Art mixes with retail in Junction
[attach]3015[/attach]There may be a Starbucks opening soon in the Junction, but that doesn’t mean the place has lost its artsy feel – art galleries, industrial salvage and design shops still reign supreme in this semi-gritty, arsty corner of the western cityscape.
And a trio of newish shops in the ’hood cement that vibe.
The [url=http://www.telephoneboothgallery.ca]Telephone Booth Gallery[/url] is the latest such arrival, having opened just in time for the Junction Arts Fest in September.
Trained artist and art administrator Sharlene Rankin runs the gallery, which showcases the works of mainly emerging artists just out of school from Toronto and the surrounding area.
The old telephone booth in the front of the space, a permanent installation (note: it’s not plugged in; numerous people have come in and actually tried to use it, Rankin says), isn’t so much a symbol of the gallery’s philosophy than it is a remnant from her hubby’s single days.
It used to be the party booth where they would mix drinks in their old loft, Rankin tells me, but was in time relegated to the garage with all the other man stuff.
It now houses a table with artist information.
Still, I like the idea of a communication tool as a beacon of sorts for the gallery – if you’re looking for up-and-coming artists whose work will, ideally, appreciate as they get more established, give Rankin a call.
A lover of textile and fine craft, Rankin shows the odd collections of more established artists – like the pottery of Mary Lazier, whose hand-built porcelain lace-like bowls ($60 each) are actually made with a piece of fabric that serves as a mould. They’re imperfect and bohemian and now on my I Want list.
The show is about to come down the day I pop in, but I do get a chance to admire the whimsical and slightly disturbing woodcut prints by North Bay artist Laura Peturson, which represent remnants of play she’s found in the woods behind her home.
The gallery morphs into a different look and feel depending on the theme of the show, Rankin tells me. While the first exhibit was urban grit, the show opening December 1 will feature sculpture and textile works, including a Hudson’s Bay Company jacket made out of tea bags.
3148 Dundas Street West 647-270-7903 [url=http://www.telephoneboothgallery.ca]www.telephoneboothgallery.ca[/url]
Speaking of transformation, inside [url=http://www.metropolis-living.com%20]Metropolis Living[/url], open since June, I feel like I’m in the digs of Dr. Jekyll himself – except here the doc isn’t exploring his evil twin side, but his creative style self.
[attach]3016[/attach]Vintage pieces like a dentist’s medical cabinet mix with industrial baubles on display under domed glass. Together they produce a distinctly creepy cool atmosphere.
Presiding at the creative helm is Phil Freire, who owns the shop with his sis, Maggie Gattesco. A graphic artist turned tinkerer-sculptural artist, Freire has played around with cars and old machinery for years and tells me he just loves making stuff.
Freire says he likes putting new tops on cool (read: old industrial) legs – in fact there’s a desk matching this description he likes so much, he took it off the selling floor.
But this isn’t a man’s man space, with items just heaped on the floor – thanks to Freire’s designer girlfriend everything is arranged into artful tableaus that exude that artist’s workshop/ laboratory-esque feel.
And there are some distinctive, carefully sourced gifty elements amid the reclaimed wood pieces, old metal safety deposit boxes and vintage bowling balls – which, if it weren’t for their simple (and oh so stylish) package design, almost border on the girly.
Take the bath products by Tokyo Blossom: the 1L orange blossom bath bubbles, $55, smells heavenly, but not too cloying, and the bottle would impress any design buff, male or female.
Aside from the dismantled desk hiding in the back, Freire’s fave piece in the store is a huge flashing arrow with “Kiss of Love” on it. You can find everything from a metal STD sign to a brass funeral post. For the slightly quirky collector.
2989 Dundas St. West 647-343-7800 [url=http://www.metropolis-living.com]www.metropolis-living.com[/url]
Over at [url=http://www.mjolk.ca]Mjölk[/url], John Baker and Juli Daoust have been going strong for almost a year in their Scandinavian design shop.
The space is like a crisp white piece of snow, slightly museum-like in feel, but with way more warmth, thanks to the teak wood shelf paneling showcasing handcrafted pieces by artists from Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Japan.
I almost expect to see a roaring fireplace in the back of the store, which is like a cozy living room – Baker tells me he’d love one, too.
Practical utensil-like pieces – brushes, shoe horns, brooms – are displayed like the works of art they are, with simplicity and reverence. Teak shoe horns by a Japanese artist, $70 and $100, are sculpturally beautiful and practical.
I overhear Baker telling someone they receive only a few Pia Wallén blankets, the original Crux or cross blanket produced in Sweden, as the company makes about a 100 as year. There’s a green and white one in the back, languishing on a contemporary Scandinavian style sofa.
Lovely wooden toys are in abundance and would make for unforgettable, non-disposable holiday gifts.
Meanwhile a rocking sheep handmade with wood and sheep wool, around $550, is the store’s unofficial mascot.
There’s something about Mjölk that makes me want to revel in simplicity, to de-clutter, to cuddle up in front of a fire, to calm down and appreciate the world around me. I don’t get that Zen feeling from many stores; it’s almost anti-consumerist even though it makes me want to go back – and I like it.
2959 Dundas St. West, 416-551-9853 [url=http://www.mjolk.ca]www.mjolk.ca[/url]