Ben
Tong: bin·oc·u·lar
When:
4 December 2007 – 31 January 2008
Where:
A series of stereoscopic interventions throughout Hart House
Opening
Reception: Tuesday 4 December at 7:00 pm in the South Dining
Room
Ben
Tong has created bin·oc·u·lar, a site-specific
project that activates the nooks, crannies, and overlooked bits of furniture
that make Hart House such an interesting space. He has installed a series
of viewfinders throughout the House which allow passersby to see spaces
they traverse everyday in a new way.
The
viewfinders are each mounted on a small chest of drawers. Initially,
the furniture-like objects seem at home in Hart House. But, sparking
curiosity, they encourage passersby to stop and examine them more closely.
Looking into the stereoscopic lens, visitors are confronted by a transformation
of the space in front of them. In the empty hallway there suddenly
appears an installation of precariously stacked chairs or a fleeting
ghostly figure. Tong encourages us to see the possibility for art in
quotidian objects. He animates the familiar spaces with an unusual,
unexpected, and surreal presence and plays with visitors’ ability
to suspend a sense of disbelief.
Ben
Tong is an interdisciplinary artist living and working in Toronto. In
2005, he received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto,
where he studied Visual Studies and Computer Science.
Maps
used to locate the works are available at the Hart House information
desk.
Curated by the Hart
House Art Committee and organized by Aileen Burns.
scroll your mouse to activate roll-overs
|
|
|
|
Ben
Tong, bin·oc·u·lar
Third Floor, Hart House |
Ben
Tong, bin·oc·u·lar
Stair Landing, Hart House |
Ben
Tong, bin·oc·u·lar
Library, Hart House |
 |
Ben
Tong, bin·oc·u·lar, Third Floor Landing,
Hart House |
