Art Metropole

Wish Lists: Alan Belcher

Wish Lists By Artists

Alan Belcher is an established visual and conceptual artist, with a foundation of solo and group exhibitions. He is recognized as a driving force behind the hybrid of photography and sculpture (“photo-objects”), and is known for a directness and a sharp simplicity when approaching difficult subject matter. A sense of humour and a reverence for Pop, as well as a hands-on approach, invade much of his conceptual practice.He was co-founder and co-director of Gallery Nature Morte (with artist Peter Nagy) in New York’s East Village from 1982–88. Born in Toronto, he has lived in Vancouver (1976-77), New York City (1977-86), and Köln (1991-96) —has lived and worked in Toronto during all other periods of time.

Group Material

Paris, Milan, NY, Tokyo, Beverly Hills
Shopping Bag, 1989

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The “D & S Austellung” exhibition was organized for the Hamburg Kunstverein in 1989 by curators Frank Barth, Jürgen Schweinebraden, Karl Weber, and Thomas Wulffen. In tandem with the museum group exhibition were installations of participating artists’ works throughout the city in various locations. I was proud to be included in this exhibition and to have a set of my crocodile suitcases displayed in the retail windows of the upscale Selbach menswear store. I would suggest a purchase of this nifty shopping bag and use it at Price Choppers when they open at Dupont and Lansdowne.

Alex Morrison

DunLurnin, DunCarin, DunLivin (Large)
2016

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One of my very favourite Canadian artists, Alex is based now in Belgium. His whimsical timeless work brings sheer delight to my eye, and I will enjoy following this gnarly Pied Piper down his unique trip. I do wonder, when will the public art poobahs in Toronto finally get him onboard to design a skate park ? I could flag any of his three plates in Metropole’s inventory, but the larger size is my choice of colourway.

Katie Bethune-Leaman ALL-ONE!: An Alluminum Bar of Dr. Bronner’s Soap (matte version)_ 2012

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For with bomb and gun we’re ALL-ONE or None! The Bronner family has been producing their magic soap since 1858, and theirs is now the number-one-selling brand of natural soap in North America. Known primarily for a liquid pure-castile soap that comes in a 16oz plastic bottle, it is founder Dr. Emanuel H. Bronner’s urgent text-heavy label promoting a transcendent unity that has caught the awe of followers and the attention of the retail public. The label lists 13 Bronner truths along with The Moral ABC of Astronomy’s Eternal ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH, and also featured is a selection of Thomas Paine’s “Army Of Principles” from 1799. A PDF of the label can be downloaded from the company website. The bar soaps have much less real estate on the wrapper to feature the ALL-ONE! ramblings. One of my first photoshop exercises in 1999 was to recreate the Bronner label from scratch, and I had applied (unsuccessfully) to Open Studio to help me realize a silkscreen print of it. I prefer the eucalyptus to the classic peppermint, and the aluminum version remains year-after-year my most-wanted item on the Art Metropole stock inventory.

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