Akin Vitrine Q&A Series: Chico Togni installation "Portable Moon (with physics)"
Akin Vitrine Q&A Series:
Chico Togni installation “Portable Moon (with physics)”
Oct 27 until Jan 7, 2024
The Akin Vitrine Gallery, 1747 St Clair Ave W
An image of Chico Togni’s sculpture, Portable Moon (with physics) in the Akin St Clair’s Vitrine Gallery. An American flag (without the white stars), sewn against a beige sheet appears to be waving. The flag is attached to a pole sunken into a sculpture of a jagged rock.
Be sure to swing by Akin St Clair’s Vitrine Gallery at for Chico Togni’s new exhibition, Portable Moon (with physics), which will be on until January 7th, 2024. We caught up with Chico to learn more about his art, inspirations and favorite places in the city.
Chico Togni works with cardboard, fabric, wood, metal and other found materials to create images and large sculptures. He also creates situations and happenings within the structures he builds. Most recently he exhibited his work at Kunsthaus Dresden and the Museum der Bildenden Kunst (MdbK) Leipzig, in Germany. He was an artist in residency at Cité International des Arts in Paris and Museumquartier in Vienna amongst other institutions, including the Artist Research Fellow at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., EUA. Chico Togni holds a Bachelor in Sculpture from São Paulo University, Brazil. Chico is currently based in Toronto where he is experimenting with quilting and developed the Bellaroche Stories, an expanding series of quilts and collages that narrates the trajectory of rocks, power tools and visual paradoxes.
Tell us about your exhibition
“Portable Moon with Physics” is a scientific contemplation. Crafted from paper maché, cardboard, and found material, this piece offers a fresh perspective on the moon's iconic flag. This sculpture represents the lunar flag, as if it were experiencing Earth's gravity, mirroring the calm and stillness of a terrestrial flag on a windless day.
A fan generates a gentle breeze that delicately rustles the flag, preserving its position as if unaffected by the lunar environment. "Portable Moon with Physics" invites observers to reflect on the fascinating interplay of scientific principles and creative interpretation. It pays homage to the delicate equilibrium between the celestial and terrestrial realms, where even in the absence of a terrestrial atmosphere, the presence of gravity remains ever-present. The sculpture's title, "Portable Moon with Physics," encapsulates the humorous blend of science and art, reminding us of the unbreakable connection between fiction and science...
This is the first attempt of the artist, to merge the clean and neat necessities of the world of quilting fabric and the dirty and chaotic sculptures with cardboard, found materials and paper maché.
What are you curious about right now? What do you do to stimulate curiosity and inspiration?
Collage and Sculpture.
What was your first medium and what's your favourite tool/material right now?
Cardboard and Cardboard.
Do you have a studio routine ie: Are you a daily ritual person or are you project-focused in spurts?
Both! Studio routine and project focused, depending on what I'm working on, the routine gets just entirely focused on the next mission!
Do you have creative prompts or habits to help you get started? Any self-care tips to share?
I just keep trying to do everything with found materials, “survival mode” on.
A detailed, close up image of Chico Togni’s piece, Portable Moon (with physics), a fragmented American flag, missing its white stars, is sewn into a beige fabric in such a way that it appears to be waving in the wind.
What are some of the benefits of being in the studio for you? What brought you to Akin?
To share a space and feel part of a group with similar needs.
What are you NOT very good at? What do you WANT to be good at?
Bureaucracy...
Where is your favorite place in the city to buy/get art supplies, tools and materials?
Dollarama / Street / Home Depot (last option)
What is the most inspiring place in the city for you right now?
Ikea... the challenge of going there and trying to buy nothing, just try everything...
What is your favorite place in the city to view art? This could mean either in a gallery, a museum, or in a public space.
Whimbrel Point at Colonel Samuel Smith Park
An image of Chico Togni’s sculpture, Portable Moon (with physics), an American flag (without the white stars), sewn against a beige sheet appears to be waving. The flag is attached to a pole sunken into a small red and beige stool. The sculpture is outdoors, on gravel ground with tire tracks, behind the sculpture are dirty snow piles, reminiscent of a ploughed parking lot.
Chico is an Akin studio member as well as a 2023 recipient of the Newcomer Space Award. Created by Akin, the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network, the Newcomer Space Award provides newcomers credit for an Akin studio membership and to Akin’s Remote Gallery. This award not only provides funding and space essential for professional artists to grow their practice, but also supports artists in growing their network through the shared studio space model.
Find more of Chico’s work on his Instagram @bellaroche_stories and website
