HAROLD TOWN: UNLOCKING THE SEVENTIES
New Release of Rare 1970s Abstracts
SUMMER PREVIEW NOW OPEN
The resurgence of interest in Harold Town continues with a new show and sale, HAROLD TOWN: UNLOCKING THE SEVENTIES, at Toronto’s Christopher Cutts Gallery – now in a special summer preview.
“We’re doing things a little differently in the era of COVID-19,” says gallery owner Christopher Cutts. “We understand this continues to be a challenging time for everyone, so we’re holding a much longer preview than usual – giving people a chance to explore the show at their leisure, without worrying about crowds. The gallery is big and airy, and physical distancing is easy. We’re also happy to arrange viewings by private appointment.”
This fresh, optimistic collection of artwork provides an easy escape for an afternoon in the city. And as Cutts points out, “We’re still hoping to host a classic opening party this September, taking advantage of our large outdoor terrace and courtyard. Details will be announced.”
The new exhibit builds on HAROLD TOWN: SIXTIES STYLE ICON, the gallery’s show in October 2019. That 1960s collection was a huge success, attracting buyers from old-school collectors to high-tech entrepreneurs, and bringing fresh media attention to the provocative Canadian painter who died in 1990.
Now the focus moves to the early 1970s, when Harold Town was at the height of his fame and notoriety. He’d been a central figure in Painters Eleven, his work had been shown twice at the Venice Biennale, and he was earning record prices for a living Canadian artist. All the while, Town was up stirring up controversy as a writer, raconteur and national media personality. A new website – haroldtown.com – describes him as “The Original Bad Boy of Canadian Art.”
“Harold had a big, brash personality and he made a lot of enemies in the Canadian art world,” Cutts says. “But he showed he had the talent to justify his ego, and the extraordinary level of his ability is even more obvious today.”
By the early ’70s, Town had moved beyond abstract expressionism and was exploring the layout style of painting with more precise, methodical painting techniques, featuring complex geometrics and bold vibrating colours. Exceptionally prolific, Town had an obsessive work ethic and a constant hunger for innovation. He would often work on several different series of paintings at any given time.
UNLOCKING THE SEVENTIES presents four distinct series: “Silent Lights,” “Parks,” Stretches” and Snaps” – each with Town’s own unique twist on the “op art” movement. For the “Snaps” series, Town developed a technique of snapping paint-soaked string against the canvas – a time-consuming and physically strenuous process based on the snapping of a carpenter’s chalk line. The intricately patterned “Silent Lights” were inspired when his famous Christmas tree toppled over one year and he observed how the shattered ornaments reflected light.
“Harold had the foresight to put aside some of the best pieces from each series he produced,” says his daughter, Shelley Town. “Several of the paintings in this show come directly from the estate’s vault and have never before been shown publicly.”
This summer preview gives a rare opportunity to view and purchase some of Harold Town’s personal favourites from the 1970s. Dazzling with cleverness and creativity, the collection fills the Christopher Cutts Gallery with bright, hopeful colours – the perfect antidote to these challenging times.
As Cutts says, “People are shocked when they realize these pieces are nearly 50 years old. They look so fresh and contemporary, they could have been painted today – yet these are all significant works of art by a painter with a proven place in Canadian cultural history.”
The Toronto exhibit parallels another show, HAROLD TOWN: THE WILD ONE, held this past spring at Calgary’s Wallace Galleries – pointing to a growing nation-wide interest in Harold Town, as a new generation discovers his genius.
HAROLD TOWN: UNLOCKING THE SEVENTIES is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 12 to 5 pm, through to October 17, at the Christopher Cutts Gallery, 21 Morrow Avenue (near Dundas and Roncesvalles) in Toronto. For private appointments or media enquiries, please contact 416-532-5566 or info@cuttsgallery.com.
