THIS Gallery’s $200 Art Show Opens Friday, May 15

When objects are made by hand, they carry a different kind of energy. I like to think something of the maker is woven into the object during the process of making it. That feeling is part of why spaces like THIS Gallery matter, especially right now when purchasing original art can feel increasingly out of reach for a lot of people.

Buying original art may not be realistic for everyone these days, but supporting the people and spaces shaping culture in this city still feels important. Which is why THIS Gallery’s upcoming fundraiser show, Minutiae, caught our attention.

Art: Billy Cheung / Image via THIS Gallery

Opening May 15, Minutiae brings together more than fifty artists from across Canada for a dense salon-style sculpture exhibition made up entirely of small-scale works, each priced at $200. The idea is simple and smart: Every work is the same size and the same price. That means a piece by an artist you’ve followed for years sits next to one from someone you’ve never heard of, and you choose based on what you’re drawn to, not who made it or what it costs. The concept makes collecting feel accessible, while also channelling support directly back into a gallery that has built its reputation on giving artists room to experiment and show work.

Art: Meg Hubert / Image via THIS Gallery

From the gallery: “Installed in one continuous row that circumnavigates the gallery, the exhibition transforms small scale into abundance — a dense and celebratory array of objects that invites immediate and focused engagement. Installed collectively, the works resist hierarchy. Each object operates independently, while also participating in a broader installation shaped by constraint, proximity, and maximalism.”

The opening reception runs May 15 from 6pm-8pm, with sales beginning at 6:15pm. For the first half hour, purchases are limited to one work per person before the exhibition opens online at 7pm. The remaining pieces will remain available through May 24.