60 Works / 60 Years

60 Works / 60 Years Exhibition

A mixed media art piece depicting a person with curly hair bound in yellow patterned head wrap, glasses and yellow drop earring.

“B.G.M. 3.0 (Black Girl Magic)” by Cheryl Rock at the 60 Works/60 Years exhibition, a project nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards, circa 2020. Courtesy of City of Toronto Art Collection

Color photo of a well lit gallery space. There is a white free-standing panel on the left with a large framed image mounted. The back wall has a pink display panel with four framed images. There is a person wearing black clothes and white shoes observing the mounted art.

60 Works / 60 Years exhibition presented by Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, a project nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards. Photo by Shane Fester.

A large well lit gallery space with framed image mounted on large white display boards was in the center of the space. There is a pink wall at the back of the space with framed images mounted on it.

60 Works / 60 Years exhibition presented by Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, a project nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards. Photo by Shane Fester.

Project Organization: Toronto Outdoor Art Fair

Project Website: https://torontooutdoor.art/60-works-60-years-at-market-gallery

Date of Release: September 15, 2021

The “60 Works / 60 Years” exhibition engages the public in Toronto’s artistic heritage. As part of its 60th anniversary, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) partnered with Market Gallery to showcase stories of the City of Toronto through the lens of TOAF artists over the years.

In 1961, TOAF started as a humble and small gathering at the parking lot of the Four Seasons Motor Hotel on Jarvis Street, bringing artists and art lovers together in a public space.

This one-of-a-kind exhibition showcases artworks acquired by the City from Toronto Outdoor Art Fair through the Mayor’s Purchase Award (formerly the Toronto Archives Award) since 1974. Each year the mayor, assisted by city curators, selects artworks that reflect the cultural legacy of Toronto and help to foster a sense of civic pride and identity in the community. The values of heritage and equitable representation guided curation for the 60 Works / 60 Years exhibition. In recent years, the curatorial lens for this award has especially focused on engaging culturally diverse perspectives to equitably reflect the City of Toronto’s community.

The exhibition contributes to Toronto’s historical knowledge of contemporary art from a local perspective, drawing on the diverse lived experiences of a great roster of artists and the cherished history of the Fair. It also provides a visual framework for understanding civic pride by demonstrating Toronto’s artistic heritage throughout recent history. The presentation at the Market Gallery ultimately contributes to the educational value of the exhibition that continues to be open to the public.

Additional Project Team Members

Neil Brochu: Exhibition Curator& City of Toronto Outreach and Collections Supervisor, the Market Gallery

Michael Dowbenka: Exhibit and Outreach Technician, the Market Gallery Museums & Heritage Services, City of Toronto

Monnet Design: Lead designer for marketing materials including posters, postcards, digital motion graphic, and exhibition signage