Law Times

Law Times • augusT 9, 2010 NEWS PAGE 5 BY MICHAEL McKIERNAN Law Times rived at Torys LLP in the late 1980s, it almost sparked a riot — or as close as you can get to one in a Bay Street law offi ce. "It's one painting that the W managing partner at the time did want to send back," says Philip Mohtadi, a member of the fi rm's art committee, which has ad- ministered the Torys collection since it started seriously amassing works around 30 years ago. From a distance, Red Quan- tifi er 7 looks extremely basic, like a solid red rectangle. "It received a fair amount of scorn and criticism because it is so simple," Mohtadi says. "And then there was the inevitable 'My child could do that.'" But up close, you can see clear dividing lines as the tex- ture and shade of the paint vary subtly across the canvas. Th e art committee held fi rm by overruling the managing part- ner. Th e work now occupies a prime spot on the 33rd fl oor of the TD Centre on Wellington Street near the fi rm's reception. Around the corner, another of the fi rm's most controversial pieces, Garbage Bag by Vancou- ver artist Kelly Wood, anchors one end of the central corridor that bisects the entire fl oor. Th e imposing piece stands virtually from fl oor to ceiling, demanding attention from any point along the corridor. A de- cade after the infamous Molinari purchase, it threatened to provoke another serious assault on the art committee's independence. "A lot of people didn't like it because they thought it refl ect- ed badly on the fi rm that some- how this was a comment on the work product or the lawyers," Mohtadi explains. "It's obvi- ously not just about garbage, although that's what inspired it. It's about collecting, recycling, and looking into things." Th e group's commitment to contemporary Canadian art hasn't always gone down well at a fi rm whose very name evokes conservatism. "Contemporary art is not everyone's cup of tea," Mohtadi says. "People have a particular idea about art and what appeals to them." But over time, many lawyers have come around, to the point where the most controversial purchases are now centrepieces of the collection. "Some things we have in the collection would have been intensely disliked or misunderstood at fi rst, but it's all part of the fun of understanding art and appreciating it," Mohtadi says. "Like a lot of other things, you have to give it time." For those of a more traditional disposition, the Jim Baillie room, named after a senior lawyer at the fi rm, features some Group of Seven works and several pieces donated by Baillie himself. CLL enhance_list CL.indd 1 hen one of Guido Molinari's trademark abstract artworks ar- Despite its conservative image, firm willing to put controversial works on its walls making process that lawyers go through on a daily basis," McK- enna says. Art Some of the artwork at Torys llP: Currencies, 1950s & '60s by Renée Van Halm; With the light (On My View) by Pascal Grandmaison; and Garbage Bag by Kelly Wood. Five years ago, when the fi rm's most recent renovation began, Marianne McKenna, a found- ing partner at KPMB Architects who was in charge of the project, wanted to make sure the changes refl ected the fi rm's long commit- ment to its art collection. "My recommendation was to hang it on the art and make a space that takes art really well," she says. Torys also took the oppor- tunity to commission two new unusual works. Th e move came after McKenna saw another fi rm mounting art on the removable divider walls that split up huge conference rooms into smaller meeting spaces. "Th ey had done it in a very minimal way," she says. "My thought was if we're going to do this, let's just do the whole wall. Go big or go home. I'm not embarrassed to use a good idea, but let's just do it in a more powerful way." As a result, the fi rm selected two artists to design art that and the Inspired by Lake Ontario, Toronto artist Robert Fones superimposed a passage from Don Quixote on top of im- ages of the water, while Pas- cal Grandmaison of Montreal fi lled each of his walls with a pensive face photographed from diff erent angles. "It's about the serious decision- Th e walls then fold up into the ceiling, leaving a thin strip of the artist's work visible even they're not in use. Th e logistics when of would fi ll the walls Law work until after they of the rooms on the north and south sides of the building. the project meant the artists were un- able to see the fi nal were installed in the conference rooms. "We actually got to see the work before the art- ists," Mohtadi says. "Nobody really knew how it was going to turn out because we hadn't done anything like it, but they were happy and surprised at how well it worked." LT Th is is the third instalment in the Law Times summer series looking at law fi rms' art collections. Looking for new business leads? an enhanced listing on CANADIANLAWLIST.com works for you! Get an enhanced listing on www.canadianlawlist.com. It's Canada's most popular and reliable online network for the legal community, bringing thousands of lawyers together with clients each year. It is a highly efficient, cost-effective and convenient online vehicle to advertise your firm, your practice or your website. With an enhanced listing on www.canadianlawlist.com, you'll stand out to an expansive Canadian audience that visits to this website everyday. When you want to drive more traffic to your practice, www.canadianlawlist.com is the name potential clients and practitioners know best. So, what's in a name? Everything when you're Canadian. The enhanced listing includes the option of: • Firm or personal profile • Live web link • Up to 5 areas of practice chosen from our searchable list • The option of adding your firm logo (on line only) BONUS! Your enhanced listing appears in all three versions of Canadian Law List: Internet, Print and CD-ROM Book your enhanced listing today! CANADIANLAWLIST.com To learn more about this service or sign up today, call Colleen Austin 1.800.263.2037 ext 4207 caustin@canadalawbook.ca • canadalawbook.ca www.lawtimesnews.com 7/19/10 2:02:42 PM T or ys not afraid to raise eyebrows through art Photos: Michael McKiernan

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