January 21–April 5, 2015
Public reception: January 21, 2015, 6–8pm
Ryerson Image Centre
33 Gould Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Free exhibition tours daily at 2:30pm
T +416 979 5164
[email protected]
Burn with Desire: Photography and Glamour
Curator: Gaëlle Morel
From Edward Steichen’s iconic portrait of silent film star Gloria Swanson (1924) to Annie Leibovitz’s influential gatefold covers for Vanity Fair‘s annual Hollywood issue (1995–2014), this multimedia exhibition offers a sweeping, yet considered view of photography’s role in defining glamour since the 1920s. Drawing on prints from the RIC’s Black Star Collection of photo-reportage, as well as other holdings internationally, this multimedia exhibition provides a historical survey encompassing Hollywood studio portraits, red-carpet premieres, and “behind-the-scenes” snapshots of film sets and stars at rest. Alongside these photographs, a series of artistic projects offer a critical address of traditional ideals of glamour, including works by Richard Avedon, Cindy Sherman, and Andy Warhol. The Ryerson Image Centre gratefully acknowledges the support of our media sponsors for Burn with Desire: Toronto Life, FASHION Magazine and Toronto Star.
Related events:
Wednesday, February 4, 6pm: Exhibition tour with curator Gaëlle Morel
Monday, March 23, noon–4pm and 5–8pm: Carole Tanenbaum vintage jewelry benefit
Wednesday, March 25, 6pm: Exhibition tour with RIC director Paul Roth
Anti-Glamour: Portraits of Women
Curator: Gaëlle Morel
The exhibition features photographic and video portraits by artists who address issues of female representation. Works by Marie Le Mounier, Katherine Lannin, Rebecca Belmore, Ange Leccia, Gunilla Josephson, Jo Spence and Leila Zahiri offer a contemporary counterpoint to the traditional standards that have shaped female identity. These projects range from ironic appropriation of attractive femmes fatales conjured by the film industry, to empowered bare-breasted figures proudly confronting the viewer. The works on view offer an alternative to imagery that often reduces women’s individuality to a recurrent iconography of vulnerability and seduction.
Related events:
Wednesday, February 4, 6pm: Exhibition tour with curator Gaëlle Morel
Wednesday, February 25, 7pm: Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Lecture featuring Rebecca Belmore (location TBC)
Visit our website for up-to-date information on all upcoming exhibitions and events.
Media contact
Erin Warner, Ryerson Image Centre: [email protected] / T+416 979 5000 x7032
