Rupen's ‘LIFE IN THE BIKE LANE’ and THE GREEN BIKE CONVOY

BIKE CONVOY 1:30 pm from 80 Spadina Avenue
OPENING RECEPTION 2-5 pm at 712 Lansdowne, back building.

Both events take place
Sunday Sept. 11th, 2005. 2-5pm. Artists present.
Show runs from Sept. 8th to Sept. 24th.
712 Lansdowne Avenue - back building
Gallery Hours: 2-5pm Thurs. to Sat. or by appointment.

OFFTHEMAPGALLERY: It is becoming a tradition that Rupen opens OTMG’s new spaces and we are very pleased that he has agreed to do it again. This time Rupen has chosen to fight for our city and our community with the rallying cry of the cyclist as well as of the artist.
Antonia Lancaster, Curator

RUPEN: This summer we have been experiencing an unusually high number of heat warnings, bad air quality, and smog; just an overall unhealthy city environment. My love of bike travel is matched only by my disdain for those who drive cars in the city. Most of the time they have better options. THEIRS IS A CARELESS AND SELFISH ACT! So when Antonia (Director of OTMG) offered me the first exhibition in her new space, I decided on a bike theme for the show and a green bike convoy to symbolically move the gallery to its new location. I am hoping this contemporary exhibition will get people to see bikes, artists, personal transportation, and our city in a more imaginative, playful and green way.

The GREEN BIKE CONVOY will be taking place Sunday September 11th starting at 1:30pm at 80 Spadina (OTMG’s old location). It will go up to Queen and Spadina, then go west along Queen passing Ossington around 1:40pm. The Green Bike Convoy will turn north at Lansdowne and Queen around 1:45 and reach 712 Lansdowne Avenue (OTMG’S new location) around 2:00pm. to open the reception for the LIFE IN THE BIKE LANE exhibition. If you wish to join in please wear something green for the ride and make sure your bike is equipped with a bell, horn, or bring a whistle. We will also be handing out invitation cards to the exhibition enroute. This ACTION is very much in the spirit of Daniel Olson’s musical march through city streets. I have used the energy of his idea towards creating a more imaginative, inventive, green energy downtown. All non motor vehicles are welcome. You can join The Green Bike Convoy at any point in the trip. KEEP IT CLEAN AND MAKE SOME NOISE.

RUPEN’S BIO: Rupen was born in Istanbul to Armenian parents. He has been a Canadian citizen since the age of fourteen. A self taught artist he has been exhibiting his work for fifteen years and is associated with Gallery 1313. He has had several solo exhibitions as well as participating in over forty group shows: two of which were in New York and two which are upcoming in Seoul, South Korea and St. Petersburg, Russia. His visual art practice is enriched by diverse interests including music, monocromatics, the Toronto art community, and chance. Rupen is the director of the Natural Light Window, an installation venue at 506 Adelaide Street West in Toronto. He was Toronto’s 2004 co-winner of the colour match tournament organized by d’ART magazine. His work has been reviewed in the Globe and Mail, NOW Weekly, Artery, and The National Post. This is Rupen’s second curatorial project for OTMG. The first was titled “Front Room” in 2003.

RUPEN: curator, committed lifetime bike rider, and community troublemaker.