Dave Todaro‘s latest series of paintings currently on show at Maison Kasini is based on a simple semantic twist. In his series Switch Todaro substitutes the elements of wildlife’s natural habitat with props from human technology. Like a cuckoo Todaro sneaks light bulbs, power cords and amps into his paintings. A lonely hummingbird finds that its honeysuckle blossom has turned into a wall plug; a surprised pair of swallows circle a power bar suspended in mid-air, the tangle of wires standing in for branches of a tree. Vivid orange spheres dominate the compositions, the loud, plasticy hue contrasting with the subtlety of the bare wood Todaro uses as support for his paintings.

The word “switch” carries a double-meaning: the switching of a bird’s nest for a power meter, but also the action of flipping the switch. Each time we turn on an electrical appliance there are consequences, and Todaro’s work highlights the impact our need for power has on the animal world.

Maison Kasini, space 408
Dave Todaro
Switch
September 15 – October 15, 2011
www.maisonkasini.com