Enchantment

Greg Ito

Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto

January 26th to March 30th, 2019

Arsenal Toronto is proud to present Enchantment, the first international solo exhibition by Greg Ito presenting paintings, sculpture, and installation that explores the state of lucid dreaming where daily life collapses into fantasy, nightmare, hope, failure, and the unforseen future. Through Ito’s multidisciplinary studio practice, experiences are tailored to manifest spaces where images and objects live together creating playful and haunting narratives for his audience to explore. The artist’s paintings are crisply rendered using a lexicon of symbols and imagery such as burning candles, key holes, windows, snakes, the Sun and Moon.

 

Mining his family’s history of forced relocation into concentration camps during World War II, Ito uses his signature compositions that aim to provoke emotional tensions. During their internment at Gila River Relocation Camp in Arizona, Ito’s grandparents’ romance blossomed, finding light during dark days. It is this emotional tension that Ito explores in his work. Ito’s sculpture practice stems from his paintings where symbols are pulled from the compositions into the space. Through a combination of hand fabrication and altered readymades Ito further explores the narratives in his paintings. Enchantment ties everything together using various treatments with light, paint, carpet, and constructions as Ito transforms Arsenal Toronto into a surreal dream where magic still exists to create space to see the world we live in through a new lens.

"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Table for Two Acrylic on canvas 72" x 96" 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Snakes In The Garden Acrylic on canvas 74” x 48” 2018
Time Keeps On Slipping Acrylic on canvas 72" x 96" 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Sun Seeker Acrylic on canvas 72" x 47.5" 2018
More Lonely Than Usual Acrylic on canvas 72" x 47.5" 2018
Follow The Leader Acrylic on canvas 72" x 47.5" 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Unwanted Company Acrylic on canvas 55" x 45" 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Ritual Union suit, sleeping cap, slippers, night stand, burning candle on stand, wood hanger, glass of water, molding, acrylic, nails, lighting gels 88” x 64” x 14” 2019
Signal in a Sea of Stars Acrylic on canvas 33” x 33” 2018
So Close Yet So Far (Nocturne) Acrylic on canvas 32" x 25" 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Fallen Kings And Hopeful Princes Acrylic on canvas 72" x 96" 2018
The Journey Acrylic on canvas 62” x 48” 2017
Knight in Shining Armor High density foam, hard coat epoxy, automobile enamel, cast acrylic - hand painted taxidermy eyes,and lipstick 30” x 36” x 48” 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Time Waits For No One Acrylic on canvas 55" x 45" 2018
Blinded by the Sun Acrylic on canvas 47” x 47” 2018
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view
Casual Encounter Acrylic on canvas 62” x 48” 2017
"Enchantment", Greg Ito, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto 2019, Exhibition view

Enchantment
Greg Ito

 

at Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto
January 26th to March 30th, 2019

 

Arsenal Contemporary

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