More than 1,000 party-goers filled the space at Muzik on the evening of April 6 for the AGO’s annual fundraiser Massive Party, 
where unexpected installations and performances by contemporary Canadian artists took centre stage.
The off-site location for this year’s annual fundraiser proved a huge success in the spectacular and newly renovated MUZIK, located in the heart of the CNE grounds. Co-chaired by Perry Dellelce and Gordon Love, the hip and outrageous evening began at 8 pm and ran well into the night, with the last stragglers leaving after 2 am.
“Massive Party was all-class,” said Eli Singer, party guest and Marketing & Communications Strategist at Cundari SFP.”Never before have I been part of an art happening that so brilliantly fused sculpture, performance art, and the New York style party scene.”
Art was evident throughout the space – from Max Streicher’s larger-than-life inflated sculptures hanging in the glass dome, to the pink cocktail napkins designed by Derrick Hodgson. Contemporary art installations were arranged especially for this event, and included Bruno Billio’s multitude of chairs suspended from the ceiling, Shary Boyle’s performance with lighting tricks and mythological creatures, and video artist John Marriott’s intriguing “Where the Cat’s at” vide, in which a cat slowly roams through the AGO’s galleries .
Guests were invited to participate in the creation of four Pearl Van Geest paintings by kissing a canvas. Fifty limited edition ties by Laura Kikauka, for sale during the party, completely sold out. Visitors to the washrooms came across Brian Joseph Davis’s vinyl text piece on the mirrors.
To coincide with the theme of the unexpected, the Great Bob Scott five-piece marching band appeared out of the blue, and paraded through the crowd. DJs Walrus Tusks, Geoff Kelleway and George Chaker spun tunes all evening and got the crowd dancing.
Cocktails and fabulous food rounded out the evening – the AGO’s own Anne Yarymowich, along with Gibson & Lyle, created a fantastic menu of miniature burgers, corn dogs and grilled cheese, plus frites, sushi pizza, lamb böureke, chicken b’stilla, pink cupcakes, to name just a few.
Funds raised from this event benefit the AGO’s exhibitions and education programs.