Sonia Esmaeillou
Perfect Days
Abbozzo Gallery, Toronto
Group exhibition
The Perfect Days exhibition at Abbozzo Gallery feels like walking into a collection of fragmented memories - it celebrates the quiet profundity of ordinary moments, challenging us to see beauty and significance in the fleeting and imperfect. It doesn’t try to impress with grand statements or flashy visuals but instead celebrates small, meaningful details, reminding us that perfection often lies in imperfection.
Heather Horton’s two works stood out to me immediately, not only for their technical precision but for the deep emotional resonance they carried despite their subjects’ simplicity. The one on top, Family Portrait, is a small oil painting of two hands - one young, the other older - gently holding each other. The older hand is adorned with two rings, one of them seemingly a signet ring. The younger hand supporting it reminded me of that moment many of us have experienced: holding the hand of an aging loved one and realizing their mortality. There’s a bittersweet recognition of time slipping away, captured in a gesture so small yet so profoundly human; it evokes a universal sense of fragility and love.
In contrast, Horton’s Heliotrope II depicts what appears to be a cropped closeup of a mattress - an object so mundane that its inclusion in a fine art context feels almost unexpected; But there's something about the softness of the brushwork and the subtle tones of greys and blues that contrast with the warm hues that show the light being reflected in the painting that elevate the subject. It feels like a metaphor for rest, solitude, or even vulnerability. There’s a quiet tension in this piece, as if the mattress is both a refuge and a reminder of isolation. It had me wondering: how many stories has this mattress witnessed? What emotions have seeped into its fabric?
Across the gallery, another painting drew my attention - a dimly lit bedroom scene where soft light filters through a window, illuminating the bed and wooden floors, creating a sharp contrast in the dark room. In Leslie Norgate’s Refuge, the atmosphere feels rustic and peaceful, yet the shadows lurking in the room introduce a sense of melancholy. The always creaking wood of the 401 Richmond building beneath my feet seemed to echo the imagined creaks of the painted floorboards, blurring the line between the physical space and the painted world. This painting reminded me of the quiet moments we find ourselves in when the outside world feels distant, and all that’s left is the room we occupy and our thoughts.
Through a Glass Darkly by Jennifer Walton was one of the more dynamic pieces in the show; it depicts a figure submerged underwater, viewed from below. The blurred, distorted perspective captures the strange beauty of being beneath the surface, where light bends and the world above becomes a hazy dream. The figure's features are obscured by shadows and small bubbles, creating a mystery. It’s not just a technical accomplishment; it’s an emotional one. It felt as though the viewer was even deeper underwater than the subject, looking up at them, suspended between longing and curiosity. This piece struck me as an exploration of how we perceive others - always slightly obscured, filtered through our own depths.
The works are arranged thoughtfully throughout the gallery, each given room to breathe while conversing with the others. This curatorial decision allows the viewer to take in the details of each piece without feeling overwhelmed. The simplicity of the space complements the introspective nature of the works; It’s as if the gallery itself becomes part of the narrative, with its creaking floors and quiet atmosphere enhancing the sense of intimacy.
The exhibition’s title, Perfect Days, is inspired by the Japanese film of the same name by Wim Wenders. The movie, like the artworks on display, reflects on the quiet beauty found in daily rituals and ordinary experiences. At first, the title might seem ironic - these works don’t depict extraordinary celebrations or dramatic events. Instead, they’re quiet, ordinary experiences that reveal a kind of understated perfection. The title suggests that perfection isn’t about flawlessness but about recognizing beauty in the everyday. It challenges us to redefine what we consider "perfect," much like the film’s protagonist, who finds fulfillment in the understated rhythm of his days.
What stood out to me most was how the exhibition draws attention to the passage of time, both in the literal sense - aging hands, well-worn spaces - and in the more abstract sense of memory and how we hold onto certain moments. The juxtaposition of highly personal works like Horton’s family portrait with more open-ended pieces like the bedroom painting creates a balance between universality and specificity. This allows the viewer to project their own experiences onto the works, making the show deeply personal and reflective. It’s a gentle reminder to pay attention to the details of our own lives - the hand we hold, the mattress we rest in, the spaces we inhabit - because these are the moments that shape us.
As I left the gallery, I couldn’t help but think about the ways we document our lives, whether through photographs, journals, or even mental snapshots. The works in Perfect Days feel like those snapshots - personal, imperfect, and imbued with meaning that only deepens over time. It’s an exhibition that lingers in your mind, much like the memories it seeks to evoke.
https://abbozzogallery.com/exhibitions/78-perfect-days-group-main-gallery-exhibition/