The Artwork of Talwst. Miniature scale. Massive Impact.

My friend, Swati posted an amazing photo and link to my facebook page to which I immediately responded..."WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!!!!!"....initially drawn to the scale of the work, and the fact that the artwork is housed in beautiful, turn of the century jewellery boxes, the content then began to reveal itself.


This imaginative and fantastical body of work that provoked an all caps response, is by Toronto based, Trinidadian born, Canadian artist, Talwst. 


Talwst exploits and explores themes of marginalization, humour, human history and art history in his work.  His work explores these themes both whimsically and imaginatively, without sacrificing the gravity of the content.  In fact, the humour of the work is what really drew me in and had me both laughing out loud and moved to tears by the interiors of these miniature worlds.


Like a stage production, set at the point of the climax in the drama: the curtain lifts, as each jewellery box illustrates a tale of intrigue, romance, hilarity and heartbreak.


Many of the political pieces become precious Memento mori objects that honour and illuminate tragic moments in recent history that while reference art history, will also, I feel become a part of art history.  I am so inspired and excited that he is making this very important work.


Take a look at his work below, check out his website, and if you're in the GTA,
check out his exhibition at The Mississauga Art Gallery, which opens soon, and this statement by the curator of his "Minimized Histories: Marginalization and Unrest".


Check out this article in The Guardian, where Talwst describes the stories behind many of his most popular pieces.  And check out this curatorial statement of the artist's most recent exhibition, which opens next week, at the Art Gallery of Mississauga.

"Inspired by the unflinching scenes of Goya’s Disasters of War etchings, TALWST turns his meta-referential, pop-culture and art-history laden Infinity series into a searing indictment of the elision of narratives of people of colour and marginalized communities, particularly of those raised in protest or activism. Where previously his miniature dioramas in antique ring boxes featured pop-culture icons Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s cavorting in front of Pontormo’s Deposition from the Cross, this new body of work sees Frida Kahlo meet Missing 43 protesters in Mexico as TALWST subverts the bright street scenes of Enser’s Christ’s Entry into Brussels. Through his work, TALWST forces us to direct intense focus and consideration on the stories of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, missing and murdered indigenous women, among others, and the implications of these narratives in our purportedly post-racial, post-colonial world." 

Kendra Ainsworth

After Tom, After Kim, After Acid. 2014.

Shunga. 2014

Places We Can Go. 2014

Frolic. 2014

 

El Torero. 2014

Olympia Are you Ready? 2009

Execution of Michael Brown.

Kirk and the money shot. 2010

Por que? 2015.

Space Family Rothschild. 2014.

All photos belong to Talwst.

Heavy lifting. A love story.

In the fall, a friend came to me with a curious request.

To design a statement neckpiece in the shape of a building crane, with a lot of symbolism and meaning for her and her partner.  With all big projects there is that initial challenge of solving the puzzle and designing the piece.

I let the request kick around in my head for a while, and there is certainly no shortage of inspiration in Toronto, when cranes clutter the skyline....going about their daily business.

After the chaos of the holidays, I had some time to commit to thinking more seriously about the project, and spent a week in the studio figuring out how to materialize the piece.  I wanted to make a piece that could be hung from a pin, or reside in a shadow box, while not being worn, and function as wall art, as well as a scale that was wearable but pushing the boundaries of wearable scale.

After much consideration...the piece has been finished and was presented to the recipient a couple of weeks ago

The last resort.

I came across Last Resort: Apostogan in December, right in the middle of everything swirling around me, filling orders, working on shipments and while enjoying the momentum, came across this astounding film.

Shot this fall, in a remote village on the south shore of Nova Scotia, near Mahone Bay, some of the world's best skateboarders descended on the coast.  

For two decades, the multi million dollar project has been left abandoned, and then Red Bull stepped in with a vision to transform the space for a project that they had been considering. Hiring some of the best skate Park designers, they modified what was already in the space, and set to work at filming what is a stunning, transportative, and sublime result.

Is transportative a word?  I don't care.  Prepare to watch this beautiful dance on the edge of the world.

Photos by: Seetoh Lang, Scott Serfas and Brian Caissie

January is a bench pin.

 Happy New Year!
 
It's been a long time since I've been in touch....I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and managed to get in some long winter walks, snuggles by the fireplace and time with family and friends.
 
I left Toronto for the holidays and flew into the city of Halifax for my holidays, to visit with family and friends.  It was a fun, and busy holiday, and we even managed to secure and check out our dream wedding venue which is really exciting, but now it all becomes so very real!  This will be my next project and being so detail oriented, I am sure it will be an interesting journey.
 
It's back at the studio, and feels as though I haven't had much of a chance to catch my breath, as this is the time of year that many shops and galleries place their wholesale orders....so I've been busy with that, making multiples and dreaming of wedding details. I took a break to check out some of the Interior Design show on the weekend, the Caesarstone swing set was so much fun, but my absolute favorite was the collaborative display and work of Heidi Earnshaw and Susie Osler it was such a warm and stunning display of both makers works.
 
I hope you have a great week!
 

 

City of Craft...

Hope that some of you can pull on some boots and check out this years City of Craft...the party starts Friday night, and ends on Sunday night!

It's been exhausting, but I'm looking forward to it!

Let's Party!

For the first time ever, City of Craft is adding a Friday night to our eruption of craft.

From 6-10 we are having a special opening night shopping party with music from our wonderful DJ Not From Concentrate. What's more? Thanks to Steamwhistle Brewery and BevLab, the first hundred (or so) people through door can opt into a $3 beer ticket. Party! Party! Party!

Free swag!

As always, we are giving away free stuffed tote bags to the first 100 people through the door on Saturday morning. Word is, the weather should be nicer by then. The tote bags feature a beautiful new design from our 2014 designer, Emily Taylor and are (almost) indestructible. To see previews of the stuff that might pop into the bags, follow us on Instagram (@cityofcraft).

Gift Guide #3: For the Mom who drove through a snowstorm for 2 hours to deliver you your passport so you could get to Vegas.

A butterfly garden!  Get her this bulb collection of Crown Jewels Butterfly Bush, Blue Sea Holly, Baby Joe Pye Weed and Tuberosa Butterfly Flower and Purple and White Blazing Stars.  You can help her in the garden planting them.

This completely amazing Icelandic blanket by Vik Prjonsdottir a collective of three designers who incorporate ancient Icelandic myths into the old traditions of blanket making. 

Tocca has some great fragrance profiles, like Violette, with ginger oil, bergamot and coriander seed oil.  Or give her the gift set, and she can try the three favorites of their collection.

This marmalade keeps winning awards for a reason.  Pair it with some fresh biscuits.

Sign her up for garden design courses, or floral design courses at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.  It will keep her cheerful this winter, when skies are grey.

A beautiful leather wallet, for keeping everything organized.

I love lighting my candle before dinner every night, it's calming, and like a little campfire on the table.  Gift mom one from this collection.

She'll appreciate a hot cup of coffee when the weather gets cooler.  Gift her some from a local roaster. 

This beautiful handmade mirror would look great in her entryway.

This cheerful tea towel would look great in her kitchen.  In fact all of her designs are lovely.

A little Rosemary Tree will keep her kitchen smelling sweet, and she can plant it outside in the Spring.  Find these at most grocery stores, along Roncesvalles in Toronto, or online.

Never forget to keep telling her, and telling her and telling her, in a lovely note.  They will customize this card for you!  Of course it was the day you were born! xo.

Gift Guide #2: For your bearded boyfriend who makes you brunch and still writes you love notes.

Buy him a Home Brew Kit from Noble Hop....with kits like Badass IPA, you can't go wrong.

And the owner, Dave Crum is one of the nicest, most informative guys you can chat with about the finer points of home brewing.  They will even deliver to your door!

He's going to need something stylish to open those frosty beers with, and these stunning openers by Futagami have a timeless presence, when not in use. Get them at Mjolk.

Even if he's not a very outdoorsy sort of guy, and is just a casual camper, this book is a wealth of information from how to make your own emergency shelters, inventive solutions in the bush and wild edibles.

A Canadian icon inspired by a Canadian icon by an iconic Canadian company.

What a wormhole.  Tom Thompson Toque, by Roots.  Say that three times. Tom. Thompson Toque.

Preview

This leather journal, for keeping track of things.






For still, summer lakes, and dreams of the warmer weather. These paddles would look great even when not in use.




Surprise him with enrollment in a class at The Healthy Butcher, or take a class together. Hone your knife skills, make pate, mortadella, haggis, hot dogs, duck confit, or sausage.  Lots of workshops available. 





This stunning handmade leather weekender bag.  I've had my eye on this one for my sweetie.








This smoked paprika is the best...seriously it will change your life.  Okay, not your life, but he'll make you the best paella you've ever had with this secret ingredient.  Stuff it in his stocking.  

He'll smell fantastic with this Cedar and Bergamot beard tonic.

Taking lunch to work in this waxed canvas bag will make him feel like he's on a picnic.

A rustic, explorers picnic in the Rockies.  These are beautifully made, I've gifted one before.

This stunning, solid walnut wall mounted magazine caddy will keep his subscriptions to National Geographic and the Walrus looking stylish.

He can use this Turkish peshtemal as a lightweight, quick drying towel, a throw on his couch, a beach blanket or as a wrap when you stare at the stars together around a campfire.

If he doesn't have this record.  He needs it.  Nostalgia, a glass of wine and a campfire. 

If meeting his friends for pints is too boring there's always the Axe Throwing League, you can sign him up, and he can do some serious kick axe throwing (sorry). Or go with a group of friends, it's byob.