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For this one-person exhibition, Bomford has derived many of his materials from the Toronto community and also from the building that houses the gallery and Red Bull offices. Exploring the basement, vacant office spaces, and abandoned elevator shafts within the building, Cedric has transformed forgotten building materials into sculptural form. Influenced by cities whose present state is built on the ruins of bygone eras, TOWER BLOCK will force the viewer not only to consider their own position within their structural surrounds, but also with respect to the contrasting design of the space that forms the container and locational context.

The exhibition’s title refers not only to the towering structure that looms two-stories tall, but also of the modular format of the artist’s work. Composed of recurring forms in the artist’s oeuvre such as shacks, kiosks, bleachers and ramps, TOWER BLOCK takes up Bomford’s architectural and historical interests in a physical manifestation at a human scale. Here, Kafkaesque allegories of power and domination form the bases for sprawling, immersive structures that encourage the viewer to physically occupy different scopic positions. These changing viewing locations interpenetrate spectator and subject, and reflect embodied power relations located within ocular and physical orientation.

Original porcelain replicas of nails removed from demolition materials used in the construction of TOWER BLOCK.
$50 each, available exclusively at Red Bull 381 Projects

Exhibition runs from September 10 to October 10, 2009
Opening reception Thursday, September 10 from 6-9pm

Special event:
Gallery walkthrough with Cedric Bomford and curator Nicholas Brown on Saturday, September 12, 3 p.m.