Tony Romano

I Recline Like a Worker Dreaming (2012)

Between the second and third floor, on the landing of the staircase flanking the Grand Hall.

In the most minimal approach, Tony Romano presents a sculpture that makes a visual allusion to a reclining figure, despite the presence of tangible human characteristics. The wood "limbs" of the work are arranged in a lackadaisical manner atop the white plinth, which further solidifies the concept of a figure deep in touch, as evidenced by the sculpture's title.

Exhibition Information

For his first exhibition with the gallery Romano turns his interest to the traditions of figurative representation and Modernism within the history of art as well as the paradox of representation. The new works focus on metaphor in the representation of the figure through abstraction and the representation of the subject through poetry and language. Working within a family tradition of carpentry and iron work Romano uses these sculptures to explore the vernacular of his everyday materials and to examine the disparate worlds of daily working class labour with the more rarefied world of the high art object. While these sculptures mark a departure for Romano in terms of materials, they continue his ongoing exploration of identity and portraiture, philosophy and language. The exhibition also includes a new, silent short film, By Any Other Name that expands upon his previous film works such as Beautiful Monster (2010), Good Night My Love (2007) and The Last Act (2006) among others.

Exhibition information courtesy of ArtSlant

Biography

Tony Romano is a Toronto-based artist whose practice includes sculpture, film and video, installation, music and text, in addition to his partnership with Tyler Brett as T&T. Romano received his BFA from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. He has exhibited nationally and internationally, including exhibitions in Sweden, Austria, Vancouver, Oakville, Montreal and Toronto. Recent solo shows include: The Last Act at Articule in Montreal, Onward Future at Oakville Galleries, and currently, Notary Moon at the MacLaren Art Gallery in Barrie. Recent group shows include: The Way I Are, Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto; You Don’t Really Care for Music, Do You?, Red Bull Projects, Toronto; Everything will be OK, No. 9 Projects, Toronto; and Air Conditioned Jungle, Diaz Contemporary, Toronto.

Biography courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery