Gary Taxali: Shanti Town

January 30 – February 9, 2014

For Immediate Release

January 14, 2014

Toronto, ON – Waddington’s is pleased to present acclaimed Canadian artist and illustrator Gary Taxali’s Shanti Town in the first of its series of Pop Up selling exhibitions. The show runs from January 30 through February 9, 2014, at Waddington’s, 275 King Street East, Toronto.  An exciting new concept in Canada, selling exhibitions are becoming increasingly popular in the international auction world.  Waddington’s presentation of Shanti Town will be a Canadian first.

Gary Taxali is one of Canada’s best-known and highly acclaimed artists.   His signature pop culture works are infused with 1930s-style packaging, posters, typography and advertising with original and sophisticated characters and graphics on to distressed surfaces.  His illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, Esquire, Rolling Stone, GQ and Playboy.  The recipient of over 500 awards, Taxali was commissioned by the Whitney Museum of American Art to create a limited edition silkscreen to accompany the release of his first vinyl toy. His artwork for Aimee Mann’s 2008 album @#%&*! Smilers, was nominated for a Grammy Award and most recently he designed a series of coins for the Royal Canadian Mint.  In addition to his international exhibitions and lectures, Taxali creates toys, designs pocket squares for Harry Rosen, is an author, and teaches at OCAD University.

Clearly a non-traditionalist, Taxali was delighted to partner with Waddington’s on its first pop up retail exhibition.  “I love the opportunity to explore new territory – working with an establishment like Waddington’s opens up all kinds of possibilities for my work.”

He describes the Shanti Town exhibition, created specifically for this event: “In Hindi, the word “shanti” means peace or tranquility.  “Shanty” is also a ghetto or impoverished village often located within or on the outskirts of a city.  The double meaning is appropriate in how I wish to convey the messages in my work. 1930’s Depression era signs, posters, packaging and graphics have always served as a large mood inspiration for my art.   My fascination with this era highlights my preoccupation with the paradoxes of human relationships, love, isolation, period advertisements, propaganda, and economic despair and frustration – all recurring themes in the works presented in this show.  Yet, there is also a recurring sense of acceptance of “what is” in every piece.  This is where I cannot escape from humour.  While it mocks the worst parts of the human condition, it also binds us to a shared understanding that life should never be taken too seriously.  I simply cannot think of a more peaceful way to be than that.”

Stephen Ranger, head of Waddington’s Concrete Contemporary division, is thrilled to be working with Taxali on the company’s first pop up retail exhibition.  “What makes his work so compelling is how the imagery engages us with both a sense of nostalgia, as well as basic truths about our lives. Depression-era figures juxtaposed with text slyly and humorously define how we really think and feel.  I think this exhibition will strike a cord with everyone.”

An exhibition catalogue will be made available to the public.

Opening Reception

Thursday 30 January 2014

6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Retail Exhibition

Thursday 30 January 2014 to Sunday 9 February 2014

Weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Weekends 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Artist’s Talk

Saturday, February 1

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Waddington’s

275 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario

Waddington’s, Canada’s Auction House since 1850, is the country’s most diversified provider of auction and appraisal services.  Waddington’s offers live and online auctions of fine art and collectibles across a broad spectrum of markets, including Canadian, Inuit, Asian and International art, as well as Decorative arts and Jewellery.  A full-service company with respected subject matter expertise, Waddington’s is also the leading expert on providing downsizing services.  Waddington’s international network of clients and contacts ensures our auctions and services reach the broadest possible audiences.

For more information on Waddington’s visit: http://waddingtons.ca

For more information on Gary Taxali, go to www.garytaxali.com, www.taxali.com and www.taxalionline.com/blog.

For Media Information:

Ciarlo Communications                            Vandana Taxali

Tel:     416-763-3783                                  Tel: 416-865-0800

Cell:    416-458-5090                                  Email: vandanat@rogers.com

Email:            vciarlo@ciarlo.ca

-30-

From The New York Times:

“As a small child, I discovered the possibilities of creativity and empowerment in Sendak’s books.  It was through these ideals that I began drawing my own world of characters, narratives and scenes.  This eventually led me to a very happy career as an artist, and subsequently, a kid’s book author and illustrator.  My own children’s book, “This Is Silly!” owes a great deal to Max  and his beastly friends.  Mr. Sendak, I will never forget how you showed me that the wild things are really in our hearts.”

-GARY TAXALI
The author and iIllustrator of “This Is Silly!” from Scholastic Press.

© Gary Taxali 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

For a number of months now, I’ve been pretty busy.  In fact, my catchphrase (for what seems like a longtime now) has been “I’m busy working on my show”.  Well, that show is done.  It’s finished, archived, and it’s at the gallery.  And what a gallery.  My solo show will take place at none other than The Outsiders, owned and operated by the one and only, Steve Lazarides (past spokesperson and gallery dealer to street artist, Banksy).  Steve also shows a number of artists who are my friends and others whom I have also been in group shows with.  I’ve never been to The Outsiders and I’m excited to go there for the first time next week to attend the private viewing reception of my show.

My show, entitled, “My Feelings Like You”, consists of 38 brand new works.  Included in this show are some of my biggest works to date, including “Skunk Electrical Soap” (60 x 80 inches) and “Shanti” (42 x 72″).  The show consists mainly of mixed media works that I am best known for.  I also have paintings in there as well as some screen printed on handmade paper works.  This show means a lot to me.  Instead of randomly creating various works and piecing them together ad hoc, I carefully plotted out the pictures with a definite connecting theme in mind.  Here is an excerpt from a recent interview I did for for Lust and Found that explains what those connections are:

“The themes explored are just as much about introspection as well as searching.  There are a lot of assertions in the works I make about states of being and status of place.  Yet there are also inquisitive, questioning and curious follies regarding various emotions and relationship dynamics.  These are realized through my constant exploration of angst, happiness and catharsis that I hope is evident in the characters I draw and paint.  A common character I am known for, The Toy Monkey, makes a few appearances in these new works.  He’s a guide, if you will.  Many people may surmise that he’s taking the viewer to a past time, in particular the 1920s or 1930s, but I’d like think that the place is just a byproduct and the real journey is in conveying the emotions through narratives.”

My show runs from May 3rd – June 2nd.  The gallery is located in Soho, in beautiful Covent Garden, London.  The private viewing is on Thursday, May 3rd from 6 – 9 pm.   The gallery will be selling my book, “I Love You, OK?”, so I’ll also be there doing some signing.

Here’s some recent press so far where you can also see more works from the show:

HI-FRUCTOSE Blog post about my show

Creative Review Blog post about my show

© Gary Taxali 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Here is some packaging art I created for “Mr. Kipling”, a brand of cakes in the UK.  This will go on their tins.  I haven’t tried their cakes yet but they look delicious.  The agency was Another Production along with 101 Production, both in London.  And of course, the project was extra fun for me because I had the chance to create the typography. The AD was Mark Elwood.

Also in the UK, here are a couple of book review pieces created for The Sunday Telegraph‘s art and culture magazine called “Seven”.  The AD was Alex McFadyen.

Here is a sneak piece at one of my brand new pieces for my upcoming solo show in London, “My Feelings Like You” at Lazarides, The Outsiders Gallery.  This work is called, “Nervous Pete”.  The show opens on May 3rd, 2012.

Here is some work  I recently completed for Steve Banks at Los Angeles Magazine on a piece about the ethnic diversity of the Pico/Crenshaw neighborhood.

The below illustration was created for The Wall Street Journal on a piece about “financial therapy”.  The AD was Orlie Kraus.

It’s always a joy working for Kory Kennedy at Runner’s World.  Below is a full page illustration called “Angry Knee”.

Another regular client I always enjoy working with is The Dallas Morning News and the amazing Michael Hogue.  Here is a piece on how the web, especially in regards to social network sites like Facebook, isn’t as polarized as otherwise thought.  This article was originally published in Slate.

That’s it for now!  More coming soon…

Here’s an illustration I did for the topic of  “Sexual Frequency” for Playboy and how the magic number is all relative.  The AD is Bruce Hansen, whom is always really wonderful to work with.

© Gary Taxali  2012 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED