Noise and energy vibrates out of an unassuming building on McCaul Street. It's a cozy building that warms guests from the chill outside while serving as home to Manifesto's Chapter III Art Exhibition. Everyone's eyes are drawn to the array of colourful artwork and photography that cover the first floor where a silent auction is taking place.  

Steve Ferrara, one of the curators for the first floor and part of Well and Good, explains the purpose of the silent auction.  

"It's actually [for] an event called Rise, which is... for Toronto's at-risk youth...," he says. "The silent auction art is donated by artists from across Canada, from the U.S., around the world in fact, and the proceeds go to Youth Link."

The second floor looks like a completely different venue. Next to pictures of flowers, real grass grows out from tires in a make-shift backyard setting, complete with the smell of hot dogs cooking.

"They're [the backyard art installation] presenting different aesthetics, different manifestations of how we control and incorporate nature into our domestic and city life," explains Joshua Barndt, the floor's curator and one of the artists who worked on the piece.      

Music artists also showcase their talent at the exhibit. Subliminal and So Jay liven up the crowd with their freestyle duet. The pair is just as excited to be part of it all.  
"I love the vibe of everybody that's here," says Subliminal. "Nobody's got... attitude.  Everybody's here for a reason, and that's... art, hip-hop, culture. Soon as you step into the building you can feel it."

On the third and final floor pictures of nude people in animal masks fill the walls. There's a living room display of real furniture covered in cement, including a working TV.  

"I'm trying to talk about behavioural traits," Kaitlyn Till-Landry, the artist, explains.

"Finding thing[s] and creating and destructing things with different materials and about the way we use art to talk about things."



For curators Teresa Aversa and Charlie Irani the artwork on this level is about interaction and teamwork.  

"We kind of wanted all the artists to come into the space and work off of each other, and that's what really happened," Aversa says. "A lot of the work was influenced by what people were doing, and most of the installations were a group effort..."

The installation, and the exhibit as a whole, wows the visitors, including Shona Fenwick.  
"It was actually more interesting than I pictured...," Fenwick shares. "I'll definitely look into it 'cause... now I'm intrigued. It seems pretty cool... Cool people, cool art, cool stuff."
 
Words By: Navreet Dhillon + Photos Courtesy Of: Manifesto