On the night of June 1st, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery threw the 19th edition of its iconic Toronto art gala, Power Ball. Transforming the gallery in its entirety into a world of discovery, this year’s theme “Stereo Vision” explored ideas of fantasy, alternate realities and multiple dimensions, and provided no shortage of talking points and Instagram-worthy installations.
Upon entering the gallery’s doors, partygoers were treated to a red carpet experience by Power Ball presenting sponsor, Max Mara, plus a sneak-peek of the Italian fashion retailer’s Fall 2017 collection.
The night started out with a two-hour VIP party inside a gallery space dressed in lush red velvet. Conceptualized by Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo and Mecky Reuss, the founders of Mexico City-based architecture and design firm, Pedro & Juana, the pair partnered with performance artist Francesco Pedraglio to create an environment that positioned guests as both active and passive contributors of the VIP-fête-meets-installation. A distorted live stream of the party was projected onto walls, while different performance artists were secretly scattered among the crowd.
Drake Catering complimented the alternative reality scenarios with parallel, sweet-versus-savory food stations that blurred the line between finger food and art. Think: crispy wontons topped with Grey Owl goat cheese and a fluff of grape cotton candy at one station, versus wontons garnished with Hamachi and seaweed cotton candy at the other; and lavender and lemon ice cream mirroring chocolate and rosemary.
At 9pm, the doors opened to more guests and to the rest of the gallery which displayed installations by artists Daniel Barrow and Kelly Richardson, 17-year-old photographer Torrance Hall, and more. A pop-up concert on the twinkling patio featuring alternative-pop duo The Darcys, and non-stop beats by DJs Ralph and Yuknodis kept the art gala going all night long.
Click through the gallery above to see some our favourite best-dressed Power Ballers.
Gallery
S/ Was There: Power Ball 2017
1 / 22
