Saturday, June 6, 2009

Gallery at 129 Ossington

Gallery at 129 Ossington hosted the openings of both Kate Domina and Neil Young on June 4, 2009. The two shows couldn’t be more different, but both were quite good.

Domina occupied the front half with her show, All my Friends are Imaginary, a collection of oil on canvas consisting mostly of portraits of bratty blonde children. The wit and style seemed to capture the crowd. One picture depicted a sour-faced little girl in a red polka dot dress, and in her breast pocket sits a miniature version of herself. My other favorite canvas featured another pouting child sporting antlers, with a little bird nestled atop. Hilarious, but also touching. Domina herself is a bright blonde, and clearly talented.

The back rooms were occupied by Nature and the City Abstracts, a series of resin-glossed paintings by Neil Young. His colour sense is fabulous, with the most seductive blues and greens. It’s his first show, but won’t be his last. It’s the type of art that sits comfortably in art galleries, upper class livingrooms, or gungy studios. If I had money, I’d buy one for my gungy upper class living room. Young gave up a career in architecture to become a painter. Despite the fact that he has famous name syndrome, he will probably do quite well as an artist.