Orest Tataryn: shine on

A Collective City Gallery Project Exhibition

Orest Tataryn, colour field #23, neon, 2016. Photo: Cat O’Neil.

Orest Tataryn: shine on

May 21 – 31, 2026
Reception: Saturday, May 23, 2 – 6pm
Curator Tour: Saturday, May 30, 2pm
Dupont Rail Gallery, Toronto

Collective City Arts is proud to present shine on, an exhibition by artist Orest Tataryn, curated by lois andison, on view Wednesday, May 20 – Sunday, May 31, at the Dupont Rail Gallery. This exhibition is the fourth in a series of eight shows being hosted in the 2026 season by the Collective City Arts Gallery Project.

Text by lois andison

shine on is an exhibition of a selection of Orest Tataryn’s light sculptures, serving as a tribute to both the artist and the dying art of neon. As many works in this show reveal, Orest is a colourist at heart. His signature works are colour studies combining mathematical principles such as the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio with pattern, abstraction, the precise placement, and relationships of chroma. His process often involved cutting sections of glass tubes (some phosphor-coated and some uncoated, some coloured, and some clear), fusing the sections, and repeating the process with minor variations across multiple tubes. When the work is wired and installed, the light washes the wall with soft, diffused colour that blends to create a colour field (a term associated with Abstract Expressionist painting). Orest often numbers these colour fields #1, #2…#23. I personally regard them as colour studies, for as much as they are planned, there is something experimental and intuitive in this approach to neon.

Orest Tataryn, ohio christ, neon, 2010. Photo: Guy L’Heureux.

Other works in the show reflect Orest’s irreverent sense of humor, often sparked by daily observations and mimetic play. For example, he found ideas in graffiti like “apathy kills” with “who cares” spray-painted over it. While ohio christ was not an intentional lift, he later discovered “OHIO” spray-painted on a local fence—the sequence is unimportant.

This piece is a favorite of mine, not for religious reasons, but for the symmetry in the text, the simplicity yet fullness of the font, and the mirroring that forms a cross. Here, the neon sits behind the cut acrylic, creating a backlit effect.

Not sure if you would immediately register envy when you look at NV unless you said the letters out loud. There is something delightful about envy being outfitted in such a rich emerald green, punctuated by complementary notes. The piece is striking for its dramatic italic form marching to its own beat. On the other side of envy, metaphorically, is yellow waterfall. The installation is one of Orest’s earliest large-scale works. Even though the yellow is slightly acidic, the piece has a poetic softness and gentleness. It is elegant in its cascading presentation. colour field #23 also prioritizes yellow, but not with the same emotional intensity. This colour field feels more analytical and abstract and perhaps comes the closest to painting.

Orest Tataryn, flower diptych, neon, 2012. Photo: Cat O’Neil.

flower diptych is a bit of an outlier. Here we witness Orest’s combining methodologies: using neon on the front face as “signage” and in back as a “colour field.” Viewing from the side, you can see that he has mounted neon tubes behind the acrylic box to paint the ground. The stylized flower cycles through representations: flame/arrow/flower, and only by comparison do we see the subtle difference in the two blossoms. Rather than pass the GTO wire through the acrylic, he chose surface-mounted spring-loaded glass housing used in commercial neon fabrication for the electrodes, integrating them as an intentional part of the aesthetic/design. They are loud in pitch…but the overall effect is surprisingly elegant.

Neon performing its role—to light up the room. We hope that you enjoy the show.

About the Artist

Orest Tataryn is a light sculptor known for his work with neon. Drawn to the luminous capabilities of neon, his early mandate centered on elevating neon light from the depths of commercialism. Over time, he started his own neon shop, neonisoris, and went on to become a founding member of the guerrilla art collective “Skunkworks – Outlaw Neon.” After his early retirement as a fire captain in the city of Toronto in 2003, Orest committed to expanding the boundaries of his practice and was involved in numerous solo and group exhibitions. He is known for his contributions to the fabrication and installation of neon for many contemporary artists, including Kelly Mark, Micah Lexier, Laurel Woodcock, Trush Holmes, Brendan Fernandes, Barbara Steinman, Jaume Plensa, and Fiona Banner.

For more information, visit the artist’s website & Instagram.

Collective City Gallery Project | Upcoming Exhibitions

Margaret Glew: Burning Fire Blues
June 17 – 28, 2026

An exhibition of recent large-scale abstractions. “As I head into what may well be my last decade of life, I find myself thinking a lot about what painting means to me. Painting has been the driving force of my life for decades now. It has given voice so to speak to the deep feelings that are difficult for me to put into words. I came up with the title Burning Fire Blues because it says in a few words a lot about the ideas and feelings expressed in my work”.

Jim Bravo: It Took an Age or Two to Get Home
August 19 – 30, 2026

Jim Bravo has been working on a catalogue of works reflecting both his family’s early Black immigrant inner-city experiences in 1970s and 1980s Toronto, as well as his love for the sublime Canadian landscape. It is his mission to continue to help transform the homes, streets, and neighbourhoods of all Canada’s provinces into living galleries of art.

About The Collective City Gallery Project

The Gallery Project will stage eight shows during the 2026 season, featuring the work of independent artists, arts collectives, and curators not represented by a commercial gallery or institution in the Greater Toronto Region, showcasing their work at no cost.

The Project aims to make the shows accessible to as broad a public as possible, allowing Collective City Arts to provide a public service to the community—a model that does not currently exist in Toronto. For more information about the Collective City Arts Gallery Project, visit The Gallery Project.

To learn more about Collective City Arts, visit the website.

Collective City Arts
www.collectivecity.ca
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Dupont Rail Gallery
1444 Dupont Street, Unit 10
Toronto, ON M6P 4H3

Gallery Hours:
Week 1: Thursday – Sunday, 12 – 5pm
Week 2: Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 5pm

Accessibility: Dupont Rail Gallery is fully accessible. For more information, visit Dupont Rail Gallery.