{"id":66812,"date":"2023-03-06T13:49:02","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T18:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?p=66812"},"modified":"2023-03-06T13:49:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T18:49:47","slug":"take-me-back-to-happiness-an-art-show-about-hanlans-point-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2023\/03\/06\/take-me-back-to-happiness-an-art-show-about-hanlans-point-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Take me back to Happiness: an art show about Hanlan’s Point beach"},"content":{"rendered":"

What:<\/strong> Take me back to Happiness: paintings of Hanlan’s Point art show by Zach Rosen<\/p>\n

When:<\/strong> March 9-14 Opening Reception March 10 6-10PM<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> Northern Contemporary Gallery, 420 Roncesvalles Avenue<\/p>\n

Everybody’s talking about Hanlan’s Point of late as the Toronto Island Master Plan planning process caused concern among the communities that hold Hanlan’s dear. In the Toronto Star last week I argued<\/a> this was, in part, a result of the culture of distrust that has been cultivated at City Hall recent years. Toronto artist Zack Rosen approached the sacred place by sketching what he saw. In his own words:<\/p>\n

The idea for “Take Me Back to Happiness” was born at Hanlan’s Point itself last summer. I was trying to solve the familiar\u00a0conundrum of “what does one bring for entertainment at a beach?” It seemed criminal to be glued to my phone at a nature preserve and I wasn’t in the mood to read. So I picked up a small pad of paper and a set of watercolour pencils, which I had never used before, and figured they could keep my brain and hands busy. My initial goal was to document a day at the beach in a way that would bring me back to sunshine in the cold days of winter – a little piece of Hanlan’s I could keep in a drawer. I drew little pink men under their beach umbrellas, and bird and skylines, and so much sand. After 24 such pieces – the entire pad of paper – it hit me in August that this could be the beginning of a larger series of paintings, and one that I could show the public. Northern Contemporary Gallery was interested, and I’ve spent the months since last summer creating more than 50 original paintings documenting the reality and the mindset of Hanlan’s point. They come in different sizes, styles and moods – but all are united by a singular strip of land that Toronto queers have long called home.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And more description of the show:<\/p>\n

\n

This March, gay Toronto artist Zack Rosen<\/a> is debuting a series of paintings that celebrate the unparalleled queer freedoms of Hanlan\u2019s Point nude beach. \u201cTake Me Back To Happiness\u201d will be hung at the Northern Contemporary Gallery (420 Roncesvalles Ave.) from March 8th- 14th, with an opening night extravaganza on the 10th .<\/p>\n

Hanlan’s Point holds a special place in the Canadian queer heart. Nestled at the back of Toronto Island, it has been a beloved queer meeting spot since the \u201850s and hosted one of Toronto\u2019s first pride celebrations in 1971. The city has officially designated the beach as \u201cclothing optional,\u201d making it the rare government-sanctioned safe space.<\/p>\n

The gallery show will capture Hanlans\u2019 anatomical and natural beauty. Inspired by Keith Haring, David Hockney and other gay luminaries, the works span a variety of sizes, painting styles and mediums. A few of the smaller pieces were drawn live at the beach this past summer. Expect a healthy balance between gorgeous beachscapes and male nudes.<\/p>\n

Named for a haunting club track<\/a> by DFA Records\u2019 artist Crooked Man, the show captures all the ways that Hanlan\u2019s Point represents an escape from the oppressive modernity of Anthropocene city life. The freedom of nudity, sexual expression and access to nature make it a fleeting and beloved summer destination for Toronto queers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake Me Back To Happiness\u201d\u00a0 brings the beach back in the days that summer seems furthest away. The paintings capture sunshine and joy, flirtation and longing, sadness and hope.\u00a0 As the natural world faces unprecedented threats to its long term integrity, \u201cTake Me Back To Happiness\u201d captures a time and place in Toronto queer life that might not last forever\u00a0 but can be enjoyed right now.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What: Take me back to Happiness: paintings of Hanlan’s Point art show by Zach Rosen When: March 9-14 Opening Reception March 10 6-10PM Where: Northern Contemporary Gallery, 420 Roncesvalles Avenue Everybody’s talking about Hanlan’s Point of late as the Toronto Island Master Plan planning process caused concern among the communities that hold Hanlan’s dear. InContinue reading “Take me back to Happiness: an art show about Hanlan’s Point beach”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4004,"featured_media":66813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21758,4,69,13,24,47,14,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-culture","category-curiosities","category-green-space","category-history","category-parks","category-spacing","category-waterfront"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTake me back to Happiness: an art show about Hanlan's Point beach - Spacing Toronto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2023\/03\/06\/take-me-back-to-happiness-an-art-show-about-hanlans-point-beach\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Take me back to Happiness: an art show about Hanlan's Point beach - Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What: Take me back to Happiness: paintings of Hanlan’s Point art show by Zach Rosen When: March 9-14 Opening Reception March 10 6-10PM Where: Northern Contemporary Gallery, 420 Roncesvalles Avenue Everybody’s talking about Hanlan’s Point of late as the Toronto Island Master Plan planning process caused concern among the communities that hold Hanlan’s dear. 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