Leading the Charge

The number of art galleries continues to grow, increasing competition for recognition. Today, artists are choosing to display their work in ways beyond common object installations, but are left without a place that’s accepting of their out-of-the-box methods. Red Bull Canada noticed and created a space for a wide range of contemporary artists to visually convey their philosophies through artwork.

It started off with a gallery space created for the 2007 Red Bull Music Academy in Toronto. Turning the empty space into an interactive exhibit centre was never a part of the plan for the energy drink company. After a second-blink at the space, Red Bull Canada saw its potential as a hub for emerging Canadian designers to display contemporary projects that may otherwise be unnoticed within the art community. The selected artists are provided not only with a space to exhibit their work, but also with funding and support for their ambitious projects. “We try to find artists whose work enters into wider discussions around contemporary art and culture that are happening all over the world,” says Nicholas Brown, curator of Red Bull 381 Projects.

As attention spans shorten and too much of everything gets produced, modern ideology is essential for any new project. Instead of building another forgettable museum, Red Bull Canada tried to create a space that would get people thinking, too. “We provide museum-level installation support and publish critical texts that allow viewers to gain further insight into the works and ideas on display,” says Brown. Good artists are the lifeblood of the gallery.  

Red Bull 381 Projects embraces new methods of displaying artwork besides installations. In the past, other mediums and approaches such as lectures, performances and non-object-based work have been on showcase. “Unlike some spaces, we don’t take exhibition submissions; rather we put together our projects based on research and planning. We always consider artist information packages, but we make it our practice to develop all of our exhibitions internally over time,” says Brown on the eclectic selection of artists the gallery has featured to date.

Exhibits are put together either on a solo basis with a single artist, or by assembling a group exhibition based on a theme or idea. From Nov. 18 to Dec. 18, Montreal-based artist Jessica Eaton will be displaying a solo project at the gallery. Eaton’s exhibition consists of a series of abstract and semi-abstract photographs, which has been put together over the course of about five months.

Be it for the love of art and culture or just to see what creative Canadians are up to these days, a trip to the Red Bull 381 Projects gallery is sure to be more memorable than your usual visit to the museum. •
 

Visit redbull381projects.com for more information.

Photo courtesy Red Bull 381 Projects