Everyone has that space in their home that functions on multiple levels--a place to drink coffee, read a book, check email, or sit with friends. For the Toronto/Vancouver collective Instant Coffee this space is a small kitchen nook in the Vancouver apartment of one of their members. An intensely social space, this particular nook has been central to the collective's process, plans, and practice for the past ten years. For their current show at Toronto's Mercer Union, Instant Coffee is attempting to recreate the nook's inspirational powers in a gallery setting. Four 'sculptures' in the exact same dimensions of the original nook occupy the gallery and will be the focus of a series of events, slide shows, and even a Sunday night dinner. Eliminating barriers between the studio and gallery, Instant Coffee's practice is consistently smart, inclusionary, and most importantly, fun. By generously offering their magical place to whoever can squeeze in, Instant Coffee gives us all a space at their table and the opportunity to be equally inspired.
