Exhibitions

“Visitors”
2021 Solo Exhibit
Elaine Fleck Gallery, Toronto, ON
July 1st-29th 2021

Show Statement

I have faced two culture shocks in my life. The first was moving to Florida at age 9 and being dumped into an alternate universe where tourism, retirees and locals intentionally segregated themselves into cultural bubbles and where I had only experienced as a child tourist in the past. As a child of Disney and Disney World Theme Parks, the Americana Land-of-Opportunity ‘Dreamer’ idea left a permanent impact on me both as an artist and as an outsider growing up in the 80s and 90s. When I was an adult I moved back to Canada and experienced my second culture shock leaving that world behind for a land and community I didn’t remember. I am still adjusting 20 years later.

A collection of works created over the last decade explores that journey through mysterious ‘visitors’ who rediscover what remains of futuristic abandoned Disney World Theme Parks and Canadian Landmarks long after humans have vanished. A journey similar to how I have been forced to discover the North as an adult now with my own family. For now, that new journey is taking me from Florida and across Canada from the East Coast to Ontario. In the future it will take me and my ‘visitors’ much farther.  This fantastical, dystopian vision will include a mix of Disney Theme Parks, Canadian landmarks and buildings and a new construction of a certain giant pink bear statue with deep roots in Toronto. 

ARTIST STATEMENT: I could tell you about how deep my work delves; personally, emotionally and conceptually. I could tell you how much time I spend over-thinking, sketching and painting. How ideas get stuck in my head until I can think of nothing else. How I get stuck in my head. How the work juggles themes, concepts and narrative metaphors on subjects that interest me. But in reality, I am simply a curious person by nature who is more comfortable expressing ideas and emotions visually and like to create work you and I can escape into. I am fascinated with symbolism, pop culture, nostalgia and human nature. I will often go looking for a new subject or point of view to explore and become obsessed with it.

Work is often rendered with precision and detail as I possess a distinctly logical mindset and am drawn to trying to solve different problems visually. However, I don’t allow reality to trap me and favour contemporary surrealism over pure representational work. This allows me to use various imagined figures, animals and objects like actors, props and backdrops on a theatre stage. Creating worlds with mixed stories and points of view for my audience to digest, discuss and reflect upon. Most importantly feeding my curiosity. It’s been called whimsical, too sassy, awkward, smart, pretty, odd, offensive, challenging and all sorts of adjectives. I prefer to simply say it reflects my state of mind on any given day. Escape into my world for a little while.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Todd Lawson’s artwork has graced many international commercial projects and has been displayed in art galleries throughout North America; including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver and the UK. Born in Canada, Todd grew up in Southern and Central Florida. After a turbulent youth built loud angry music, sketchbooks, skateboarding and friends he left the south to return to Canada where he attended Sheridan College’s Illustration and Post-Graduate Illustration programs. He currently lives in Burlington, Ontario with his wife; fellow artist Elesavet and two twin daughters.