February 1 – February 16, 2013

Fourth Eye Gallery​

438 Parliament Street, Unit 2,

Toronto, ON

Opening Reception

Saturday, February 2, 2013, 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

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As social media evolves, so has the concentration and dissemination of Dancehall culture has been weaved in the fabric of international pop culture. Over the past six decades, Torontonians has given birth to a genre of hybridist culture from basement parties to international arenas. Captured on 35mm and digital format, this exhibition will provide a visual documentation of the changing landscape of the players and promoters, their growth, the artist and their launch to stardom, and the numerous lives that have been lost on many Dancehall floors. This exhibition will provide the viewers with a voyeuristic look at an affirmation of the existence of these often marginalized and underground lives.

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Historically, Dancehall space has been used as a space of refuge and resistance beyond the everyday experiences of economic oppression, racism, and their realities. Often relegated to the margins due to stereotypical class prejudices, these individuals are able to perform larger than life personas that allow them to escape their circumstances; however, this has also breed other forms of its own misogynistic, sexist and violence.