VISUAL ARTS

THE BEST LAID PLANS GROUP EXHIBITION explores themes of control as well as feelings of fear and relief when letting go. Artists Romy Block, Bernice Manalo and Talie Shalmon have created works with a distinct esthetic by using a variety of methods and techniques, while being sure to make room for chance occurrences throughout the process. Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (750 Spadina Ave., 416-924-6211). Until Monday. EARTHLINGS is a group show of otherworldly, surreal and magical ceramic sculpture and works on paper, from artists with distinct cultural and geographical positions (from Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet, Kinngait/Cape Dorset, Qamani’tuaq/ Baker Lake and Toronto). “A transporting, startlingly gorgeous display of drawings and ceramics mostly from the country’s far north, a gesture of defiant optimism from the get-go” —Murray Whyte. Doris McCarthy Gallery UTSC (1265 Military Trail, 416-287-7007). Until Saturday. ERIN LOREE: SNAKES AND LADDERS draws inspiration from the popular children’s board game of the same name. Invented in India, Snakes and Ladders first taught values and beliefs, often referred to as “the game of knowledge.” Angell Gallery (1444 Dupont St., Unit 15, 416-530-0444). Until Saturday. FIGURES OF SLEEP is an international group show that asks the question of whether sleep itself is in crisis and if it should be a cultural concern. It pulls on anxiety about sleep, various technological advancements and economic stressors. Don’t miss the opening reception today from 5-7 p.m. at the University of Toronto Art Centre (15 King’s College Circle). The Art Museum, U of T (7 Hart House Cir., 416-978-8398). Until March 3. FLORINE STETTHEIMER: PAINTING POETRY includes paintings that are playful, vibrant and psychologically complex. Florine Stettheimer is an early 20th-century artist (1871-1944), known as a painter, poet, designer and feminist. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6648). Until Sunday. IAN MACKAY: LEARNING TO STAY WITH THE TROUBLE is a series of paintings and drawings portraying larger political and cultural issues. Pieces such as Broken Hotel Window and Painter’s Bag

of Tricks Open for Customs Inspection depict recent troubling events, but with imaginary responses to them. These unreal situations express anxiety and urgency, while also expressing the limits, mobility and efficacy of the painted image. Red Head Gallery (401 Richmond St. W., Suite 115, 416-504-5654). Until Saturday. KADER ATTIA: THE FIELD OF EMOTION is an installation of 18 wooden busts arranged before a projection of the eponymous anti-war film by French director Abel Gance, inspired by the injury and disfigurement of the millions of soldiers of the First World War. These pieces point to how humans seek to repair wounds and injuries. This is Kader Attia’s first solo exhibition in Canada. Power Plant (231 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4949). Saturday until May 13. THE SUNSHINE EATERS EXHIBITION is an original multi-sensory experience highlighting how artists and designers look to the land and its plants in order to imagine and conjure hope at times of local and global crisis. This show is curated by Lisa Deanne Smith and features work by a host of artists. Check out the artist talk delivered by Shary Boyle today from 1-2 p.m., presented by the MAAD Speakers Series and with a light reception to follow. Onsite Gallery (199 Richmond St. W., 416-977-6000, ext. 262). Until April 15. WE LOOK AT ANIMALS BECAUSE Through photographs, video, works on paper and sculpture, this group show explores our relationships with cosmopolitan animals. How animals are regarded, represented and given meaning in post-industrial landscapes often reveals nuanced, complicated and unexpected paradoxes. Do not miss the opening reception with the show’s curators today from 6–9 p.m. Critical Distance (180 Shaw St., Studio 302, 647-930-6930). Until March 25.