Review: Eyeball 2011.

The University of Toronto’s undergraduate art and architecture department’s annual Eyeball exhibition took place last Thursday, December 8. The members of the Fine Arts Students Union (FASU), alongside Visual Studies staff and students put on a well organized show that took over 1 Spadina Crescent.

The viewer was forced to walk over Tony Wang’s installation, a carpet of sod laid out like a red-carpet for the attendees at the entrance. The smell of the outdoors brought into the space by this installation filled the first floor. The hallway showcased the art of the Digital Photography class, while the side rooms were devoted to the work of the architecture students. Yi Xi Zang Wang presented a particularly interested series of digital works. Her mismatched people gave a disturbing perspective of the human form.

The bulk of the exhibit was found on the upper floors. Painting, and Print-making were on the second floor. Unlike the rest of the classes, the 3-D installation works were found all over the building in every small room and open space available. In one such small room was the work of Shelley Zhang. Her fascinating installation featured hard-boiled eggs in a rectangular grid that appeared to float near the ceiling.

One the third floor were the works of both drawing courses, Time-based Arts and Contemporary Art Practice. The latter provided an interesting, if confusing, display of varied mediums that covered the hallway. Shannon Garden-Smith’s work was particularly poignant in its simplicity. Her work consisted of a striking back-lit pair of pantyhose in a glass sheath.

One of the most intriguing works of the night was Andrew Rutherdale’s performance for Time-based Arts. His dialogue with the silent film sequences featuring the stunning Brigitte Bardot were oddly moving. Rutherdale longingly stroked the lines of Bardot’s projected image on the screen. Once the film sequence ended, he continued to touch the screen as if willing for the images of her to return.

– Sophia Farmer