Inside a vintage TV repair shop located in the western part of Toronto, Leif Low-Beer’s art studio is filled with numerous sculptures, drawings, and materials in various stages of creation. Moving energetically from one piece to another, the artist uses pastels to make marks and shapes papier mâché, playfully arranging and reorganizing the artworks to explore their harmonious coexistence.
Low-Beer expressed his fascination with showcasing the creative chaos during studio visits, stating, “I like studio visits for that reason.” In a recent installment of the CBC Arts video series called “In Process,” Low-Beer invites viewers into his creative realm as he constructs a remarkable installation comprising numerous individual sculptures and drawings. When viewed from a specific angle, the scattered elements in the space harmonize to reveal a unified, flattened image or scene.
In preparation for a forthcoming summer solo exhibition at the Clint Roenisch gallery in Toronto, where many of the smaller works will be exhibited, Low-Beer diligently works on building the artwork. He aims for visitors to independently explore the installations, observe the diverse juxtapositions among objects, materials, and narratives, and navigate their unique path through the artwork. Low-Beer then wants viewers to uncover the optimal viewpoint that unveils the grand composition.
Contrary to common assumptions based on photographs, Low-Beer’s artwork is often mistaken for digital collages or digitally assembled creations. However, each element is meticulously arranged in the physical space to achieve the perfect visual coherence. Describing the experience as akin to a magical illusion, Low-Beer finds the way it alters perception intriguing, stating, “It opens up the way we see things to people.”
The exhibition titled “Leif Low-Beer: Versus Unavoidable Circumstances” can be viewed at Clint Roenisch in Toronto until August 9.