Discover Shezad Dawood's innovative blend of art and technology in 'Night in the Garden of Love' exhibition at Aga Khan Museum, Toronto. (Paul Barker)
The art exhibition titled "Night in the Garden of Love," a collaborative project between Weils, the Centre for Contemporary Art in Brussels, and artist Shezad Dawood, fuses conventional art with a pronounced technological aspect, aimed at ushering visitors into novel and imaginary realms, as per the creator's vision.
Shezad Dawood, a versatile UK artist known for blending narratives, realities, and symbols across various art forms like painting, textiles, sculpture, film, and digital media, has shaped the exhibition. Dawood draws inspiration from the novella "Night in the Garden of Love" by the late African-American Muslim polymath, Dr. Yusef Lateef, a prominent musician and composer who passed away in 2013 at 93.
Displayed at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, this exhibition commenced last month and will continue until May 5, 2024. Marianne Fenton, the museum's curator of special projects, characterizes it as a multi-sensory art experience centered around scores and rhythms. The exhibition explores the harmonic correlation between Dawood's and Lateef's works, delving into gardens as spheres of creation and optimism amid the climate crisis.
The exhibition boasts a significant virtual reality (VR) element and leverages artificial intelligence (AI), creating an immersive and experiential showcase, as emphasized during the media tour by Fenton.
Partnering with UBIK Productions, Dawood crafted a two-player VR environment that immerses viewers into pivotal scenes from Lateef's novella. This 3D interpretation takes participants from outer space to Detroit streets, trailing the "mutant" character to a recycling plant and culminating in a utopian garden adorned with imagined flora. Fenton emphasizes that this VR experience offers imagined insights into key moments from the novella while casting a hopeful perspective on sustainability amidst climate change discourse.
Reflecting on this innovation, Dawood, also a research fellow in experimental media at the University of Westminister in London, highlighted the novelty of creating a two-player VR experience, contemplating the notion of intimacy within a digital realm and its implications for shared journeys.
Moreover, an unconventional use of AI was evident in the exhibition. Dawood collaborated with Olivia Bransbourg of Iconofly, perfumer Nicolas Bonneville, and fragrance house dsm-firmenich to craft a distinct scent. This fragrance incorporates eight middle notes, some crafted through AI, symbolizing plants that naturally lack a discernible scent, marking an intersection between nature and artificial intelligence.
The exhibition presents a fusion of analogue and digital realms, spotlighting painted textile works by Dawood, original artwork by Lateef, and artifacts from the museum's permanent collection, offering visitors a voyage through time amidst diverse expressions of gardens across history.
Admission prices for both the museum and the "Night in the Garden of Love" exhibition range from $20 for adults to free entry for children aged six or younger, with special free admission on BMO Free Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m.
