VISUAL ARTS
THE BRAIN PROJECT is a series of sculptures honouring our most important organ, our brains. This special exhibition raises awareness of brain health. A number of artists have their work on display, with the five top works being voted by the public. Afterward, the works will be auctioned off with proceeds going toward the Baycrest research hospital. Various locations in Toronto (416-785-2500 ext. 6432). Until Aug. 31. CALL TO ACTION German artist Franz Erhard Walther’s first major Canadian exhibition is a retrospective of his body of work, dating from the ‘50s to the present. It explores the many ideas Walther has had on the relationship between space, objects and the human body. Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (231 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4949). Until Sept. 4. HURVIN ANDERSON: BACKDROP The work of this British artist explores the social history of the Caribbean through large landscapes and interiors. Moving from the greenery of the Caribbean wilderness to the interiors of its cities, the diversity highlights some of the rapid changes in the region over the decades portrayed in paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6648). Until Aug. 21. THE IDEA OF NORTH: THE PAINTINGS OF LAWREN HARRIS A founding member of the Group of Seven, the famed group of Canadian landscape painters, Lawren Harris’s artwork brought the beautiful scenes of the Canadian north to art enthusiasts around the world. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6648). Until Sept. 11. IT HAS A GOLDEN RED SUN AND AN ELDERLY GREEN MOON Ulla von Brandenburg’s new exhibition blends performance, sculpture, books, installations, film and drawings into a multimedia experience that reflects the location it’s hosted in. Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (231 Queens Quay W., 416-9734949). Until Sept. 4. MARCO SASSONE: HIS BOOTS AND OTHER WORKS The Italian artist’s love for footwear in all its many forms is on display at this exhibition featuring 10 oil paintings, nine being completely new. Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W., 416-979-7799). Until Sept. 5. MARVELLOUS CREATURES: ANIMALS IN ISLAMIC ART The mythic creatures of tales and legends have been the inspiration of artwork throughout the centuries. The creatures on display span many stories in the Islamic traditions, represented on manuscripts, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, glass and metalwork taken from the past 14 centuries. Aga Khan Museum (77 Wynford Dr., 416-6464677). Until Sept. 11. ORDINARY WEATHER: AN EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATHAN CYPRYS seeks to document the sense of wonder in Toronto that most of us miss everyday. Cyprus embarked on a bicycle trek of the city and took photos of the unusual and the beautiful in Toronto’s seemingly ordinary landscape. Mackenzie House (82 Bond St., 416-392-6915). Until Sept. 22. POP TIFF brings you a virtual reality experience that lets you go hands-on with one of the emerging technologies that may change the future of entertainment. A series of demos across three sessions let you get a taste of the future as you put the headset on and experience virtual reality. Each session also includes a series of speakers who discuss the impact of VR and where it may be headed in the future. TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King St. W., 416-5998433). Until Aug. 21. TATTOOS: RITUAL. IDENTITY. OBSESSION. ART. This exhibition looks at the many ways in which tattoos have become a part of different cultures, and how they have moved from the fringes into the mainstream in our own. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queens Park, 416-5868000). Until Sept. 5. THEASTER GATES: HOW TO BUILD A MUSEUM This Chicago-based artist has a series of large-scale installations at this solo exhibition that re-imagines what a museum is. Made up of six houses, and using sound, dance, video, sculpture, painting, music and dance, Gates brings attention to the accomplishments of black people, with each house a tribute to individuals such as house music producer DJ Frankie Knuckles, blues musician Muddy Waters and bricklayer George Black. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6648). Until Oct. 30. A THIRD GENDER: BEAUTIFUL YOUTHS IN JAPANESE PRINTS For more than two-and-a-half centuries, it was considered acceptable in Japanese culture for both men and women to treat male youths, or “wakashu,” as objects of sexual desire. This new art exhibition reveals this unsettling and little-known chapter through period works of art. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park, 416586-8000). Until Nov. 27. WHEN THE BEATLES ROCKED TORONTO Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ last show in Toronto, this exhibit not only highlights the three shows the Beatles played in the city, but also how the ‘60s treated Toronto. Market Gallery (St. Lawrence Market) of the City of Toronto Archives (95 Front St. E., 416-3927604). Until Nov. 12.