Toronto

[Frank_E]

this Toronto Star Article on the show is actually quite insightful

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment..._at_mocca.html

but I still found both exhibits took a little too much time and effort to really enjoy them
when I go to a photography exhibit I prefer to be more engaged by the artwork
instead of having to work quite that hard to try and understand it so that I can appreciate it

here is a quote from the above article

"Pictures are grouped in tens, or dozens, or sometimes threes and fours, hung salon-style in loose, off-kilter grids that invite a spontaneous viewing, letting the eye travel until it sticks"

I just found it took too long for my eyes to "stick"

but I did find the Robert Frank photograph…...

[bob carnie]

I watched the Dam Busters movie as a child , and it was incredible to see actual ariel photographs of the Dam just after the attack.
That image alone was worth the time spent at the opening.

[Jody_S]

I will try to convey Mocca's role each year in a simple way.

The photographic political forces that govern this event is very wide spread and diverse, each year the opening is reaching out these different groups.
I have been at every opening since Contacts early days and have found the opening event a bit of a lunch bag letdown but each year there may be images of some interest that catch my eye.
This year was no exception, I actually enjoyed Micheal Snows room and really liked the main room, just their were too many images to look at. If one goes through the book and knows who is who you will find fantastic shows going on each day of the month.
Even the book is highly risky to follow as the feature shows, in a lot of cases are presented as features have taken a lot of behind the scene arm twisting, and the viewing public can be lead astray.
The comments about wearing plain slacks and golf shirt is kind of condescending as I was in that crowd as well , if I had of recognized you in your habs outfit I would have said hello.

The opening events are a way for many to just say hello in a neutral space and celebrate the fact that such a large and wonderful photo-festival graces our wonderful city.

My apologies, I wasn't trying to be condescending, but I know from experience that my sense of humor often comes across the wrong way. When we went, it was packed wall-to-wall and it was a struggle just to move through and try to see everything on the walls. Plus, we were both completely exhausted from the trade show, I had just spent 3 hours packing up and preparing crates for shipping, not to mention an earlier 5k walk on the islands, and was really just looking forward to spending an enjoyable evening seeing something new. I didn't know what to make of any of it, and I didn't have the guide or book that explained what was what. I didn't see any for sale, though I did see a couple of people with what looked like a type-written list.

We were both so uncomfortable in the crowd that we left rather quickly (the bubble wrap was our way of joking about it). My wife, who went to art school, was laughing at me because I couldn't make any sense of anything. She said that's why she went from art school to graphic design, because she, like me, is very clinical and detached when looking at art. We would not have gone to the opening if our schedules had permitted a visit the next day.