News And Tidbits

The Décarie Project have launched at Liane And Danny Taran Gallery. Basically a group of "social interventions" in the lyrical sense of the word: art involving the lives of "ordinary people".

I am not here to announce a gallery show, that is not my aim.
I simply insist on pointing on a few a-day-only events that I
think are of relative importance:


On Sunday the 8th of May, Althea Thauberger
is presenting a choral concert that she organized
with people living in the neighborhood of the gallery.
It's at 16h30 at 5170 Chemin Côte St Catherine (metro
of the same name, but expect a 10 minute walk).


On Sunday the fifth of June, at noon, there will be a group
crawl performance organized by non-other than William Pope L.,
the "friendliest black artist of America", whom I
consider to be a landmark (no pun intended)performance artist,
also involved with sculpture, film, installation, painting, and web art.

Here is the Hour interview about Montreal project.

There is another good interview here.


There is another intriguing performance by D'bi.Young, who propose you
to follow the path of everyday labour of one worker of the Saydie Bronfman Center,
and move with her to her second nighshift job. That is the 4, 5 and 7 May at 19h.
You need to call for reservation (find the info on the website).


Farine Orpheline will also inhabit the neighborhood in early June with
a certain autocar that you will be able to observe at the gallery exhibition,
along with the results of participatory works already organized this last
season by other participants of this project.


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Manif 3 has started in Quebec.
Yes there is a lotof art to see, but if you can make only one day, try the main exhibit and the Ben Vautier wall painting.

Tommorrow night (30 Avril, 19h) are a couple interventions/performances by Folie Culture, Christian Messier, and what I guess is Matthieu Beauséjour: International Virologie Numismatique.

Look at website for ther events.

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A lot of stuff is going on at Ottawa Art Gallery.

Part of OFF Grid, another exhibit on social interventions, are students projects tomorrow (the 30th), a screening of "socially resistant" video art on the 19th May ("Avert Your Eyes / Stare Back"), and a special project by performance artist victoria Stanton between the 20 and the 24th of May.

Then there is a cool survey of art from Alberta, part of a festival on the matter:
the "Alberta Scene" (if you are like me you are goingto find the opening page very cheesy, but the exhibition
section is huge, including another survey at the National Gallery).


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Elektra kicks off
on the 10th of May, bringing together the major electronic arts events of
Montreal under the gap of a single month, sharing (or actually fighting to get the best artists with) Mutek.

I mean...what is Autechre doing at Elektra?


Nevertheless, don't miss the few installations at Musée D'art Contemporain
and Place Des Arts, notably Rafael-Lozano Hemmer between the 11 and 15th of May at MAC.

Resniper at Usine C Wednesday the 11th sounds like a thrill.

Than "L'Archange" involves an installation by Alain Pelletier. I wonder ifwe can visit it during the day. (12 to 14th May at Station C).

The director of Transmediale gives a talk on the 12th (17h, Usine C)
If you never heard of Transmediale than it is likely you will
not be interested by the sort of activity going on at Elektra. ;-)


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Victoriaville's Festival of Musique Actuelle is kickin on the 19th of May.


As usual tickets are a little bit expensive, but the concerts are generally
of high quality, including both sound and performance.

Zeena Parkins and Ikue Mori is not to be missed for all the great reviews their abum received. Maybe try the Plsatic People Of The Universe right before it. (Friday the 20th of May).


Boredoms are back, so is Tenko. I wonder if I will be.


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Last but not least (I'm short on Toronto for the moment)
is the launching of the Festival Du Théâtre Des Amériques on the 25th of May, one of the best Montreal Festival.

"100 Rencontres" organized by Benoît Lachambre is of interest for this site
for involving both visual artists and performers into a living installation piece
that you can visit at SAT between the 25th and 29th of May (at night, and there is an entry price).

"Cinema Cielo" (Danio Manfredini), "The Room" (Amal El Kenawy), "Biokhraphia" (Lina Saneh, Rabih Mroué), "E" (Alain fraçon), and "Je Ne Sais Pas Si Vous Êtes Comme Moi" (a collective walk performance) are my suggestions.

Ok...maybe add to this the new play by Theatre Ubu.
Check the site for programmation.


At least one or two of these will mark you as some of the best art moments
of the year, as is always the case with each FTA.



Cheers,

Cedric Caspesyan
centiment@hotmail.com