By Sarah Lazarovic

Dedicated to you, but you weren’t listening is the name of the recently opened ‘conceptualism’ show at the Power Plant. The show boasts birds singing lilting little bird songs, giant wall murals, and even an ‘open access door’ that allows one to enter and exit the gallery without the nuisance of paying. But neatest of all is Dan Graham’s 1972 time delay video piece. The show attempts to “draw distinction between works that might rely on or ask for audience involvement-however indeterminate-in favour of projects that are actively realized through some form of participation.” And Graham’s piece falls squarely into the latter category. It contains two cameras, two monitors and two mirrors, with half of these devices working together to create a short time delay. Which means that by running around the gallery at a thoroughly ungallery gallop, you can see multiple yous – past yous and present yous moving together in an old-school approximation of cloning. The catalogue says that goofing around between the mirrors is the artist’s intent – ‘Walking within one of Graham’s video pieces is the work.’ TOist idled away a small chunk of time exploring time, space and why it is we looked so short in the outfit we had on.
Also on the participatory end of the conceptual spectrum was Derek Sullivan’s Kiosk, a nicely sculpted pillar that invites visitors to avail themselves of some glue and slap on whatever fliers or business cards may lurk in their satchel. Upon our visit, the postering hadn’t gone too high on the very tall structure, so here’s hoping they’ll bust out the scaffolding as necessary. Because scaffolding is always a good time.
The show runs until May 23rd.