Slideshow: a preview of the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA
David Altmejd is a modern Dr. Frankenstein, constructing giants and golems so ugly they circle back to beautiful: his creatures have quartz horns, matted hair, and rotting torsos that spew mannequin hands and silk flowers. It’s a fitting oeuvre for Altmejd, who once planned to be an evolutionary biologist: he envisions the life that can grow out of decay.
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Altmejd was born in Montreal and moved to New York in the late ’90s to study art at Columbia. His big moment came in 2007, when he represented Canada at the Venice Biennale alongside icons like Tracey Emin and Felix Gonzalez-Torres. His pavilion, an enchanted aviary, launched Altmejd into art-world superstardom: the Guggenheim and Whitney museums own his work, as do a clique of varsity-level collectors, including Greek Cypriot industrialist Dakis Joannou and American newspaper mogul Peter Brant. This month, Altmejd’s 2008 work The Holes—a gargantuan werewolf lying lifeless in a crystal garden—will appear at MOCCA, part of a larger exhibition devoted to neo-baroque sculpture. Like all of Altmejd’s art, it’s at once alien and familiar. Here, a look at some of his most mesmerizing creations.
ART
The Holes
By David Altmejd
MOCCA
Feb. 8 to April 4
257961 Detail from <em>The Holes</em> (2008), Altmejd’s 28-foot resin and horsehair werewolf sculpture, now on display at MOCCA (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-01/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-01 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257962 <em>Untitled (Dark)</em> (2001) consists of two severed, facially conjoined werewolf heads, made from plaster, resin, glitter and synthetic hair (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-02-e1391526640721-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-02/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-02 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257963 Altmejd created <em>The Center</em> (2008), an 11-foot sasquatch, from horsehair, wood, plaster, feathers and mirror (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-03.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-03/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-03 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257964 A birdman from <em>The Index,</em> Altmejd’s 2007 Venice Biennale pavilion, owned by the AGO (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-04-e1391526594728-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-04.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-04/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-04 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257972 (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-09-e1391527035360-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-09.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-09/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-09 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257965 Altmejd in his Long Island studio (Image: Altmejd by the Selby/Trunk Archive) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-05-e1391526619513-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-05/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-05 0 0
(Image: Altmejd by the Selby/Trunk Archive)
257966 <em>Le Ventre</em> (2012) is a wispy dragon torso built from thread, resin, coconut shells and wire (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-06.jpg 1000 771 {"copyright":"Todd-White Art Photography"} https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-06/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-06 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257967 <em>The Vessel</em> (2011) is a Plexiglas diorama containing a flock <br />
of swans made of plaster, glass, thread and wire (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-07.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-07/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-07 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)
257968 In <em>L’Air</em> (2010), a robotic Plexiglas and wire figure disappears into a never-ending hall of mirrors (Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery) Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA Preview: a look at the gorgeously grotesque David Altmejd exhibition at the MOCCA https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/david-altmejd-the-holes-MOCCA-toronto-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-altmejd-exhibition-at-the-mocca/slide/david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-08/ david-altmejd-the-holes-mocca-toronto-08 0 0
(Image: copyright David Altmejd, courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery)