For the next three months, a new graffiti-inspired art show “Plywood” will be up for guests and members of SPiN Toronto (461 King St. W.) ping pong & social club to enjoy. A new art show will be up every three months in the space, with Plywood starting off the series. 10 of Toronto’s favourite street-beautifiers including Spazz, Skam, Art Child, RCade, Anser, JP King and more have created original large-scale works for sale that are hung up around cocktail bars, ping pong tables and comfy benches. I’m really fond of graffiti-inspired art shows, as the form crosses genres, mediums and styles, and continues a dialogue with people who may consider street-inspired artwork “vandalism” when seen on a garage door.

Mingling around at the launch party last Thursday, we couldn’t help but appreciate how fun it was to pick up a game of Ping Pong in-between checking out the art. I was told by females in attendance that SPiN Toronto is a great place to take a date as an ice breaker. Beer, balls and babes. Yup. Bouncing around on the ground, balls were scooped up by staff in these futuristic devices, and I couldn’t help but think, “Can I have one of these at home please, to clean up?” Futuristic sport and social club it sure did feel like. Oysters were shucked, balls were lightly swatted, cool sneakers were worn and awesome tunes were spun by Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene at this hopping art show launch party. 

~ Becca Lemire

Photos by Becca Lemire (Click to Enlarge)