À l'écoute

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Some Loud Thunder (self-released)
This is the second album from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Produced by Dave Friedmann, it's much more dynamic, grand and almost mysterious. Songs like Love Song No. 7 and Five Easy Pieces are simply works of modern mastery.

Tindersticks, Tindersticks (This Way Up)
Two records in a row were self-titled for this Brit/alt/folk/romantics/even-sometimes-rockers. This is the second one, released in 1994. Cindy and I saw them play in Toronto a few months back and so I dug out her old collection. If you don't know this outfit, this is a safe starting point. Although, most everything they've released is super in it's own right.

Conor Harrington

We were visiting friends in New York last week. We stopped in the Standard Hotel in the meat packing district and found this mural by Conor Harrington. Roller paint, brush and spray = fire! It was painted last year to coincide with the Outsiders New York exhibition at Lazarides Gallery.

Yannick Pouliot

Here are a few works from the Québec-based artist Yannick Pouliot. There's not much that I can find floating around—the two shots I found have an accompanying article that's from his Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal exhibit he held last year. Here's a review from The Hour.

From top to bottom: Chaises horizontale, photo: Richard-Max Tremblay; Chaises verticale, photo: Guy L’Heureux.

Bates

The people of Copenhagen have not to ever worry. They walk amongst one of the most prolific and accomplished artists. His influential work is always perfectly executed—always bettering any surface he claims.

Bates works on his craft since the mid-eighties, constantly gaining respect from within the graffiti community but also from everyone who has had the chance to appreciate his pieces. Take time to visit the wealth of work by Bates. Click here, here and here.

From top to bottom: Revamped shed with a classic chrome-style piece complete with Bucky O'Hare character (2008); A juicy spring Bates with watermelon slice (2009); Hard-edge and simple wildstyle with hard black shadows (2007); A strong straight-lettered silver Bates (2009). Photos are from various sources.

Sarah Pickering

London-based artist Sarah Pickering photographs explosions. Need more be said? Find her site here.

From top to bottom: Landmine (2005); Ground Burst No1 (2004); Smoke Burst No1 (2004); Electric Thunder Flash (2004).

Barbara Kruger

American artist (and celebrated icon) Barbara Kruger was one of the names I wore on a t-shirt in constant rotation for over four years. I've retired it now and thought we'd not let her go too fast. Here's a good sampling of her work from her still active career. Go here to read a good article.

From top to bottom: Belief + Doubt = Sanity (2008); The Meaning of Life Is That It Stops (1993); Installation at Mary Boone Gallery, NY (1991); Repeat After Me (1984/95).

Work In Progress v6.2

Cindy came by the gallery today to take shots of the exhibition.

From top to bottom: A sandwich board on the main avenue of the Distillery District; The hallway leading to the Labo space; Doorway to the gallery; The wall dividing the space (2009). Photos by Cindy Blazevic.

Paul McCarthy

Here are a few works by Los Angeles-based artist Paul McCarthy. I've been wanting to post about his work and as no coincidence, doing it today, the timing couldn't be better. Sometimes you have to go further than yourself and your thoughts to get a greater perspective on what you're doing. More on that later, but for now, let's focus on this Master and his work. Find more on McCarthy here and here.

From top to bottom: Santa Clause with Plug (2007); The Saloon (1995-96); The Garden (1992); Bossy Burger (1991-92). Images taken from various sources.

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.