Defunct funeral parlour hosts memory-themed art show

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There probably isn't a better venue for an art exhibition that takes to the task of probing the nature of memory than a funeral parlour, the site at which so many have experienced that most visceral experience of remembrance — mourning. When one enters such spaces (or even their remnants) it seems only natural to adopt a hushed and contemplative posture, which in this case, is all the better for viewing what's on display.

The third part of Labspace Studio's (Re)collection Project, "In Memory" features the work of 15 pairs of artists who've spent weeks transforming just such a space at Queen and Broadview. The 3500 square foot venue is as moody as it is big, and its many rooms and hallways accommodate the primarily installation-based work. Somewhat reminiscent of the Leona Drive Project, if on a smaller scale, venue and exhibit are seamlessly intertwined as the various sculptures, photographs, and video projections animate the once empty space.

Each pair of artists was tasked with creating an installation "that recalls, reinterprets and recreates a past memory." Despite the deeply personal nature of this work, the exhibits tend to succeed where they pick up on the communal experience of nostalgia, the bitter sweet pain one feels when he or she recalls a past that's no longer simply present or available. More impressive still, and perhaps best demonstrated by the sandy re-creation of a bed fashioned by Bishara Mohamed and Marino Imperio, are those exhibits that subtly point out that the experiences that give rise to nostalgia were never as uncomplicated and pure as the recollection process tends to make them.

For more information about the exhibit and participating artists, check out the (Re)Collection Project" website. In Memory runs from August 19th-21st from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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