Scenes from the House Dream

David Hoffos is an artist based in Lethbridge, Alberta; he brings his latest exhibition (an apogee of five years of studio production) to Toronto. "Scenes from the House Dream", finds a temporary home at MOCCA (Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art). Hoffos sticks to his signature of employing old cinematic techniques. With his seventeen years of experience, he produces a truly unique and captivating exhibition.

Scenes from the House Dream, begins when you lift the heavy velvet curtain to enter the dark space and amalgamation of sounds, distant and close. The sign outside, right before you enter, prompts you to let your eyes adjust before continuing on. I diligently pause in the denseness. To the left of me, a small television garners my attention. Elevated on a stand slightly above eye level, the T.V plays a clip of fireworks, which seem eerie and displaced in this solitary environment; fireworks, celebrating what?

To the right against a wall I notice a small window containing a diorama, the first of many in the exhibition. I get close to inspect the scene "Circle Street, 2003" The fireworks behind me find a home, as they are reflected into the landscape from the T.V, they appear as if they are exploding in the night sky over the hills which are a backdrop for this quiet suburban street. Figures appear and disappear right before your eyes as they walk the lonely street. Hoffos uses mirrors in these works brilliantly to add depth and play with your perspective. I peer far to one side of the street in an attempt to see where the never-ending street leads me, but instead get startled by a faint reflection of myself staring back, as if to judge my voyeuristic ways.

I continue on to observe the bizarre yet inviting scenes behind the small windows; each one invites and captivates the viewer. Hoffos manages to invoke emotions we are all familiar with but seldom bring to the surface, let alone the public eye; intimate moments of human life where we find ourselves alone and contemplative and/or confused, with feelings of restlessness, loneliness, and detachment (from ourselves and our society). In "Airport Hotel, 2004" for example, we are invited into a hotel room. An attractive woman solemnly emerges from a part of the room and anxiously paces around; she pauses reflectively and looks outside her window to the dreary night time view of an airport, while sipping on an alcoholic drink. Hoffos’ work is a reflection of our contemporary society and quintessential modern condition. The soundtrack surrounding each piece is also very important and evocative.

While looking at these accessible and transporting dioramas, from the corner of my eye I am constantly aware of this man sitting at a small table observing the exhibition and its occupants, because of the lack of light I don`t have a clear vision of the subject which adds to my unease. I am not quite myself with the presence of this gaze. I become suspicious of the repetitive motions and upon closer inspection I can see the one who is watching me is not a man, but the projection of one (Absinthe Bar, 2004). A few more of these characters reveal themselves throughout the exhibit. They are interesting because the viewer has this guilty sensation of spying which makes one tense and easily jolted. Appearance versus reality is an important theme in this collection. The life size figures startle at first, but later make you feel as if you are in the company of ghosts, sharing their space, them observing you as much as you observe the exhibition

Another thing to take note of is the fact that Hoffos reveals the illusory technique, I believe this is intentional. He exposes where the enchanting visions come from with the numerous T.V sets positioned around the room. In doing so he successfully manages to shift the spectators thoughts from focusing on how it`s done, to why it’s done?

Scenes from the House Dream, is on until December 31st, 2010, at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, 952 Queen St W. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday 11 - 6 PM.