TRANSFORMATION AGO:
Massive Party 2009: Massive Uprising - Fight For Your Right to Party
April 2, 2009

The Art Gallery of Ontario held its fifth annual Massive Party on April 2, 2009 at its beautiful new site in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This exciting art party was hosted by co-chairs Gillian Hewitt and Som Seif - it was an evening of dancing, music, wine, beer & cocktails, hedonistic hors d'oeuvres and provocative artists' projects. We encountered a variety of protects like a 60's protest, the right to party; however, the riot police (without any tasers!) were on hand to keep things under control to ensure guests made love not war! Massive Party 2009 featured innovative installations and performances by contemporary artists David Armstrong Six, Emelie Chhangur, Anitra Hamilton, Jay Isaac, Sarah Maple, Eric Mathew, Christof Migone and Franco Mondini-Ruiz while "Anitra Hamilton's ominous wall painting of the silhouette of a bomber aircraft called 5 o'clock shadow will set the tone for combat as Emelie Chhangur's Power to the People button is distributed to all the guests." The first Canadian installation of British artist Sarah Maple: You, She Has a Very Hot Arse, and Can I taste your Maple syrup were installed at this event. Other artists included: Texas artist Franco Mondini-Ruiz, who liquidated his entire inventory during a marathon five-hour sales performance entitled Morsels for the Masses: Populist Art at Popular Prices; Montreal artist David Armstrong Six who exhibited two elements from his 2007 No Refunds project: We Admitted We Were Powerless… and Silver and Gold. Jay Isaac has created an immense illuminated ice sculpture entitled Sword of Damocles. Providing the music were DJ Efsharp, DJ M, DJ Richard, Whitney [Toronto] & Dr. Draw, Video DJs Artbeast with DJ Matt Weed and Justin Broadbent. The AGO's executive chef Anne Yarymowich supplied a selection of hors d'oeuvres and specialty cocktails created by Diageo.

The Massive Party's goal was to raise over $100,000 in support of AGO's exhibitions and education programs. Art supporters that TorontoArtsandEvents spoke to at the event were pleased with the open bar and happy to support contemporary art in such a great setting.

Massive Party was a huge success and all proceeds from it went to support exhibitions and education programming at the AGO. The cost of tickets was only $125 and included an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, music, performances, entertainment, and fine art experiences! For interesting contemporary art, interesting people and a great party, mark your calender for Massive Party 2010!

Photographs by G.C. Eyre & Article by C. Smith © 2009 All Rights Reserved