The city of Mississauga, is rich cultural tapestry, among its many treasures, the flourishing art scene is captivating. From contemporary galleries to outdoor exhibitions, Mississauga offers a diverse array of artistic experiences that cater to every taste and preference. I will share with you the five best places to see art in our beloved city:

Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM)

Nestled in the heart of Mississauga’s Civic Centre, the Art Gallery of Mississauga stands as a beacon of creativity and innovation. Boasting a dynamic collection of contemporary Canadian art, the AGM showcases the works of both emerging and established artists. From thought-provoking exhibitions to engaging workshops and events, this gallery serves as a hub for artistic expression and community engagement.

Mississauga Celebration Square

Beyond its role as a venue for concerts and festivals, Mississauga Celebration Square is a haven for art enthusiasts. Throughout the year, the square hosts captivating outdoor art installations and interactive exhibits that transform the space into a gallery without walls. Whether it’s a mesmerizing sculpture or a vibrant mural, every visit to Celebration Square promises a new artistic discovery.

Visual Arts Mississauga at Riverwood

Tucked away amidst the scenic beauty of Riverwood Park, Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM) offers a serene retreat for art lovers. With its picturesque surroundings serving as inspiration, VAM provides a platform for local artists to showcase their talents through exhibitions, classes, and special events. Whether you’re strolling through the tranquil gardens or exploring the gallery spaces, VAM offers a delightful blend of nature and artistry.

Living Arts Centre

Situated in the heart of Mississauga’s downtown core, the Living Arts Centre is a cultural hub that celebrates the performing and visual arts. While renowned for its stellar lineup of live performances, the centre also features a captivating art gallery that showcases a diverse range of works by local and international artists. Whether you’re attending a theatre production or perusing the gallery, the Living Arts Centre promises a memorable artistic experience.

Visual Arts Mississauga at Riverwood

Tucked away amidst the scenic beauty of Riverwood Park, Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM) offers a serene retreat for art lovers. With its picturesque surroundings serving as inspiration, VAM provides a platform for local artists to showcase their talents through exhibitions, classes, and special events. Whether you’re strolling through the tranquil gardens or exploring the gallery spaces, VAM offers a delightful blend of nature and artistry.

Streetsville Village Square

Steeped in history and charm, Streetsville Village Square offers a quaint yet enchanting setting for art enthusiasts to explore. From its charming streets adorned with colorful murals to its cozy cafes and boutiques, Streetsville exudes artistic flair at every turn. Whether you’re admiring local artwork or attending one of the many cultural events hosted in the square, Streetsville offers a delightful fusion of art, culture, and community spirit.

In conclusion, Mississauga is a treasure trove of artistic wonders, with each of these five destinations offering a unique glimpse into the city’s vibrant cultural landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned art aficionado or simply looking to explore something new, these must-visit places are sure to inspire and delight. So, grab your walking shoes, embrace your sense of wonder, and embark on a journey of artistic discovery in our beloved city of Mississauga.

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Defining Modern Art is a complicated task, as it is associated with both a historical artistic movement, as well as a series of practices and expressions unique to a specific time period. “Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era.”1. One thing is for sure, modern artists experimented with new ways of seeing the world and nature, as they were far less focused on a narrative and more on abstraction. This accompanied a shifting cultural mindset defined by the lead-up to and eventual repercussions of the industrial revolution.

The Origins of Modern Art

The centuries that came before the era of Modern Art had many advancements in the visual arts, from the Renaissance and Baroque periods to Rococo and Neoclassicism. These artistic movements all share the same technique, the idealization of subject matter. As artists usually painted not what they perceived with a subjective point of view, but instead what they envisioned as the romanticized or heightened version of their subject. 2. The movement toward the era of Modern Art came with the start of the industrial revolution in Western Europe during the mid-19th century. With technologies like the internal combustion engine, large machine-powered factories, and electrical power generation, the quality of life for people during this time period changed drastically. As many people started to move from rural farming areas to bustling cities to find work, painters also flocked to the new and exciting landscapes. These cities were now bursting with modern spectacles and fashions making them the perfect spot for artists’ observation and creative work. This new approach to painting would soon be known as Realism, inciting a contradictory artistic response in the form of other movements such as Impressionism and Dadaism. 3.

Art Movements within the Modern Era

Impressionism: Impressionism is considered to be the first artistic movement in the modern era, beginning in the mid-1800s. Painters who used this style simply observed the world as they saw it and then transformed their interpretation into a beautifully poetic and colorful image. Notable artists include: Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Berthe Morisot, Armand Guillaumin, and Frédéric Bazille.

Fauvism: Fauvism art was a brightly colored and anti-naturalistic style used by 20th-century modern French painters. These paintings usually captured scenes of landscapes with emphasized painterly qualities and bold color over the realistic values that were retained by Impressionism. Notable artists include: Henri Matisse, Maurice de Vlaminck, Matisse and Derain, André Derain, Kees van Dongen, Raoul Dufy, and Georges Braque.

Dada: Dada was both an artistic and literary movement that began in the early twentieth century following World War I. Dadaism was known for mocking and antagonizing the conventions of classical art, often emphasizing the absurd. Notable artists include: Marcel Duchamp, Raoul Hausmann, Francis Picabia, and Max Ernst.

Cubism: Cubism was a style of painting and sculpture that began in the early twentieth century, seeking to challenge the incorporation of realistic form and perspective in prior movements. Notable artists include Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Albert Gleizes, and Paul Cézanne.

Abstract expressionism: The abstract expressionist art movement started during the mid-twentieth century in New York City. This movement used two styles: action painting and color field painting. They were both employed to create extremely evocative and emotionally-founded artworks. Notable artists include: Edvard Munch, Wassily Kandinsky, and Egon Schiele.

Surrealism: Surrealism was an art movement that began in the 1920s in hopes to release creative potential from the restrictions of reality. This style often juxtaposes images together in absurd ways in order to channel imagination, dreams, hallucinations, or even nightmares. Surrealism would also play a major role in emerging cinematic practices, particularly in the realm of experimental works. Notable artists include: Jean Arp, Max Ernst, André Masson, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dalí, Pierre Roy, Paul Delvaux, and Joan Miró.

Minimalism: Minimalism was developed in the United States during the 1950s to 1960s as a response to the earlier decade’s abstract expressionist movement. This style emphasized extreme simplicity, clean lines, minimal color, and basic shapes. Notable artists include: Frank Stella, Eva Hesse, Agnes Martin, Dan Flavin, Anne Truitt, and Donald Judd.

Op art: Optical art, more commonly known as op art, was a visual art form that used geometric patterns to create the illusion of movement (such as warping or flashing). Notable artists include: Bridget Riley, Victor Vasarely, and Jesus Rafael Soto.

Pop art: Pop art was a modern art movement in the mid-twentieth century that borrowed and appropriated images from popular culture (such as newspaper advertisements, comic books, and cartoons) to create works that examined larger societal trends. Notable artists include: Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg and Eduardo Paolozzi.

Postmodern Art

The term Postmodern is used to describe works that were made during and after the 1960s Pop art era. Unlike Modern Art, this artistic movement included the use of new technologies in innovative ways. Creators and artists incorporated video and collage, as well as the appropriation of earlier styles in a new context. The blending of different mediums and genres into a collective whole became a common practice, introducing the sentiment of art analyzing itself. Some movements within the Postmodern style include Concept art, Installation art, Street art, Performance art, and Feminist art. 4.

Modern Art vs Contemporary Art

To put it simply: modern art and contemporary art are from two different time periods. Modern art references the era between the 1880s to the 1970s, while contemporary art generally includes current works (the creator is still living or has only very recently died or retired). Stylistically, modern art is usually drawing or painting while contemporary art explores more experimental mediums including video art, object design, tech-enabled artworks, graphic arts, etc. Both movements are unique reflections of the time periods in which they manifested, categorizing a larger trend towards free-form expression and a continuing reassessment of what classifies as art. 5.

Conclusion

In consideration of the above analysis, it is worth noting that this is not an exhaustive definition of Modern Art, but rather an overview of the key tenets and attributes of the movement as a whole. As its name would suggest, Modern Art is inextricably tied to a shifting cultural consciousness within a specific time period. Even then, our current perception of Modern Art is tied to a European-American ethnocentric conception of art and thus is not all-encompassing. However, it does mark an evolution of artistic practice and intention at an increasingly rapid rate, mirroring humanity’s own increasing awareness of self and our impact on the world. Only through the analysis and study of the history-defining works that came with Modern art can we begin to better understand ourselves and the future of art.

Sources Used

1. Atkins, Robert (1997). Artspeak: A Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords (2nd ed.). New York: Abbeville Press Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7892-0415-8. OCLC 605278894 – via Internet Archive.

2. https://medium.com/@tech-master-p-007/modern-art-38d11f7bc056

3. https://www.theartstory.org/definition/modern-art/history-and-concepts/

4. Clement, Russell (1996). Four French Symbolists: A Sourcebook on Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon, and Maurice Denis. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-29752-6. OCLC 34191505.

5. https://www.eden-gallery.com/news/modern-art-vs-contemporary-art

6.https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/734

Related Articles on Modern Art as Curated by Author

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Have you ever witnessed a live art piece that didn’t quite fit neatly into one category of art? Perhaps it was at a museum, in a theatre, or even on the street! If so, you have come to the right article. What you might have experienced is performance art.

According to dictionary.com, performance art is “a collaborative art form originating in the 1970s as a fusion of several artistic media, as painting, film, video, music, drama, and dance, and deriving in part from the 1960s performance happenings.” Some well known performance artists of the 60s and 70s were, Allan Kaprow, Tehching Hsieh and Marina Abramović. These artists are from all over the globe and have paved the way for what performance art is today. They were daring, political, and unique in their views of the world and how that manifested in their work.

If you’re someone like me who often conflates theatre and performance art as the same thing, I want to share one distinct difference I’ve found. According to enotes.com “Theater and performance art often converge, one becoming the other and vice versa, but drama begins with the playwright and performance art begins with the visual artist.” Theatre is typically viewed by an audience all at once, while performance art can be viewed individually at different times. Not to mention, “the emphasis is more on the visual than on plot, character or language.”

Though performance art grew in popularity around the 1960s and 1970s, it actually originated from earlier in the 20th century. It was around this time that avant-garde artists experimented with using painting or even sculpture, as writer Shelley Esaak talks about in their article Performance Art. In addition, experimental theatre, also known as radical theatre, was quite popular. To connect the dots here, performance art sprouted from the avante-garde era, and experimental forms of expression and creation.

A more recent example of performance art is presented by Jamaican-Canadian performance artist Camille Turner. Her work digs into research about the slave trade in Canadian history. From 2016-2019, she had an ongoing exhibit called, Afronautic Research Lab, which originated in Newfoundland and then travelled across Canada. Guests were invited to read old news prints about the slave trade, and the guides who were part of the exhibit were dressed in white futuristic attire (including turbans and boots). These guides were called Afronauts. Camille is an artist who tackles issues in her art such as “race, space, home, and belonging” and you can read more about her work on her website, camilleturner.com.

Performance art is fascinating, isn’t it? As we can see, it’s been around for quite sometime – with it’s creative/accessible form and ties to politics, humanity, and radicalism, I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon. I for one am grateful for this artistic medium, and the way it shifts our perspectives on our society. Comment below and tell us about performance artists or art pieces you admire!

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As artists, we are living in a very isolating time where most auditions are online, zoom meetings are the meet-up destination and living in quarantine for 14 days after being on set is the new norm. As an actor, last minute auditions and learning lines is generally a nightmare without any help, especially if you live alone. Luckily, we are living in a new age of technology, internet, wifi and apps! This makes it possible to work on your own when you would normally need the help of a friend. Below is a list of apps you can download on your android or iphone. Not only for memorizing lines and to create self-tapes but for any production organization and design. They’re all quick and easy! Let’s make your life a little less stressful and more productive.

Auditions

Actors Access – This is an account you probably already have

online. You can download the app for quick access to the latest

auditions for film, commercial, print and theatre. Posted by

professional casting directors. Submit yourself for an

audition quickly through this app!

Casting Workbook – Another casting site you probably already

have an account with. Find gigs, upload self tapes and notify

your agent any time you want.

Backstage Casting – This app is for actors, models, singers and

dancers. Find casting calls in your own country. It does require a

monthly, six month or annual membership.

Self Tapes

MySelfTape – An app with a three step process. Record, edit, encode. It was designed by an actor to make self-taping easy and affordable. Fill in your slate information, record your audition and the rest is put together for you. Once the self tape is completed you can download your video to your files or send it directly to your agent.

Shoot Me – Very similar to MySelfTape but with a few more features. You can create your own profile, adjust your lighting an title each take. Once you’re done recording and editing your self-tape, send it through your email, dropbox or vimeo.

Memorizing

Rehearsal Pro – A very popular app that you might have heard of before. You can record your lines and play them back with a teleprompter. If you’re feeling more confident you can turn on a feature called “blackout mode” that will test you on your lines. Useful for memorizing full-length scripts and short sides for auditions.

WeAudition – If you’re looking for online live help, this is the app for you. Connect with actors, performers and industry experts to rehearse your lines. When you’re ready to practice the app will give you instant access with your reader.

Scene Partner – Upload your own script or choose an e-Script from a selection of Samuel French, Dramatist Play Service, or Music Theatre International. It allows you to listen to lines using your own voice or from a selection of male or female voices listed in the app.

My Lines – Memorize your lines by looking or listening to them through this app. When you are ready to be off-book it allows you to listen to your cue lines and respond back.

Stage Management

Pocket Call Sheet – This app allows you to create industry-professional call sheets for any production you are working on. Distribute cast and crew schedules on the go and have them signed off online.

eSET – It provides over 2000 glossary terms related to production, lighting and sound. Essential for those who are new to the performing arts vocabulary.

ShowToolSM – Provides tools required for a stage manager. These include: databases for spikes and marks, checklists, a show timer, prop lists, plus more.

Theatre Blocking – Provides a simple way of blocking a theatre space, whether that is for a rehearsal or performance. It allows you to move backwards and forwards between blocks and includes stage layout options and colour selections.

GenieLux – This app will help you find a variety of models for videos, lighting, audios and any production gear you require. It includes an inventory of vendors close to your location, by using GPS, that you can purchase or rent material from.

Stagehand Pro – Designed specifically for stagehands! It uploads light beams and DIP switch calculations, as well includes tools such as pin outs, a colour calculator, and a watts to amps convertor.

Design

Q Lab – A popular device in the production world. A lighting, sound and video control system all on your phone. It’s very flexible and easy to learn for first-timers. Once you’re done with your design all you have to do is press play and let the show begin!

Go Button – This app was created by the same makers of QLab. A more simple way to play sound effects and music for a live performance.

Mad Mapper – If you are looking for a mapping software this is a great app to look into. It provides advance mapping tools for any live performance, whether it’s a production, a video projection, or an art installation.

Canva – This app provides templates for any design you wish to create. It includes millions of images, photo filters, hundreds of fonts and free icons and shapes.

Technical Theatre Assistant – A carpentry app to save time on your latest projects. It generates cut lists and diagrams for set pieces, and includes a calculator.

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It’s an interesting world we live in, where information can be found at a quick search on many of our technological devices. It is also really comforting to search up everything and anything in the comfort of your own home. Though, have you ever given some thought to what your house looked like years ago? Or maybe your street? Neighbourhood? Town? What about your city? I became curious in the history of my house in Scarborough, Ontario, when I thought about the idea of ghosts. I then went on a journey to figure out if my house was ever haunted. I didn’t end up finding any spooky or mysterious information; however, I did end up being curious in what my town looked like years before I lived here. I know other people must be curious to know the specific history of where they reside in too. I am going to fill you in on the best places you can find old photos of your neighbourhood!

1. There is this awesome website called, http://www.whatwasthere.com/ where people are able to send in their old photos of their area. This website is a great searching tool to find photos of where you live! The website allows you to type in your town, and tabs pop up on a map. You can click on the little tabs, and dated images will fill your screen. In Toronto alone, there are images I found that date back to as early as the late 19th century! You can definitely get lost in this website and all its historic wonder.

2. On the City of Toronto website, there is a page titled, “Find The History of Your House.” There you will have options of sorting through city directories, fire insurance plans, and many, many, photographic images of different parts of Toronto. If you have ever lived in different parts of the city, I am sure you will have a wonderful time skimming through all the photos provided!

3. I am a huge fan of Museums. They are a great source for finding out cool facts around the world, and a great source of finding cool facts about your own backyard. I used to work at the Scarborough Museum, which was such a wonderful and insightful experience. Since that museum is on the smaller side, you can easily take a close up look at all the artifacts. This includes pictures as well! Of course, not so close that you are breathing on the artifacts because that probably doesn’t obey the social distancing guidelines. Speaking of social distancing, you don’t have to leave your house to explore museums. Black Creek Pioneer Village (located in North York, Toronto) has virtual exhibits you can explore. Check it out! https://blackcreek.ca/exhibits/

4. Give your local library an in person or virtual visit! As you know, a library is always a wonderful source for finding facts on any topic, so you might as well take advantage of the search tool when on the library website! If you’re someone who is in Toronto, the best and most well known library is the Toronto Reference Library. Feel free to take a look through their books about your town! There are so many sources and photos you can find just by searching on their website, so you don’t necessarily have to leave your house. (If ebooks are your go-to, then you should definitely get the Public Library – Over Drive app! All you need is a library card, and you’re set. This app works for most libraries.)

5. Ask your next door neighbours! Or any of your neighbours really. I am sure they may have photos of how your area used to look. Who knows, they might even have retro photos of themselves too, and that sounds like it would lead to some delightful and interesting conversation.

6. Another word of mouth approach may be something as simple as asking friends on social media for photos of your street. The amount of times I have asked a general question on Facebook, I have always been pleasantly surprised with the whirlwind of responses from all sorts of people with different perspectives. You should try it! A while back one of my co-workers shared an old photo from a theatre we both used to work at. Ever since then, I trust that asking friends and family about historic facts on social media couldn’t hurt.

That puts on end to my short yet effective list on ways to find photos of your street. I hope you dive into doing a bit of digging for some really vintage photos! In all my research, I’m surprised I still didn’t find out if my house was haunted or not. Though I did find a creepy website, https://www.diedinhouse.com/, but it only works for US addresses! Regardless of the potential eerie history of my home, I did have a fun time looking up photos of my home town. It’s always a great way to see different points of view when getting a little blast from the past. I bet after reading this article, it will lead you into finding amazing facts about your city, town, or street, that you never even could have imagined.

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So who is Shireen Khan? This local freelance photographer is a Sheridan College graduate—they participated in such programs as General Arts & Science, Business, and Marketing, and then later decided to continue their education in Basic and Intermediate photography. Shireen works primarily with GTA musicians, they can be found snapping photos at concerts or shooting promo photos for local bands. Alternatively, they work with models and folks in the area needing to beef up their social media profiles.

They use both digital and analog photography, the latter of which lends itself to Shireen’s unique style, which they describe as “sentimental.” They tend to stray away from highly stylized/curated shoots in favour of candid moments—it is important to Shireen that their subjects feel at ease during a shoot and walk away feeling good.

A huge part of Shireen’s work is promoting and highlighting diversity in the GTA, choosing mainly BIPOC, queer, and disabled subjects. By day, they work as a barista/junior coordinator for a local not-for-profit vegan café called Studio.89, which allows them to blend their love of coffee with photography and social justice work. They not only utilize their skills to produce work for Studio.89’s social media pages, but have even started their own “Photography Show & Tell” event—Shireen describes this as an “open mic for photographers” to show case their work regardless of skill level or experience.

Recently Shireen has begun to branch out and pursue videography. There seems to be a growing demand from local bands/artists to put their music out into the world through video as well as collecting behind-the-scenes footage, as apposed to simply streaming their music through Sound Cloud or Spotify. At first, the thought of video editing was daunting for Shireen, but shortly after meeting their partner Jon (a musician) and practicing shooting with a very outdated camera, they quickly realized how well they meshed together as artists and began collaborating. This past Spring Shireen filmed a music video with Jon (also know as L00se WAYNE) entitled “Singin” in which he edited the footage Shireen compiled. They dream of someday pursuing the creation of a video production company together.

So what prompted this journey into photography/videography? For Shireen it all started in high school, 2011 to be exact, the last year that their school’s Photography Course would teach with analog cameras. Shireen prefers analog to digital because film naturally produces that grungy analog filter in the final product, and in digital you have to edit the photos to get the desired filter. “Unfortunately I wasn’t successful in the high school course. I barely passed. It was in 2015 that I wanted to try again after getting into punk bands in California who did DIY [photography] work. Their photographer friends would take their photos, and they were using film cameras. It inspired me to try film photography again.”

With this renewed inspiration, in 2018 Shireen started going to local shows with their brother Zan who’s in his own band “Unknown Voidz.” After going to a few shows and meeting their friend Shawn Kosmo (owner of Here Kitty Kitty Productions), who offered to pay Shireen to take photos for their band at the time “Pacer”, they decided from then on to turn their passion into a business. They draw inspiration from the works of Pooneh Ghana, Daniel Topete, Annie Leibovitz, and Berenice Abbot. Ghana and Topete are both music photographers Shireen admires—Ghana, who is a WOC, captures beautiful energetic moments and the personalities of the musicians on stage, while Topete’s vast photographic knowledge lends itself to his polished and detailed photos.

Shireen describes Leibowitz as “the Beatles of Photography,” and still remembers tips from her masterclass two years later. Abbot was a photographer in the 1930s who took breath taking city shots of New York—she was a risk taker who often shot at unique and complicated angles. Shireen’s cousin Ali is also a photographer whom they admire, inspired by his dedication and experimental style of digital photography.

“I took so many photos at [Symbiotica], and I look back on those times happily.”

So what has been their experience of the arts scene in Mississauga? Well, working for Studio.89 has been a huge turning point in Shireen’s career, they’ve built a network of photographers in the city and has taken photos for the numerous events the café holds each week. Discovering the city’s music scene provided Shireen with a lot of networking opportunities—they’ve formed lasting relationships with musicians and bands who are seeking exposure. A venue Shireen has shot at multiple times is Symbiotica, a basement venue in Mississauga. A favourite artist of Shireen’s, and a dear friend, is a Black Queer artist by the name of Daniel G. Wilson and their band Joncro. “I took so many photos [at Symbiotica], I look back on those times happily. Being there always felt like being in a gnarly retro movie, and everyone at the shows were so nice. Unfortunately, Symbiotica closed down last year because condos are being built in the neighborhood.”

Shireen can often be found strolling around Port Credit, admiring the graffiti and taking photos of their friends, or journaling in any of the local cafés. When asked what they would like to see more of in Mississauga in terms of support/art exposure, Shireen emphasized a need to credit artists for their work, especially for BIPOC/queer artists whose work/voices often go unheard or unseen. You can find Shireen’s work in a recent exhibit at PAMA called ARTVOICE! which explores diverse, extraordinary works created by youth artists in the GTA. Their work can also be viewed on their Instagram shireenkphotoz.

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