Culture

Power Ball XX Celebrates Art In Collaboration With Max Mara On May 31

Photo: thepowerplantto on Instagram 

Tomorrow evening, Toronto’s prestigious art gala Power Ball returns to the city, partnering with Italian fashion house Max Mara for the fourth year in a row. The event, which launched its first annual gala in 1999, is also celebrating its 20th anniversary with a circus themed extravaganza. Led by honourary chair Nancy McCain, the Power Ball takes place tomorrow evening at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at 231 Queens Quay West. The event is set to combine the creative, diverse worlds of visual art, fashion, music, media and more.

The pre-party will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature Bompas & Parr, a dynamic duo of self-described architectural foodsmiths, who are affectionately referred to as real life Willy Wonkas. The interactive exhibit is said to set one’s senses on fire as it blends food, art, and emotion.

Photo: thepowerplantto on Instagram 

The Power Ball Party, the main event, begins at 9 p.m. and will feature the art of four visual artists, as well as live music among the backdrop of the Toronto skyline. Canadian born artist Anitra Hamilton’s work appears at the Albright-Knox Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ontario, and will be featured at the party. Montreal based Dominique Petrin will join Hamilton as one of the featured artists. Petrin is known for her silkscreen prints and use of code from electronic interfaces to create immersive virtual environments. Polish-born, Paris and Montreal-based, OCAD University graduate Ana Rewakowicz is known for her stimulating inflatable works that question one’s relationship with the environment. The final visual artist will be Los Angeles-based Jennifer Steinkamp. Steinkamp uses 3-D computer animation and other media to form installations that blur the boundaries between reality and illusions. She often stimulates the movement of organic and abstract forms such as flowers, trees, and flowing fabrics.

Accompanying the visual art, complimentary food and flowing cocktails from an open bar will be a silent auction and live music performed throughout the night. The silent auction, which went live online on May 28th, includes a private shopping experience at Toronto’s Max Mara, 2019 tickets to the musical Dear Evan Hansen and dinner at Paese Ristorante, as well as many more Toronto-based experiences. The musical guests include Canadian singer WILLA, Toronto-based Prince Innocence, one of Toronto’s staple DJs Sophie Jones, and Toronto DJ Tona Maradiaga.

For those looking to attend the Pre-Party, Power Ball, or both, a variety of tickets and packages ranging from $175.00 to  $3,000.00 are available for purchase at powerball.guestdeck.com/