Three-part public art exhibition launches in Toronto’s Entertainment District

BAND Offsite: LiUNA, Fengate, and BAND have partnered up to showcase exhibits by emerging artists in Toronto’s Entertainment District at the corner of Adelaide and Charlotte.

The Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) and Fengate Asset Management (Fengate) are partnering with Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND) for a three-part public art exhibit dubbed BAND Offsite. The exhibit began during Black History Month on February 16, 2024, and is located at 355 Adelaide, in a future development site. The series will run until December 2024, and launched with an installation by Frantz Brent-Harris followed by works from Leone McComas and Natalie Asumeng.

“An artist’s ability to transcend languages and culture through their work is integral in building and connecting communities, and we are honoured to provide BAND the opportunity to showcase their art to the public,” said Joseph Mancinelli, international vice president and regional manager for central and eastern Canada, LiUNA. “Creating platforms to highlight, promote and celebrate diverse perspectives is at the core of building stronger communities and we are proud to present BAND Offsite at 355 Adelaide Street West.”

Fengate acquired 355 Adelaide Street West and its adjacent lots, 46 Charlotte Street and 16 Oxley Street, in 2022, on behalf of the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada. The proposed development for the site includes plans to keep parts of the heritage façade of the existing building, while also introducing new homes to the area. The site is hosting a series of art exhibitions dubbed BAND Offsite – 355 Adelaide, as the proposal goes through the development process.

“Since 2010, BAND has been dedicated to connecting Black culture to communities to inspire, enlighten, and educate through the arts,” said Karen Carter, co-Founder and director, BAND. “We are excited to be working with LiUNA and Fengate in bringing Frantz’s, Leone’s, and Natalie’s experiential and multi-dimensional works to life. The collaborative spirit among the partners for this BAND Offsite project has been vital in showcasing the vision and creativity of the artists, and creating this experience to share with the community.”

The exhibibitions offer the public several ways to interpret and engage with the artwork in the enclosed glass box structure. The art installations will feature a mix of prints, sculptures, paintings and soundscapes, all of which have been curated with the viewer experience in mind.

Each of the participating artists is set to bring their creative visions to the space.

The first artist to present work will be Frantz Brent-Harris. Afrophilia: Beloved, which was unveiled on February 15, 2024. This tribute to Black love, draws inspiration from “the young Black individuals who are redefining self-perception and reshaping worldwide sensibilities towards Blackness, highlighting its profound value, diversity, and beauty.”

Afrophilia: Beloved aims to embody the dreams of ancestors and advocates for a culture of self-acceptance. Additionally, it encourages the community to honour their memory by “reveling in the contentment of authentic self-expression” and not by dwelling on narratives of oppression.

Artists Leone McComas and Natalie Asumeng will also exhibit in BAND Offsite with their own site-specific installations which explore narratives of discovery and interconnectedness through painting, sound and other media elements.