Thank you to everyone who joined us on June 7th for the Remote Gallery Art Market & Exhibition. This event marked the recent expansion of Remote Gallery, and it was an opportunity to come together, celebrate the space, and highlight the work of our talented Akin members.
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Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 24 and 25 at Akin Davisville for our Open Studio as part of the City of Toronto’s Doors Open Festival. The weekend was a huge success! We had a blast meeting both our neighbours and those who came from near and far to check out the studio, and meet our members. The artists at Akin Davisville worked hard to pull together an exciting weekend filled with live painting demonstrations, a collage workshop, and booths bursting with gorgeous artwork for sale. A huge thank you to everyone who came by and special thanks to our talented artists and our volunteers.
Here are some photos from the weekend. Enjoy!
Visitors looking at Akin Davisville members Kirsten Williamson and Janet Myers (@janet_myersartist) artwork.
Akin Davisville member Tai Kim (@jayutai) and Akin’s director Oliver Pauk.
Two people discuss member Mykah Czarina’s paintings (@mykahcdc)
Pictured is Akin Davisville member Emily Joyce (@emilyjoyceartwork) standing while teaching a free collage workshop at the Open House.
Members Awuradwoa Afful (@rajieeee) and Andrea Liao (@andrealiao) sell their handmade ceramics.
Akin Davisville member Gina Han (@bearystudioto) selling her artwork in her studio.
Member David Johns (@davidopenroad) showing off his lino skills in his studio during the Open House.
Akin Studio Manager Charlotte Van Ryn (@van_ryn) and Akin’s Remote Gallery director Renato Baldin (@renato.baldin)
Remote Gallery Art Market + Exhibition - Sat. June 7, 1-6pm
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A poster featuring two images of Akin Studios: one showing a potter’s studio with a wheel and shelving, the other a painter’s studio with artwork on the walls and an easel. Both spaces have white walls and sunlit windows.The text reads: 'Akin Davisville Open Studio! Three floors of studios. All are welcome. May 24 & 25, 10 AM – 5 PM, 244 Merton St.' Below the text, the Akin and Doors Open Toronto logos are displayed."
We’re thrilled to announce that Akin Davisville will be participating in Doors Open Toronto 2025 (@doors_opento), taking place on May 24–25, 2025.
As part of this city-wide celebration of Toronto’s architectural, cultural, and creative spaces, Akin Davisville will open its studio doors to the public for the very first time. Visitors will get a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work and community inside Akin Davisville.
Located at 224 Merton Street, Akin Davisville is home to a diverse group of emerging and established artists working in painting, illustration, textile art, sculpture, mixed media, and more. During Doors Open, guests are invited to tour the studios, meet the artists, and learn about their creative practices through informal talks, demos, and in-studio displays.
Akin Davisville, 224 Merton Street
The theme of this year's Door’s Open Toronto is ‘Play’. In response, will be creating a ‘Jam Wall,’ an interactive, evolving piece of artwork where artists and participants can collage, paint and draw on a collaborative art piece that will be displayed in the studio. Drop in and take part!
Event Details: Akin Davisville, 224 Merton Street
Dates: Saturday, May 24 & Sunday, May 25, 2025
Open Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
What to Expect: Open studios, artist meet-and-greets, artwork on display, family-friendly activities
Accessibility Info: Akin Davisville consists of three floors of studios, all of which have elevator access from the main entrance way. There are single stall gender neutral bathrooms on each floor. More accessibility detail can be found here.
Admission is free and all are welcome!
In the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting some of the incredibly talented artists working at this studio, so stay tuned! We can’t wait to welcome you into our space.
Remote Gallery Expands: More Space, Flexibility & Opportunity for Artists
Read MoreJoin us for the Akin Niagara Pop-Up Exhibition, a one-night-only event! This casual drop-in gathering will showcase the creative work of the Akin Niagara artists.
Featuring artwork by Chris Gardiner, Chloe Griffin, Bianca Guimarães de Manuel, Gabriela Laconsay, Tim Mikula, & Amita Sen Gupta.
Image description: portrait of artist Haruko Okano standing outdoors in a red winter coat. In the backgroun is trees with no leaves and a orange sunset.
Hello Akin Community!
We wanted to share an exciting opportunity happening at 401 Richmond W. On November 2nd, the South Asian Visual Arts Centre (SAVAC) is hosting an engaging Fermentation Workshop and Conversation with Vancouver-based artist Haruko Okano.
This event is free and open to the public, including kids. It will feature a hands-on fermentation activity, an artist talk, and will conclude with a communal meal. To participate, feel free to bring your favorite pickled or fermented foods to share. If you’d like to join the hands-on portion, please bring a mason jar with a lid and a small stone that fits inside.
In 1974, Haruko moved to the west coast traveling by foot and canoe through the northern parts of the provinces where she fell in love with the land Canada…not the government. Relationality with all living beings lies at the heart of her practice and life ethic as a third-generation diasporic person. The emphasis across all of her activities is on process, collaboration and integration. We will hear from Haruko about her unique approach to creating art, the food and medicine gardens she has tended since the 90s, and her journey to learn about and address the effects of intergenerational trauma within Japanese-Canadian communities and Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Date: Saturday November 2nd (2pm - 6pm)
Location: SAVAC, 401 Richmond St West
RSVP by email: communications@savac.net
Accessibility: Wheelchair ramp at the east entrance of the building. There is an elevator and accessible bathrooms. Dinner will be served. Masks are encouraged and will be provided.
Learn more at savac.net/fermentation
On October 12th, we had the pleasure of opening our doors to the community for the Akin Queen East Open Studio, and we couldn't be more grateful to everyone who came and made the event such a success!
A huge thank you to our amazing Akin members for showcasing their work and welcoming visitors with such warmth and enthusiasm. The sense of community was palpable, and it was wonderful to see so many meaningful connections made throughout the day.
We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Nurielle Stern of Lost and Found Gallery and the artists from the 1-800-INF-ERNO exhibition for collaborating with us for the day. They truly added another layer of inspiration and we’re so glad to have shared this special occasion with them.
Lastly, a big thank you to all of our guests! Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or simply curious about our space, your presence and support mean the world to us. It was fantastic to meet so many new faces, and we look forward to welcoming you again in the future— Until then, enjoy the photos from the Open Studio!
Image Descriptions: a slideshow of images showing artists and guests at Akin Queen East during the open studio. There are different people who are talking to each other, smiling, and looking around the studios. Artwork and art materials can be seen in the studio space including paintings, sculptures, and textile works.
List of participating artists:
As well as the artists featured in the 1-800–INF-ERNO installation at The Lost and Found Gallery: Micki-Lee Smith & Zakriya Bashir-Hill, in collaboration with Diana Lawryshyn, Pratap Mathews, & Yun Young Lee. Also featuring paintings by Diana Lawryshyn.
Akin St Clair Studio Market!
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Remote Gallery Manager, Renato Baldin
Remote Gallery is Akin’s dedicated exhibition and programming space. It provides opportunities for artists and members of the public to rent financially-accessible space for various types of programming.
Our versatile venue is open for single or multi-day rentals, accommodating workshops, presentations, meetings, community events, exhibitions, performances and various artistic programs. We are currently offering a 15% discount on bookings for rental dates from now until the end of August 2024.
Students and 2024 graduates of the following institutions are eligible for a 20% discount on bookings for rental dates from now until the end of August 2024: Academy of Realist Art, Centennial College, George Brown College, Humber College, OCADU, Seneca College, Sheridan College, Toronto School of Art, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Toronto and York University.
Please join us for the Open House event on July 17th and share with artists who might be interested.
No registration necessary, drop-ins welcome. See you there!
In the meantime - check out www.akincollective.com/remote for gallery details.
Click here for all Remote Gallery Accessibility information
Inspirations Studio
389 Church Street
Toronto, ON M5B 2E5
416-367-2728
Please follow us!
@inspiredpottery
We’ll be building a living collage of memories on the gallery walls in honour of Akin’s incredible community and our journey as an organization since 2008. Drop by between 4-8pm to say hello, check out the collage and add your own memories. Light refreshments will be provided.
Can't make it in person? Stay tuned throughout the month of November as we celebrate our 15th anniversary on the Akin blog with memories and member highlights!
You can help Akin Projects continue to support arts in Toronto for another fifteen years! You can donate to Akin Projects here. Your contributions directly impact artists in ways that are meaningful to arts and culture in our city, as well as to the communities in which we work. We can’t thank you enough for your support.
Accessibility:
Remote Gallery is located on the ground floor of the building. The entrance is on-grade and automated. The double door is 37x2 inches wide and has a push-bar doorknob. There is step-free access inside the gallery area.
There is one gender-neutral bathroom. There are no grab bars in the bathroom and the toilets are not raised. The bathroom doorway is on-grade and has a round doorknob and is not automated.
Oliver: “I've been active in music and visual art since I was young. I've played in a few bands over the years and I started with photography the moment my dad gave me his old 35mm camera. I studied economics in school (which has been helpful in my work with Akin) but began really focusing on my creative interests right after graduating from university. Over the years my practice has evolved from photography to 3D printing, CNC milling and video. Lately, I've been carving wood and stone and am really enjoying the deepened, hands-on relationship that I'm building with my pieces.”
Learn more about Oliver’s art practice at www.oliverpauk.com
Image Description: Oliver Pauk stands against a white curtain background. He is wearing a white T-shirt and a colourful hat and smiling.
Oliver: “A group of friends and I had all been working on our creative pursuits separately from our homes but really wanted a place to work together and inspire one another. Friends of mine were moving out of their old loft space in West Queen West and one of them, Mike Dellios (who went on to serve a term as our Board Chair) and I decided to turn the loft into a workspace that the 12 of us could afford to work in. We set up storage racks, built worktables to share. On the weekends we'd often host art exhibitions, film screenings and other art events. This was all that Akin was intended to be. Pretty quickly we realized that we weren't the only artists in Toronto in need of space like this. After three months we moved around the corner onto Dufferin St, in a space that was four times larger. Fast forward 15 years, we're still essentially doing the same thing: working as an artist-run team to find spaces that we can afford, setting them up with an aim of reducing financial barriers to creative space for folks from the community, and bringing people together around the arts.”
Oliver: “I have a soft spot for Akin Lansdowne at 87 Wade Avenue. This was the second studio that Akin set up. At the time I was doing most of the work myself, but was starting to get more support from my friend Michael Vickers (who was Akin’s Co-Director for many years). We had as many as five units at one time in this building and they were beauties; bright, raw spaces with high ceilings, close to the subway, with tons of awesome neighbours and about 100 Akin members! We ended up hosting regular gatherings (both organized and spontaneous) and people got to know one another really well. This is still something that happens in our studios, but it was really cool (at least for me) to see the future potential of Akin through what happened in that building. It made me want to take Akin further in order to involve more artists in the city. ”
Oliver: “Akin has been full of surprises from day one. It feels a little bit like another child in a sense (I do have a 5yr old human son). Helping build Akin has felt like a separate creative process of its own and I'm proud that we've made it to 15 years (because it hasn’t been easy). We’ve created this new sentient entity that Akin's team and I are able to collaborate with (which is how we view it). That brings me to something else that I'm proud of... our team. When I say team I mean our staff, our board, AREA (our real estate advisory), and our various other advisors. I feel so lucky to have met all of these people, let alone engage on this interesting mission with them. I'm proud of how much we all care about Akin, about the arts, about artists and I know that it shows in the work that we do.”
Oliver: “Where to begin :) There have been many. What we're doing with Akin is not a regular thing. It's different, it's special, it's innovative... Many hurdles have needed to be jumped. In many ways Akin still exists because of trial and error. There's no handbook for what we do. We've had to figure it out by failing and learning. A major part of our role today is to facilitate an amicable and mutually beneficial relationship between the arts and real estate. These two industries, and the people who make them up, have historically had a tumultuous relationship and it hasn't gone well in the vast majority of instances, internationally. We believe that we have figured out ways to create a win-win for both groups but there are challenges on both sides. Finding our way in the real estate industry has been challenging. Thankfully we're building a growing network of property owners who understand why we do what we do and why it's important to both communities and to them.
Bringing together a large number of people to share working space comes with a lot of challenges. We try our best to create safe, comfortable and inspiring spaces for everyone who is part of Akin and it's truly upsetting if we let people down. That motivates us to continue learning and improving every day.
2020 and 2021 were very tough years for us and for many of the artists we work with, for obvious reasons relating to COVID. It took lots of perseverance from our whole team as well as open communication with Akin's members and our real estate partners. Thankfully we made it through, albeit as a tinier version of the organization, and this is in large part due to the extreme resilience of the artists in Toronto. Much of this year has been rough as well, for our team and for me in my role, as we've undergone a number of organizational shifts. Thankfully, these challenges, along with the progress that we're making in other areas have enabled Akin to find itself in what I would consider to be its best position yet. We're set to open a number of new studios in order to provide work space for many artists and designers in Toronto who are in need. There will be many more challenges to come but I know that Akin's perseverance and spirit are strong and that we will continue to find creative solutions to move forward in ways that are true to what we believe in.”
Oliver: “There are some really important things that have stayed the same. We're still artist-run, still trying to break down financial barriers to creative space and we still care deeply about Toronto's community of artists. We have hopes to continue having a valuable impact on our city.
And yes, Akin has changed too. When Akin was young, I would never have guessed that it could have the impact it has today. I'm happy about most major changes, but simultaneously I miss aspects of the old, simpler days. I knew everyone who was a member at Akin which is sadly not the case today. There was less riding on our team's decisions than there is now and that burden can feel heavy sometimes.”
Oliver: “I've learned about the vitality of artists. Artists genuinely think in ways that allow society to grow and heal and evolve. They're brave and interesting and, of course, inspiring. I've seen and learned of many challenges being created in Toronto for creatives. The precarity for artists to live in the city is high, forcing them to either give up their practices or move further out of the city. The vast majority of people living in the city say that they care about art and it's easy to understand how important it is for our society, economy, and health, but it seems like they don't realize that art is made by artists. This disconnect needs to be explored. I feel that there needs to be more effort put towards growing the public valuation of artists.”
Oliver: “We're sticking to what's important to us. We're building on what we do and what we as artists need and we're doing it in the ways that we know best. We've done a ton of work this year to ensure that Akin is around long into the future and a major part of this will be the opening of new studios in 2024. Thankfully we have a number of spaces that are being lined up and we know that they're needed by our community of artists. I intend for us to remain open-minded and open-hearted, to learn from the people we surround ourselves with and to continue exploring the current boundaries of our role in ways that are genuinely important.”
Akin would like to thank Oliver Pauk for the interview and for all his hard work for Akin over the years. We also want to thank all of our amazing members (past, present and future), our board members, consultants, supporters and community members! Stay tuned throughout the month of November as we celebrate our anniversary on the Akin blog with more member highlights!
Want to celebrate
in-person?
Akin will be hosting a 15th Anniversary drop-in celebration at Akin’s Remote Gallery on December 4 from 4-8pm for an evening filled with Akin memorabilia and nostalgia.
Date: Saturday, October 07, 2023
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Remote Gallery, 568 Richmond Street West, Toronto
Join artist Yannis Lobaina for this free collaborative visual poetry workshop.
Participants will work together to create a multilingual collaborative visual poetry masterpiece! This in-person gathering promises to be a unique opportunity to explore the power of words and art. Free and family-friendly!
Whether you are an experienced poet or just curious about exploring your artistic side, this event welcomes everyone.
About the artist:
Yannis Lobaina is a Cuban artist, author, filmmaker, photographer and community arts facilitator. Currently, she lives in Toronto. In her work, Yannis explores themes of immigration, diaspora, language, and motherhood. As a photographer, she focuses on minimalist storytelling photography, landscapes, patterns, sacred geometry, and pareidolias in Mother Nature. She has been recognized with several awards and grants by the TAC and OAC, which has funded her ongoing series Alive, Upside Down. Yannis has twice received the Newcomer Space Award (2020, 2022) and has been showcased at Remote Gallery (2021) and at public Library Oakwood Village Library and Arts Centre (February 2023).
Yannis is a receipient of the Newcomer Space Award, a collaboration between Akin, the Toronto Arts Foundation, and the Neighbourhood Arts Foundation.
Image Description: TheAkin logo and OCADU logo live on a purple background along with the words “Career Launcher Winner, Sara Abulkarim, Where Have You Been? Solo Art Show, August 5 & 6, 2023 at Remote Gallery”
Sara Abulkarim is the 2022 recipient of the Akin x OCADU Career Launcher Award. Born in Iraq, she immigrated to Montreal in 2002, where she studied Interior Design. Following her passion, in 2017 she decided to study Fine Arts at OCAD University. Sara’s art often stems from memory and feelings. She paints moments and fragments of her life, meaningful spaces and moments that sculpted her into the person she is today. Intrigued by abstract, she loves to try new techniques and mediums to mimic her emotions through colours and gestures. Her work is characterized by vibrant colours and animated movement. Website: www.saraabulkarim.com
Image Description: A purple event poster advertising an art show. The left hand side reads “Space Award Winner Elsa Hashemi '' below the logos for Akin, Toronto Arts Foundation, and the Neighbourhood Arts Network. On the left is a greyscale photo from the video-installation, The White Cave.”
“Having a long day filled with a variety of feelings and emotions, we all go back to our ‘White Cave‘ which is the last and the most intimate place to finish the day... No matter how joyful, sad, confused, overwhelmed or excited we have been during the day, we share them all with our safest place...”
Elsa Hashemi is a recipient of the 2022 Space Award and a visual artist whose main focus is Photography and Calligraphy-Painting. She works as an artwork/mural-documentation photographer in Toronto and a freelance Calligrapher. In addition, she teaches visual arts to kids; and ESL & Canadian culture to adults. Her artistic practice mainly involves conceptual art, portraying concepts like Migration, Being a Woman, Immigration, and Quarantine. Through her images and calligraphy-painting art, she tells stories of people, believing that stories can tell us about the realities in life that are too complicated. She is a recipient of Toronto Arts Foundation's Newcomer Arts Award and RBC Mentorship Award. As a professional photographer, she combines deep theoretical/technical knowledge with experience documenting artworks, creating portfolios and photo books for the artists, designing brochures, and promoting products and artworks via social networks and various advertising materials. Elsa stands out in photographing events, including arts and cultural ones, meetings and gatherings, and outdoor festivals and events.
View Elsa’s website here and her Instagram here.
