T & T

THE LOWDOWN: Return features an ambitious body of new work from the creative duo, who are based in Vancouver and Toronto, respectively. Composed of numerous C and ink-jet prints of various sizes, a small series of watercolour and ink-wash works, and several delightful models, this pre-utopian/post-apocalyptic exhibition will appeal to the future-oriented.

COORDINATES: Return is showing at the Atelier Gallery (2421 Granville Street) until November 24.

PROCESS ORIENTED: T & T have been collaborating since their student days at Emily Carr Institute in the late 1990s. The two artists shared an interest in electronic music; they began producing their own fliers with the distinctive minimalist aesthetic that is a hallmark of this latest show. In response to the overwhelmingly negative trajectory of a world consuming itself, T & T have reimagined a poignant alternative through a series of beautifully designed landscapes, portraits of communal activity, and allusive models. The 2-D landscapes--which resemble suburban architectural plans and feature recycled motor vehicles--are simultaneously humorous, intelligent, and sincere. The accompanying scale models present a range of hybrid constructions that incorporate new forms of energy production into their designs. The pair started this highly relevant and accessible project in 2002; it gave them an excuse to learn the intricacies of Adobe Illustrator, among other things.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS: "After some sort of catastrophe there would probably be a kind of hobo lifestyle, and we were joking around with the idea that the only people to survive would be the homeless," says Romano at a local café. "The homeless know how to survive already and would be the ones to rebuild the future. Hopefully there would still be rock 'n' roll."