Unbecoming XVI Painting

Richard Mongiat has been exhibiting his paintings/artworks in public galleries, commercial spaces, collective exhibitions and community based art initiatives for the last 40 years. The C Word – a look at the role of craft in contemporary art was curated by Mongiat for the Doris McCarthy Gallery (University of Toronto) in February 2012. Images of the exhibition, the online catalog and filmed interviews can seen at Mongiat is also working with Dave Sylvestre on Collective City documenting the artist collective movement which exploded in Toronto during the 1990’s and is now moving into documenting the present day collective movement as well. Collective City has also created a database for Toronto's artist collectives (both past and present) and contains 80 collectives so far and continues to grow. All films from this series and the database can be found on our website In 2010 Mongiat designed the installation “Rail of Light” on the Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge in west end Toronto for Nuit Blanche. In 2008/9, Mongiat completed his "Underpass Project" (an 800ft. mural which encompasses both sides of the train underpass on Bloor St. west of Lansdowne Ave). In 2000 Mongiat started Loop Gallery (with Catherine Beaudette) in the Queen West Gallery District. Mongiat was also an artist/curator in the painting collective From*A*Pit (with Dave Sylvestre and Krys Verral), which corralled 17 painters for the “True to Form” exhibition at the Dufferin Mall in 1995 and in 1997 co-curated “Pop-eye” (9 Painters and a Magazine) at College Park. For 30 years Richard Mongiat worked in the theatre specializing in painting backdrops and scenery for Opera Atelier, The National Ballet of Canada and the Canadian Opera Company, Mirvish Productions, CanStage and many Broadway productions. Mongiat teaches theatrical scenic painting at the Toronto Metropolitan University. For more information visit my website at and