Work In Progress v6.1

Here are progress shots of the Labo installation. I'm almost finished, the show opens Friday!

From top to bottom: Structure frame for the hoarding wall closing the gallery; Julie and I put up the frame and cut all the panels to size (23 total). The next day they were primed; Painting the green strips; Ron dropped by and helped to hang the panels to seal the space.

À l'écoute

Celebration, Celebration (4AD)
A great record from this Baltimore-based group. A few friends told me about this one a while back and I finally got my hands on it. I suggest you do the same.

Jean Leclerc, Mexico (Roi Ponpon)
This is where Montréal's Jean Leloup has been hiding. Not only has he returned to his birth name—and his birth right: poetry—he also returned to the guitar jams I used to sway back in forth within large crowds at his concerts. Perhaps not an entry point (if he's news to you), but a damn fine record. Worth breaking out those note books from your French classes. His writing is brilliant.

Amy Bennett

Here's the work of Brooklyn-based artist Amy Bennett. More here. This is my new obsession.

From top to bottom: Coming To Grips (2007); On Thin Ice (2007); Losing It (2007); From Now On (2007). All from the series Neighbors.

Euan Macdonald

Here are a few works by Los Angeles-based artist Euan Macdonald on the subject of palm trees. Why should we look at these right now? Because obsessions are mystical and magical, and it finally feels like Spring in Toronto! The other work, the one with the red beemer is a looped video called Breakstand. That one's a toast to the summer coming. Nuf said. Read more, see more.

From top to bottom: Interval (1997); Untitled, Truck with Palm and Shadow (1998); Untitled, Interval Proposal (2008); Breakstand (1997).

Brand New Heavy

Ryan just finished redesigning my website, Cindy took most of the photos and I just have to be happy. Is all. Here: www.pascalpaquette.com

Drew Simpson

I passed by Drew's place a few days ago to catch up with him. I was privy to his usual hard worked paintings that he's producing for multiple international exhibitions he's having in the next few months, but also to this here shown series of sculptures. Simpson had exhibited these back in 2008 at Fountain Gallery in Toronto.

Shown above: Sculptures from the series Epitaphs to the Pleistocene Epoch. Photos by Jeff Bierk.

On View (in Toronto)

Fabrice is presently exhibiting works on paper from his personal collection. On show are two works of mine from my Commodity Over Culture series (2003-ongoing). Also in the main gallery space are works by Ryan Schneider. More info on that or directions to the gallery can be found here. Both shows are on until April 26.

From top to bottom: Starbucks, Coming Soon (ed. of 3) 2003; Krispy Kreme, Here Soon (installation view at Mind Control Gallery, Toronto) 2003.