Max Streicher: Alto Cumulus

Clouds and fog are familiar sights when you’re on the edge of the Atlantic, but with Max Streicher’s "Alto Cumulus," these natural forms take on an otherworldly quality. His large-scale inflatable artworks transform the gallery, as inside and outside become interchangeable. Taking inspiration from art history, particularly surrealism, Streicher challenges perceptions of reality and space, capturing the essence of his childhood fascination with clouds. He creates an immersive and ethereal atmosphere, inviting viewers to embrace play and wonder.

About the artist

Max Streicher, a Toronto-based sculptor and installation artist, has used inflatable technology in his kinetic sculptures and installations since 1989. His work has been showcased in prominent venues including the Sixth Beijing International Art Biennial (China), Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON), Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton, AB), Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (Taiwan), Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (Toronto, ON), and The Power Plant Centre for Contemporary Art (Toronto, ON). Since 1991, Streicher co-founded NetherMind, a collective of sculptors known for exhibiting their works in unconventional spaces like abandoned factories.. His inflatable creations can be found in collections such as the Albertina Museum in Vienna (Austria); The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (Japan); Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, NB); Art Gallery of Windsor (ON); and the University of Toronto Art Centre (ON). In 2007, Streicher presented at "Take a Deep Breath," a symposium hosted by the Tate Modern in London (UK).

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Image: Installation view of “Alto Cumulus” (2006). Tyvek, electric fans. Each cloud 305 x 610 x 300 cm. Image courtesy of the artist.