September 21 – December 1
Dineo draws inspiration from Afro-diasporic spiritual aesthetics and the concept of biological “architecture.” She employs materials such as water, soil, and various minerals to establish a connection with “nature.” Her work investigates themes of self-presence, belonging, memory, history, and place, revealing the influence of social, political, and physical dynamics. In this site-responsive installation, she invites contemplation on how the Earth Mother listens and engages with her surroundings.
The first iteration of this artwork, which included soil from a historic plantation linked to slavery, was shown in Richmond, Virginia, in 2021. The second version utilized clay sourced from two rivers in the Bidjigal and Dharawal Nations, known today as Sydney, Australia, and featured at the 23rd Biennial of Sydney in 2022. The third iteration was created for an exhibition at HangarBicocca in Milan, Italy, in 2022 and 2023. Now, in this fourth version, the exploration continues with soil sourced from Crawford Lake, within the lands of the Turtle Clan.
Bio
Dineo Seshee Bopape (b. 1981, Polokwane, South Africa; she/her) lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a 2007 graduate of De Ateliers in Amsterdam and in 2010 completed an MFA at Columbia University, New York. She was a co-winner of the Artes Mundi 9 prize in 2021, the main prize winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2017 by PinchukArtCentre, the recipient of a 2010 Columbia University Toby Fund Award, and the winner of the 2008 MTN New Contemporaries Award.
Bopape is known for her use of soil and other organic materials as a base for multisensory, multidimensional work that connects deeply with the earth. In addition to her packed earth installations, the artist also works with drawing, video, and sound to create a rich practice connecting to memory, belonging, and place.
Dineo Seshee Bopape’s works have been shown in numerous solo exhibitions around the world, most recently at MoMA, New York, USA (2023); Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan, Italy (2022); Ocean Space, Venice, Italy (2022); Secession Vienna, AT (2022); The Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University (ICA at VCU), Richmond, Virginia, USA (2021); Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, UK (2019). Some of her recent group exhibitions include venues and events such as the Helsinki Biennial, National Museum of Cardiff, Wales; FRAC Poitou-Charentes, Anglouême, France; Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin; SFMOMA, San Francisco, USA; Arsenale, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy; Ford Foundation Gallery, New York, USA; Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, Canada; 10th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany; Sharjah Biennale 13: Tamawuj, Sharjah, UAE, to mention just a few.
Location
- Accessibility
The Auto BLDG, 9th Floor
- Accessible entrance
- Accessible washrooms
- Elevator
- AODA-compliant building
Parking: Located at 152 Sterling Road in the Hines Parking Garage, just west of the museum. This is an underground parking lot. Hourly and daily rates apply.
Note: When exiting the parking lot, please use stairwell D for the most convenient access to the Auto BLDG.
- Getting There
The Auto BLDG, 9th Floor
By subway: The Auto BLDG is a 10-minute walk from both Lansdowne Station and Dundas West Station.
By streetcar: The Auto BLDG is a 5-minute walk from the closest streetcar stop at Dundas St West and Sterling Rd. This can be reached by the 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton streetcars.
UP Express: The Auto BLDG is a 10-minute walk from Bloor Station, which is two stops on the UP Express from Toronto Pearson Airport and one stop from Union Station.