, experience, and expertise.
"We would like to extend our gratitude to all the artists in Other Tigers who were involved in making The Lost & Found possible," says artist and founder Nurielle Stern, “It’s amazing to have everyone come together like this. People really believe in this project.”
In addition to exhibitions, The Lost & Found will also host artist-led workshops, including the use of the on-site ceramic studio facilities. These workshops will provide opportunities for members of the community to engage with artists and learn new skills, while fostering a sense of creativity and collaboration. Along with workshops, other types of events like book-launches and participation in city-wide events like Nuit Blanche will be an important way for the gallery to give back to the community and build lasting relationships.
For more information, please contact Nurielle Stern at thelostandfoundto [at] gmail.com or visit www.tlaf.ca. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelostandfound_to/
Other Tigers
April 15 - May 7, 2023
The Lost & Found
420 Queen St. E Toronto
Opening Reception : Saturday, April 15, 7-11 pm. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Hi-Res Images
Gallery Launch Exhibition, Other Tigers, April 15, 2023
Public Domain Image. Source Wikimedia commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tiger_attacking_a_calf_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Nurielle Stern, ceramic sculpture artist and founder of The Lost & Found, photo by Andrew Rowat. www.deepbreathely.com
Work by Sami Tsang samitsangceramics.com
