Katie Lyle

Katie Lyle works with painting, drawing, and performance. When working with canvas, she pays particular attention to the surface of this material. She often leaves parts of the canvas untreated, using glue both as a binding agent and a framing element. This results in a glossy halo that envelops her artwork. Lyle’s intense focus on materiality permits her to portray the human form, not just through traditional composition, but also through the nuanced interplay of constructed shadows. Such an approach seamlessly ties the artwork to the physical labor behind it—the tactile sensations of holding a paintbrush, of assembling the canvas, and of sculpting the collaged elements. In a past installation, Lyle included an art trolley in her exhibit space, gesturing towards art-handling practices and subtly nudging viewers to recognize and acknowledge the behind-the-scenes efforts within art-making processes. By accentuating often overlooked aspects of art production and juxtaposing them with diverse representations of the human body, Lyle astutely underscores the significance of the artist’s physical presence within the commercial art sector. ...

Franz Kaka was founded in 2016 as an artist-led gallery, presenting exhibitions that privileged experimentation and risk-taking. In 2019, the gallery began formally representing a number of the artists who had previously exhibited, including Lotus L. Kang, HaeAhn Paul Kwon Kajander, Anne Low, and Elif Saydam. In the years since, the gallery has expanded its international reach through gallery collaborations and art fair participations, including presentations at Art Basel, Frieze London, and the Armory Show. Known for presenting materially curious and conceptually complex exhibitions, the gallery champions nuanced practices that transform and deepen through sustained engagement, fostering dynamic conversations with audiences in Toronto and abroad. ...