{"id":55212,"date":"2025-02-27T16:04:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T21:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artoronto.ca\/?p=55212"},"modified":"2025-02-28T12:04:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:04:25","slug":"gwen-toth-and-parissa-daie-at-propeller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/v2.artoronto.ca\/?p=55212","title":{"rendered":"Gwen Tooth and Parissa Daie at Propeller"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Distant Fruit<\/em> by Gwen Tooth and A Dream Within A Dream<\/em> by Parissa Daie, currently exhibited at Propeller Art Gallery, exemplifies distinct yet complementary artistic approaches. While Tooth\u2019s work engages with themes of isolation, presence, and the physicality of mark-making, Daie\u2019s paintings embody memory, imagination, and the fluidity between dreams and reality. Together, these exhibitions offer a compelling dialogue on perception, emotion, and the act of creation itself.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Installation view of Distant Fruit<\/em> by Gwen Tooth and A Dream Within A Dream<\/em> by Parissa Daie at Propeller Art Gallery<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When viewed within the broader Distant Fruit<\/em> series, the themes of isolation and connection become very pronounced. In \u201cDistant Fruit 2\u201d, Gwen Tooth presents three simple pears, their proportions evoking human figures. Each pear stands apart, reinforcing the significance of distance in the composition. The way they are positioned creates a subtle tension; an unspoken relationship between them that suggests something beyond the physical space they occupy. The negative space between the pears becomes just as expressive as the forms themselves, encouraging viewers to interpret the emotional or psychological dynamics at play. This separation aligns seamlessly with the themes Tooth explores in her artist statement. Her artistic practice is not merely about depicting fruit but about capturing her personal, emotional, and psychological states translated onto the canvas. The use of simple green lines in \u201cDistant Fruit 2\u201d mirrors her process of drawing with paint, where the act of holding the brush firmly and completing each line in one movement fosters a sense of continuity and immediacy. Just as she describes letting the paintings guide her, the viewer is drawn into an open-ended dialogue with the work, engaging with the imagery on a deeply personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Gwen Tooth, Distant Fruit 2, acrylic on canvas, 10 x 10 inches (left) and detail (right)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tooth\u2019s own artist statement provides a critical lens through which to understand \u201cDistant Fruit 10\u201d. As an expressionist painter, she is deeply engaged with the physical and emotional resonance of her subjects, a connection that extends from her earlier explorations of water\u2019s energy to her more recent investigations of fruit. Furthermore, when considering \u201cDistant Fruit 10\u201d within the larger Distant Fruit<\/em> series, its connection to themes of abundance and feast becomes apparent. However, while the series may reference the harvest, these apples hold an intimate power. It is less about communal abundance and more about individual experience; the isolated objects speak volumes through their forms. Tooth\u2019s approach to painting; allowing the work to lead, breaking conventions as needed, reinforces the expressive strength of this piece. The painting\u2019s lines, its choice of color, and the very act of drawing without interruption suggest an urgency, an unbroken thought. The apple, then, is more than some fruit; it is a representation of desire and presence.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Gwen Tooth, Distant Fruit 10, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 inches (left) and detail (right)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConquer of Hope\u201d by Parissa Daie is a mesmerizing journey into a dreamscape, a composition that feels as though it has been pulled from the depths of memory and suspended on canvas. The use of pinks, yellows, and vibrant shades of red creates an atmosphere that is deeply emotive. Looking at the painting, it feels as if stepping into a dream, a space where time dissolves, and emotions take precedence over form. What captivates me most about this piece is the way the colours interact, blending in a manner that suggests both control and spontaneity. The brushstrokes feel intuitive, guided by an internal rhythm that mirrors Daie\u2019s connection to her work. This aligns with her description of painting as an act of unearthing, a process of reaching into the past and pulling forth fragments of experience, stitching them together to form something tangible. The dreamlike quality of \u201cConquer of Hope\u201d is heightened by the way light and texture interact on the canvas. There are moments where the colours seem to pulse, as though infused with their own life force. For instance, the warmth of the reds and yellows is tempered by the softness of the pinks, creating a balance between passion and serenity. It is in this balance that the painting truly thrives, offering a sense of comfort in this dreamlike state.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Parissa Daie, Conquer of Hope, acrylic, oil stick on canvas, 40 x 40 inches (left) and detail (right)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parissa Daie\u2019s \u201cFall over Fire\u201d is an evocative exploration of nature\u2019s duality, capturing both its sombre stillness and its vibrant unpredictability. The painting immediately strikes me with its mix between muted tones and sudden bursts of luminous colour. It carries a depth, like a waterfall caught between dusk and dawn where its permanence and movement are an everlasting tension. Daie\u2019s artistic approach, as revealed in her statement, is deeply rooted in memory, imagination, and the subconscious. She describes her process as one of retrieval, of resurrecting moments that exist between dream and reality. What draws me in most is the paradox of the piece; it feels both heavy and weightless. The darker hues envelop the scene in a kind of melancholic mystery, while the bursts of fiery colour hint at an unseen energy. I sense an eternal moment suspended in paint. It makes me wonder, are we witnessing something fading, or something being born? Is this a landscape of memory, or one waiting to be formed in our own minds?<\/p>\n\n\n

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Parissa Daie, Fall over Fire, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36 inches (left) and detail (right)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, Distant Fruit<\/em> and A Dream Within A Dream<\/em> present two distinct yet interconnected artistic explorations. One is grounded in the contemplation of form and space, while the other is immersed in the fluidity of memory and imagination. Gwen Tooth\u2019s paintings evoke a sense of wonder, where the spatial relationships between objects convey emotional depth. In contrast, Parissa Daie\u2019s expressive compositions blur the boundaries between dreams and reality, creating a sense of movement. Through the juxtaposition of these exhibitions, Propeller Art Gallery fosters a thought-provoking dialogue that continues to resonate long after the viewer has left the gallery space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaya Meziane<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Images are courtesy of Propeller Art Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Exhibition information: Distant Fruit<\/em> by Gwen Tooth and A Dream Within A Dream<\/em> by Parissa Daie, February 12 \u2013 March 2, 2025, Propeller Art Gallery, 30 Abell St, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed \u2013 Sat, 1 \u2013 5:30pm, Sun 12 \u2013 4pm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Kaya Meziane<\/strong><\/p>\n

Together, these exhibitions offer a compelling dialogue on perception, emotion, and the act of creation itself.<\/p>\n

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