U of T has over 86,000 students, with about 14,000 that attend UTM.
Despite its small size, UTM has a sprawling creative scene. The Blackwood Gallery is a contemporary art gallery that plays host to many international artists, as well as U of T students and grads. The gallery’s mission is to perpetuate artistic and cultural experiments, challenge societal preconceptions, and foster discussion on the conventional societal norms.
The gallery holds about five exhibitions every year. From now until September 18, Emily Mast’s The Cage is the Stage will be featured in the Bernie Miller Lightbox. The Cage is the Stage addresses the connection between zoos and art particularly in theatre.
A guide to UTM’s arts scene wouldn’t be complete without mentioning The Blackwood Gallery. ELHAM NUMAN/THE VARSITY
It is based on the ideas from John Berger’s essay “Why Look at Animals.” The essay challenges the idea that zoos are a place that naturally replicate the environments of animals. Similar to the sets of a play, each cage is a new frame for each animal. The Cage is the Stage fictionalizes the nature of zoos as a symbol for human invention rather than a place to observe animals.
The Blackwood Gallery will also feature Running with Concepts: The Choreographic Edition, from September 16–18. The project will explore how individuals relate to the rest of the world. It will examine how the body is dehumanized and used as a unit of currency in our economy-centric society. The goal for Running with Concepts is to mobilize a more communal and cooperative approach to society through discourse, film workshops, and performance pieces.
It’s worth noting that The Blackwood Gallery also maintains a permanent collection of over 450 works of contemporary Canadian art.
In addition to The Blackwood Gallery, UTM is known for its thriving music scene. UTM’s resident radio station is Canada’s First Radio Erindale (CFRE). CFRE is known for its diverse musical representation and for hosting great Canadian and foreign talent for events and concerts. Last March, CFRE brought local rappers Jazz Cartier and John River to UTM’s campus pub, The Blind Duck. They have successfully attracted other well-known acts like Patrick Watson, The National, and The Born Ruffians.
