“To Be Real” and Duke and Battersby reviewed in esse

The Winter issue of the Montreal-based, bilingual magazine esse, this time themed around “Inventories”, is out this week and includes two of my reviews from Toronto: Emily Vey Duke and Cooper Battersby‘s solo exhibition at Jessica Bradley Art + Projects and the group show “To Be Real” at Prefix ICA, which also made by Best of 2010 list.

Both shows have received critical praise this year, and deservedly so. The new Duke & Battersby video, Lesser Apes, is one of my favourite pieces in their work so far and “To Be Real” curator Rose Bouthillier deserves kudos for making her MFA thesis exhibition (as part of OCAD’s Criticism & Curatorial Practice program) such a thoughtful, engaging contribution to Prefix’s programming.