Black Dreams and Aspiration - Hidden art exhibition at Union Station / TD BANK

A SHOW WORTH MISSING THE TRAIN FOR

 It is really Toronto’s unknown gallery, and unless you take the special train from Union Station to the airport you probably haven’t see the new exhibition called Black Dreams and Aspiration. Too bad it is an ambitious and uplifting show that looks at the works of a dozen local Black artists.

The gallery is really a large heritage hallway that links the Toronto Union Station with the Toronto Airport train platform at the east end of the train station. It is only seen by travellers passing to and from the Airport train, although you there is nothing stopping visitors from going to Union Station and walking to the east end of the building where these large and colourful works are hung.

With ceilings towering some 30 feet tall, the show boasts grandeur. One striking painting by Segun Caezar, a Nigerian visual artist based in Canada, captures the essence of jazz legend John Coltrane with its bold blend of vibrant colors, simple shapes, and realism. He shakes his saxophone down at the travellers in motion rushing to catch their airport shuttle train.

One large photograph stands out, captivating viewers for at least a few seconds. It portrays a half-naked man stretching upwards into the clear blue skies of Zaire. Kahame Msiska, an African artist living in Canada (at least for now), describes the photograph as follows: "'Amaka' is a Bemba word from Zambia, meaning power, inner strength, force, and influence. Nyong, the model, manifests 'Amaka' with so much grace, beauty, and bravery."

Sponsored by TD Bank, the exhibition opened on February 15th, amid Black History Month, but it stands as an independent showcase known as "Black Dreams and Aspiration." According to Union Station, this display of photographs, graphics, and paintings will run until August 31st, featuring the works of 12 talented artists. The exhibition will rotate in two parts, with six artists initially featured and the remaining six artists showcased halfway through the duration. The sparsely populated hall offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience bold colors, regal poses, and dreamlike imagery, all reflecting themes of community, self-possession, connection to the past, creativity, and the power of imagination.

The other four artist’s whose work is on display for the next couple of months are: Yaw Tony, Yomi Orimoloye, Sarah Waithe, and Miss Daisy. Their collective dreams unfold visually, portraying a sequence of figures that evoke a sense of unity in motion. Vibrant colors blend with regal poses and dreamlike states, inviting viewers to contemplate both the past and the future simultaneously.

In addition to the group series, photographer Yasin Osman presents a solo exhibition titled "Dreaming in Colour," which delves into the dreams and aspirations of young Black Somali children aged 11 to 16 through striking black-and-white portraits and accompanying narratives. Osman's collection aims to celebrate these young people's resilience.

Ammanah, one of the featured children, expressed her desire "to be an ice cream girl who is rich and famous, sings, and helps those in need." Reflecting on the representation of her identity, she adds, "Seeing someone with the same colour as me makes me happy and it’s beautiful because I can be anything!"

The children’s portraits, the majestic Black art on the walls of an historic hall is reason enough to be happy about missing the train this time.