The Toronto intellectual property lawyer writes about her brother Gary Taxali who is a well-known Canadian artist and whose work is known internationally
I am a lawyer and art agent in Toronto and I owe a lot of my success and passion in the art world to my artist brother Gary.
Growing up Indian in Canada, I was surrounded by a lot of Indian friends and gatherings. The mentality of Indians when I grew up was to become a doctor, lawyer, dentist or other professional. Being an artist was not considered a profession by many in the community.
However, my parents were different. I never heard them tell us that we have to become a doctor or lawyer. I did well in academics and sports such as tennis and track. My brother was an artist from the moment he could pick up a pencil – even at the age of two. He would draw everywhere – the walls, the desk, the chair. There were drawings everywhere. My parents didn’t say anything about all this beautiful artwork `graffiti’ all over the house. I used his talent to illustrate all my school projects which always impressed the teachers and am sure played a factor in my higher grades. My dad helped my brother draw even better and was a huge supporter.
At Indian parties, I got accolades since I wanted to go to university but I always got asked when my brother was going to give up his `hobby’ of being an artist. They meant well, but I found this condescending attitude towards my brother very disappointing.
My mother cried tears of joy when my brother got into the Ontario College of Art – she was so proud that he was going to be an artist. I ended up going to McMaster to study in special arts and science program where I could take both philosophy and science at the same time since I was both left brain, right brain. I then ended up in law school and then becoming an entertainment lawyer working at Citytv/MuchMusic, etc., before becoming an art agent as well.
My brother started doing well as an illustrator and getting jobs in major magazines and publications even while he was still studying. He started getting jobs with Saturday Night Magazine, Toronto Life magazine, Financial Times of Canada, Newsweek, etc. He was happy all the time.
I started working with Gary first as his lawyer over 10 years ago when someone tried to steal his copyright for his iconic toy sculpture, the Toy Monkey. I pursued them and won. Later, I became more of an agent and business manager when I threw a launch event for his children’s book for Scholastic called “This Is Silly!” at the AGO. It got a full page in the Globe and Mail and over 600 attendees at the launch.
Since then, I have managed his media and events for art and product launches such as the toy line with Chapters Indigo, the mens pocket squares with Harry Rosen, etc.
It is because of Gary that I became an art agent and got into the art world. I have been Chair of the Canadian Art Gala and am on the boards of the Art Gallery of Mississauga and Mural Routes. I work with artists and have done speaking engagements at the Illustration Conference and others. I occasionally teach an intellectual property course in continuing studies at OCAD U.
I have my own intellectual property law practice at Entcounsel (www.entcounsel.com). I also started a startup on art and blockchain called Artcryption (www.artcryption.com) to protect, sell and track art assets on the blockchain, which wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for working with my brother. I get to use both my legal and business skills but also design skills and knowledge of the art world – all thanks to my brother. I graduated from the Founder Institute, an accelerator for startups and now in Founders Lab. My company has a deal with Samsung where we are designing and creating artist designed themes for Samsung for the Samsung Theme Store which is very exciting.
A few years ago, when Gary was honoured at the Desi Achievement Awards I was happy that he was finally recognized by the Indian community. I hoped his recognition would encourage children of Indian origin to become artists. In 2015, Gary was invited to teach a workshop at the National Institute of Design in Bangalore in India.
Actor Kal Penn, who follows him on twitter, is also a huge fan of Gary’s work.
It is really nice to see that his popularity is growing in the Indian community. I am so proud of my brother. He opened up the art world for me.
All about Gary Taxali
If you happen to see some artwork on traffic boxes around Toronto, it is by Chandigarh-born Gary (Gaurav) Taxali who is a known name in the Canadian art world.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, Lazarides, Jonathan Levine Gallery and The Andy Warhol Museum, etc, feature his artwork.
Gary’s work has also featured in publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, GQ, Esquire, Reader’s Digest, and Rolling Stones and can also be seen in products (Royal Canadian Mint coins), designer toys (collaboration with Chapters Indigo) and fashion (collaboration with Harry Rosen with his art on pocket squares).
Paramount Pictures, MTV, Sony, Coca Cola, etc, have been his clients.
Gary, who was just one when his parents immigrated to Canada, does mixed-media works and paintings with a retro pop art aesthetic often utilizing found objects and distressed surfaces as his canvas, narrating his “preoccupation of constant paradoxes such as human relationships, love, isolation […] economic despair and frustration.”
He has won hundreds of awards, including a Grammy nomination for his album cover artwork for Aimee Mann’s Smilers in 2009, and most recently a Gold by the Society of Illustrators in New York for his work “NO,” denouncing the Klu Klux Klan. The Library of Congress in the US purchased the piece.
READ ALSO: Indo-Canadian artist Gary Taxali designs 25-Cent coin for Canada
