Party party. (George Pimentel Photography)

Last night ‘s 11th annual
AGO Massive fundraiser officially marked the start of Toronto’s spring/summer 2015 party season! Linked with the immensely successful "Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time" exhibition (on now at the AGO), the city’s most buzz-worthy (and completely sold out) art event continued the theme of nostalgic fascination with New York 1980’s avant-garde scene. Aptly titled "HOTBED", it showcased the work by the next generation of influencers and tastemakers, such as textile artist Erika DeFreitas, performance art duo the Broadbent Sisters, and immersive sculptor Brad Tinmouth, to name just a few. Musical performances from power pop duo Prince Innocence, hip hop artist Drew Howard, and Arts & Crafts’ singer-songwriter Calvin Love helped to set the mood, while the dance floor was dominated by DJ’s A Digital Needle and DJ Bambii. Curated by Toronto based creative multi-tasker and art-extraordinary, TALWST, who has proclaimed Toronto the new hotbed for talent, the party did not fail to spark a sartorial conversation using the hashtag #AGOMASSIVE. Guests were encouraged to ‘dress to impress’ and express themselves, which set the tone for a cohort of fashion risk takers Basquiat would undoubtedly approve of.
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