We tend to speak of success as if it's self-made—an isolated force of will or talent. But sometimes, it's a conversation. A connection. A quiet, decisive nudge in the right direction.
I was reminded of that last week while listening to Tim Whiten, the brilliant Toronto-based artist whose work has long blurred the line between matter and meaning. I first discovered him through Olga Korper Gallery—and after hearing him speak, I found myself even more drawn to the person behind the pieces.
What unfolded was more than an artist talk. It was a meditation on mentorship, the nature of consciousness, and the mysterious ways lives intertwine to shape what we call art—and who we become in the process.
🌀 One Encounter Away: Tim Whiten, Olga Korper, and the Echoes of Influence
I first discovered Tim Whiten a few years ago through Olga Korper Gallery—a place I’ve always considered more sanctuary than showroom. I admired his work then. I admire it even more now, after hearing him speak.
Whiten’s current exhibition, “A Little Bit of Light” at the Art Gallery of Ontario, showcases over five decades of exploration—spiritual, intellectual, and human. Glass, crystal, bone, cotton, leather—his materials are metaphors. His work isn’t meant to be explained, but experienced. The result is art that feels less like a product and more like a presence.
And yet, as profound as the art is, what struck me most was the story behind it.
🔍 The Power of One Person
During the talk, Whiten mentioned several people who shaped his path. His mother, who insisted on learning as a way of being. Oscar Oppenheimer, a philosopher-psychologist who guided his thinking. But one name echoed loudest: Olga Korper.
He said it plainly: “Without Olga, who would I be?”
Would someone else have played her role? Would he have found another way? Maybe. But maybe not in the same way, or with the same reach. It’s a reminder that a single person—an advocate, a curator, a friend—can shift the course of a life.
This isn’t just a story about mentorship. It’s about presence. About how one moment, one encounter, can widen a door that changes everything.
🧠A Philosopher’s Hand, A Psychologist’s Heart
Tim Whiten’s background is in philosophy and psychology, and you feel it in every part of his work.
His art doesn’t answer questions. It invites them. It resists categorization—sometimes even the label “art.” What he creates is a form of human investigation: part ritual, part reflection.
He once said that “experience precedes language.” And so, when you engage with his installations—glass that becomes metaphor, cobalt that seems to guard—you’re not just observing. You’re participating.
đź”® From Darkness to Light
Across the exhibition, recurring motifs of transition—dense to transparent, darkness to light—mirror Whiten’s own spiritual evolution. These aren’t just sculptures or symbols. They’re allegories, as he put it, of a path that is always unfolding.
You might see something different each time you look. That’s by design. Multiple interpretations. Multiple entry points. Self-discovery as a living process.
Tim Whiten reminds us of the things we forget in our optimized, outcome-obsessed world:
👉 Learning is the student’s responsibility.
👉 The work holds no answers, only questions.
👉 The body is a vessel pointing to what can’t be seen.
👉 And one person—one gallerist, one mentor, one moment—can leave an indelible mark.
It’s a little bit of light. And a lot of truth.
The exhibition “Tim Whiten: A Little Bit of Light” is on now at the Art Gallery of Ontario, in partnership with the Gershon Iskowitz Foundation.
#ContemporaryArt #OlgaKorperGallery #ArtGalleryOfOntario #SelfDiscovery #ArtAsExperience
Peggy Van de Plassche is a seasoned advisor with over 20 years of experience in financial services, healthcare, and technology. She specializes in guiding boards and C-suite executives through transformational change, leveraging technology and capital allocation to drive growth and innovation. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, Peggy also brings unique expertise in navigating complex issues and fostering public-private partnerships—key elements in shaping the Future of Business. Her skill set includes strategic leadership, capital allocation, transaction advisory, technology integration, and governance. Notable clients include BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. For more information, visit peggyvandeplassche.com.