Daryl Vocat: The Secret of the Midnight Shadow

Much of Toronto-based artist Daryl Vocat’s print-based practice showcases a mastery of the silkscreen process. Producing prints on paper, MDF board, and vinyl banners, his work to date has explored the themes of boyhood, play, and the intricacies of social norms and engagement. In his installation The Secret of the Midnight Shadow figures arise from found, manipulated and redrawn Boy Scout illustrations. Removed from their original contexts, the figures are enlarged to life-size and placed within a realm of ambiguity. Transforming the hallways of the Ulrich Underground into a veritable pop-up book, Vocat creates a space of inversion that is simultaneously playful and menacing while alluding to the underlying layer of violence that can exist through social interaction.