Sarah Anne Johnson

Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre

Toronto, ON
Curated by Bonnie Rubenstein

“Mounted on a block-long building at the foot of Bay Street, Best Beach is positioned at a busy location that lies at the gateway to the Islands, yet is visibly closed off from it. Johnson’s image connects the urban space to its neighbouring natural environment—trees on either side of the frame serve as a proscenium, while shadowy figures are gathered in the foreground. As constructions of Johnson’s highly theatrical imagination, these shadows allude not only to an audience witnessing the dramatic scene, but also to spectators on the street who are being enticed to join them at the beach. Exploring the space between reality and fiction, experience and desire, Johnson captures the promise of a local landscape and transforms it into an idyllic place that seems very far from the city.”

Best Beach will be on view for a minimum of two years.
Ink jet print on vinyl
37′ x 144′