Will You Love Me Tomorrow?, 2011

Kevin Schmidt - Vancouver, Canada

Performance and Sound Art

This artwork is a celebration of the artists whose everyday performances bring culture and vitality to the streets of Toronto – street musicians and buskers. Schmidt has gathered a set of songs, commissioned Toronto street musicians to play them and entertain the public at locations along Yonge Street. This work will channel the energy of a party, with the participating musicians providing a soundtrack comprised of popular songs that acknowledge both the excitement and excess of celebration and the inevitable morning after.

The chosen songs focus on feelings of hopefulness, longing, desire and regret providing an emotional reflection on the context of Nuit Blanche. As the event has grown, it has become many things – among them a showcase of contemporary art for new audiences, and a giant street party. In the days and months following, the musicians who have participated in this work will return to their usual spots on the streets and in subway stations of the city, a visual reminder that art and those that provide it must endure.

Kevin Schmidt received his BFA from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. His practice is an exploration of the experience of and desire for spectacle. Working primarily with photography, video and installation, Schmidt has had solo exhibitions at venues including the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (2011), Mercer Union, Toronto (2005) and Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver (2004). Group exhibitions include the Vancouver Art Gallery (2009) and Witte de With, Rotterdam (2007).

Suitable for all ages