HOLR is breaking down The Prisoner Wine’s exclusive art series in collaboration with multimedia artist Justin Broadbent, created to highlight Canadian artists defying convention.
Founded on the philosophy that fearless thinking leads to bold ideas, The Prisoner Wine Co. is a brand that forsakes the rules for the purpose of progress. This fall, The Prisoner collaborated with multidisciplinary Canadian artist, Justin Broadbent on an exclusive art series that championed the brand’s ‘defy convention’ ethos and artistic roots. In this campaign, The Prisoner Wine spotlighted five exceptional Canadian artists who each embody this idea of defying convention through their respective creative endeavors in visual art and music.
Since The Prisoner Wine is all about challenging the status quo, this partnership made sense for both the brand and Broadbent, who claimed that the two shared similar mindsets in terms of what it means to defy conventions.“I feel that when you’re defying convention, part of that is defying your own comfort,” says Broadbent. “And so for me, it involves stopping before I want to stop or just like allowing myself to try something that’s maybe a little bit outside of my comfort zone.”
The final artwork consisted of five unique pieces that highlight Canadian artists Madeline Gross, Sandeep Johal, Aaron Paris, Adeyemi Adegbesan, and Tabban Soleimani as subjects throughout the immersive space.
All About The Artist Subjects
An ardent lover of painting and photography, Madeline Gross experimented with both mediums before she ended up combining the two. Embodying a creative spirit nourished and encouraged by her mother, the LA-born and Toronto-raised artist focuses on mixed media work to share her abstracted reality. “I take all my photos —from my day-to-day to my travels—so it’s all very personal,” claims Gross. “And then I paint over them, with no faces, focusing solely on paint strokes, colours, and movement. It carves out space for viewers to see themselves in my work.”
Sandeep Johal’s parents immigrated to Kelowna, B.C. from Punjab, India, in the early 70s, raising her to operate within her family’s expectations. Having spent much of her life working to meet those expectations she found something shifted when she followed her heart and pursued her artistic passions. “When there’s no one modeling that sort of intangible thing you have your mind set on, you often can’t explain an abstract vision like that to people,” says Johal. “[Defying convention] means following your path. The act of fulfilling your purpose is an act of bravery. I chose an unconventional path. And honestly, anything worth doing takes time.”
Having played violin from a young age, Aaron Paris–a Toronto-born and raised producer, composer, and musician–always knew he wanted to do music. As a teen and questioning his relationship with classical music, he picked up the guitar.
“The classical world is built on centuries of conventions and I needed a new outlet, so I took up guitar. I started playing in bands and it was a reminder of what it feels like to enjoy and have fun with music. I started to learn about production by this point, and that’s when I really fell in love.”
Merging his passion for violin with everything he learned through guitar, rap, and hip-hop, he is dedicated to breaking down the barriers of the classical world and pushing the boundaries of string composition and recording. Paris has undoubtedly demonstrated that authenticity and an unwavering commitment to doing what you love can foster some amazing results.
Adegbesan, also known as Yung Yemi, is a talented Toronto-based multi-disciplinary artist using his work to examine the intersectionality of Black identity. Beyond his work, Yemi embodies gratitude and leads with his heart to capture the richness of his experiences–and the experiences of his community–through his practice.
Perseverance and rising to the occasion have been core tenets in Yemi’s life. “Challenging the status quo has been a core value —I believe in having a solid internal compass, with no harm done to others, of course. My intention as an artist is to scratch my own itch, for lack of better words. I’m not trying to appeal to someone else’s sensibilities. You have to trust your intuition and learn to honour your inner voice. Ultimately, my creative vision is rooted in what’s important to me.”
Soleimani, an award-winning artist and designer, was born in Tehran, Iran, having moved to Toronto with her family at age nine. Self-expression and curiosity have been a driving force in her life–from then until now, and will likely continue to be. “I can’t remember the first time I picked up a crayon; it’s always been a part of me,” says Soleimani in regard to her passion for art. “I’ve always seen the world in shapes and colours. Even when I read, my eyes are drawn to the shape of letters before the words they come together to make. My mom championed me after seeing just how much joy art brought into my life.”
“Being able to live in my full expression and being authentic will allow others around me to do the same. It’s my purpose. Daring to be different doesn’t necessarily mean going against the grain just because you can. It means being authentic to myself. I let my intuition and my spirit guide me.” Whether it’s a feeling in her gut, her heart or her mind, Tabban’s intuition shows up in a visceral way. “There’s this voice that lives inside me, and I think everyone has it. It gets very loud when I go against what’s authentic. And so I’ve let that voice guide me when I am unsure of which direction to move in.”
The exciting art series was exhibited for one night only on November 16th at Five Brock in Toronto.
All About The Brand: The Prisoner Wine
The Prisoner Wine Co. is all about enjoying the finer things in life. Since 2000, the brand has been shattering the boundaries of the luxury wine celebrating art, creativity, and those that go beyond limitations. As the brand has grown to include a variety of blends with provocative label designs, it continues to be a bold and innovative disruptor in the luxury wine space.
The Prisoner Red Blend can be found at the LCBO for $57.95.
Get To Know Justin Broadbent
Justin Broadbent is an accomplished Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges from illustration, installations, photography, and large-scale murals to music video direction, branding, and design.
Broadbent has received several accolades—notably a Juno for the Record Package of The Year for Metric. In addition to being commissioned by global brands like Facebook, Amazon, and Honda, Justin is also a celebrated curator and art director, having worked with The Gardiner Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Working successfully across various mediums, Broadbent’s work is inspired by the impossibility of a seed becoming a tree, thrift stores, clever lyrics, and human perseverance. He spends his spare time adding to his collection of porcelain cat figurines that adorn the mantle of his Toronto studio.
More Information
Be sure to visit theprisonerwinecompany.com for more information, and check out the brand on Instagram here.
Check out Justin Broadbent’s work here.
Published by HOLR Magazine.