Toronto-born artist Scott Boniface and co-founder of Playground Inc, a digital creative agency in Toronto that craft products, experiences and platforms that transform brands such as Canada Goose, will be showcasing his new artwork in his debut solo show Aimless from September 5th-11th at the Moniker Gallery.
The show is about completely letting go of the story, losing track of the point and getting lost in colour, texture and the abstract, which was evidently visible when I walked in to Scott’s studio on Richmond to capture him in his surroundings. The old wood floors were splattered with layers of lovely colourful paint, which on their own expressed the markings of expression and strong passion. I just wanted to sit in the middle of the room and take it all in. It was a little maze of wonder with paint jars piled, canvasses stacked high and a wall full of collected cameras, which is another love of Scott’s. Brightly coloured abstract pieces lined each sector of the space, some more strutting a graphic feel, some more just pure abstract expression.
Aimless is a complete departure from concept; it’s about finding comfort in the ambiguous and solace in the unknown. Aimless is about creating meaning without context and starting something without knowing what it could become. In a world fuelled by messages, agendas and directives, these works just exist – and I am glad they do
What is the message you are trying to convey from the work that you do as an artist?
Through my artwork I hope to convey a message about experimentation. The work I create is a very unimpeded process from the application methods to the materials themselves. I’m always trying out something new without knowing where it could go. This is telling in the work itself by the vastly different look and feeling of each piece.
Can you elaborate on how your Aimless series came about?
I was painting for six months straight without much thought towards what I was making, where it would end up or who it was for. This felt really liberating as an artist to allow myself to play, make mistakes and uncover new approaches to painting that I otherwise may not of if I was being more deliberate conceptually. Once I took a step back and analyzed the body of work, techniques used, tools and my mind frame, Aimless was just the perfect way to describe it.
Do you feel Aimless is a good representation of yourself as an artist debuting?
Like many artists I’m continually trying to identify new styles and directions for my work and career. Aimless is more than just a body of work for this exhibition, it’s also my creative approach at large. This approach allows me to often stray away from what I had ideally envisioned and stumble upon something even more beautiful in the end.
How can our young professional readers follow and preview your works?
If you wanted to see some of my work and stay in touch you can visit my Instagram or Facebook. Aimless, my website, will have a collection of my art, photography and writing. I’m planning my debut solo photography exhibition next year, which I’m super excited about.
Should ART need to be explained or it is all in the eye of the beholder?
This is an interesting question that I ask myself often, especially being primarily an abstract painter. A good piece of art has the ability to connect with an individual. It could be the subject matter of the piece itself or rather an emotional place it took the viewer in their mind when they first saw it. It’s such a subjective thing and everyone has the capability to see things differently for different reasons. I’ve had experiences where an explanation about a piece blew my mind and made me love it even more, but also some that left me feeling the opposite.
As a new artist to the Toronto scene, what do you think Toronto’s strong points are as an art hub and what is lacking?
I feel very fortunate to be living/working here in Toronto. There are many exciting outlets for young creative artists in many disciplines. Programs like The Remix Project and the Toronto Art Council are just a few of many amazing opportunities for artist development and grants. This city has lots of interesting galleries showcasing group exhibitions for emerging talent, which I think we need as much of as possible.
There are also awesome events like DOS, Art Battle, and companies like The Spoke Agency that help to bring the best of the world and hometown heroes together to inspire Toronto.
I can’t identify a gap or something missing in Toronto’s art scene but I’ll follow up with you in a few years as I develop my career and gain some more experiences in the community.
I’m looking forward to attending the opening evening of Aimless and hope to see you all there! Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 5th at 7pm. Enjoy food, drinks, music and of course Scott’s fabulous art.
HEART ART!
