Last night Toronto’s most anticipated annual art party was held at the Power Plant Gallery joined forces with luxury brand Max Mara to celebrate the 2015 Powerball : Appetite for Excess. With a reputation of being one of the the largest social events of the season, Powerball did not disappoint this year.

A Food Experience by Jennifer Rubell

A Food Experience by Jennifer Rubell

 

The night kicked off with an art performance and food installation for the VIPs, with decadence and debauchery being the key themes. Guests were treated to gourmet food and cocktails under the direction of chef Grant Van Gameren of Bar Isabel, sponsored by the Drake Hotel. As just one of the many food experiences, guests served themselves from a hanging chandelier of octopus.

A bit of a food fight busted out as bags of chips were rained down from balconies above and it was not uncommon to find a piece of lamb chop thrown three floors up or be served an appetizer from a cut out in a long plinth.

Jennifer Rubell’s interactive performance was a feast for both the eyes and the stomach.
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As the performance wound down and the gallery spaces opened, guests began exploring several themed rooms each expressing a different facet of excess.

There was the “fire” room with its floor to ceiling projections of fire, stretch limousine and red police strobe lights while another gallery housed giant hanging bodysuits. Other standout installations included Orest Tataryn’s neon light and chiffon wall-hanging, a mirrored corridor perfect for selfies and snapchats, a disco ball room for 8 (with it’s own bouncer and velvet roped queue) and Flare magazine’s kiddie pools filled with plastic balls.

r: Renata Kaveh

r: Renata Kaveh

 

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Diving in

Diving in

 

Each corner of the Power Plant was filled with multi-sensory excess and guests dressed to match. From too tight spandex, mesh, all over print or sequins and even a floral head piece, as both the ladies and gentlemen dove head first into this years theme. Guests piled into the various rooms each dressed more excessively than the next and danced until the early hours – even bursting into an acapella version of “Like a Prayer” when the music finally stopped.

Power Ball is the Power Plant Gallery’s annual fundraiser. For more info visit www.thepowerplant.org

 

A wall of ham and potatoes. @jenniferrubell #SoSorry #PowerBallTO

A photo posted by The Power Plant Art Gallery (@thepowerplantto) on

Photos by Nick Lee

Also check out Power Ball 2014, Power Ball 2013, Power Ball 2012.

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