See It: “Signals in the Dark” in Toronto

As war and armed conflict continue to dominate media headlines worldwide, the exhibition “Signals in the Dark” takes a timely look at the way contemporary artists respond to the social, political and aesthetic implications of military intervention. It’s a complex issue, to be sure, and curator Séamus Kealy has done an admirable job of presenting a wide range of global and local perspectives that unpack the many layers of interpretation. Take, for instance, Turkish artist Köken Ergun’s video I, Soldier, which depicts the dangerous satire of a massively aggrandized, state-controlled celebration of national identity. Or A Tank Translated by artist Omer Fast, which positions video interviews with an Israeli tank crew stationed in Gaza as a four-part installation that turns the naive bravado of battlefront experience into an exaggerated narrative of Hollywood proportions. Or Anri Sala’s NATURALMYSTIC (tomahawk #2), which reveals the long-term trauma of wartime on civilians in video footage of a Belgrade resident who has the uncanny ability to mimic, without emotion, the terror-inducing whine of a falling Tomahawk missile. Considering all of the works gathered for the exhibition, Kealy offers no neat conclusions. It is instead a selection that relies on the viewer’s own experience and ability to confront the tragedy and truth of war. (7 Hart House Circ and 3359 Mississauga Rd N, Toronto ON)