And the spectacular September filled with art marches on. There’s so much more on the go this week that art is springing up everywhere.
Remembering Our Loved Ones with Art
The third annual Equinox Vigil will be filling the Union Cemetery with art and memories this Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Equinox Vigil
This Saturday is the perfect example of how many amazing and unique arts events take place in this fine city of ours. Like the third annual Equinox Vigil.
Ten visual artists, poets and musicians will gather in the Union Cemetery (Spiller Road at 28 Avenue SE) to pay respects to deceased loved ones in this free, family friendly, non-religious, event.
Dubbed as a creative and meaningful event to honour the dead, it’s inspired by global cultural traditions like Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations.
Started by local artist and social activist Sharon Steven, she describes the Vigil as a non-religious, yet sacred event to honour the dead and reflect on the natural cycle of life and death.
“By performing simple acts like adding personal mementoes to shrines or joining a lantern procession, each visitor to Equinox Vigil becomes part of a community drawing close to mourn its deceased through art and ritual,” explains Sharon in a statement.
Colourful shrines and art installations are created by professional artists and come alive through public participation. Poet Laureate Emeritus Kris Demeanor will be on hand performing his poetry and song, as will the Union Choir and Hear Lies Henry poetry reading by Laura Parken amongst others. There’ll even be a chance for visitors to create personal memorial tributes in a craft tent and post messages in honour of departed loved ones at the digital shrine.
The third annual Equinox Vigil in Union Cemetery takes place this Saturday, September 20, from 6:30 to 9:30pm. The event is free, family-friendly and welcomes all, regardless of whether they have loved ones interred at Union Cemetery. And don’t forget to bring a flashlight too.
Nuit Blanche To Light Up Downtown
Also taking place this Saturday is the return of Nuit Blanche – a free, sunset-to-late night, contemporary performance art festival.
Again taking over Olympic and Municipal plazas, the evening will be filled with 10 time-based performance art events including a sound installation, an all-night breakfast, AstroArt Space Corps and many more.
Nuit Blanche Calgary has also expanded to include projects and performances produced and supported by local community organizations, artists and partners in this year’s program including the aforementioned Equinox Vigil.
One that I’m most interested in is Fermentation – an interactive media art installation that begins in research and extends into a period of procrastination that includes thought, time, avoidance, and stimulation by an array of activities and sensory elements.
Taking over the JJ Young Room at the EPCOR Centre, the installation is intended to over-stimulate while inducing a sense of play and disorder. Using multiple 16mm projections, camera less animation, slide projectors, cassette and record players, View-Masters, fermented food and more, Gerry Morita and Patrick Arès-Pilon have joined forces with EMMEDIA & CSIF to present this unique and very cool installation.
Nuit Blanche Calgary takes place Saturday, September 20 from 7pm to 1am.
La Caravan Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Maya Lewandowsky invites you all to a night of amazement during their annual fundraiser – La Soiree.
Photo by Katy Whitt courtesy of La Caravan Dance Theatre
Head to La Soiree
There are bunches of worthwhile arts fundraisers every year in Calgary. But if you’re looking for something unique, mesmerizing and magical, La Caravan Dance Theatre’s annual La Soiree is the place to be.
Taking place this Saturday September 20 at an exquisite private residence, the night will feature performances from La Caravan Dance Theatre and special guest artists, an auction of once-in-a-lifetime experiences (how would you like to have a swarm of live gargoyles for Halloween?), delectable food and customized soiree cocktails.
It’s going to be one decadent party but the real goal is to raise funds to support the creation of a new dance opera based on Rumi’s poetry.
Tickest are $120 regular with a student and artist special available. All the details can be found here.
Video courtesy of La Caravan Dance Theatre
Venus in Fur is Titillating and Commanding
Amanda Lisman and Tim Campbell star in Venus in Fur, running until September 27 at Alberta Theatre Projects.
Photo courtesy of Alberta Theatre Projects
Alberta Theatre Projects consistently delivers amazing productions filled with intrigue and top-notch performances. So when I say their latest production, Venus in Fur, is amongst their best, you can begin to grasp how stunning it is.
The show explores the art of role-playing and features a director (played by Tim Campbell) trying to cast the part of his newest play based on the classic erotic novel Venus in Furs. Having no luck, he’s about to throw in the towel when a mysterious and fiery actress (Amanda Lisman) runs in and grabs his attention with her bag of tricks.
Blending the lines between the play she’s auditioning for and reality, the two enter a sexually charged game of cat and mouse whilst challenging the norms of sexual conventions and gender roles.
The show is funny but also breathtaking. The quick pace and back-and-forth between roles, keeps the audience on their toes but the masterful acting from the two stars – especially Amanda Lisman – transports you away, to whatever world their portraying that instance on stage. Yes the show is sexual, but that almost seems secondary to the exchanges between the two characters. Even days later I catch myself replaying parts of the show in my mind, examining what this line meant in context to the ending, something rarely accomplished by a stage production.
Venus in Fur runs until September 27 in the Martha Cohen Theatre.
Don’t Miss the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge
Before and after. Here’s a sneak peak at my chair going up for auction as part of the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge at the Calgary Home + Design Show this week.
Photos by Amy Jo Espetveidt, Quadrophonic Image
I don’t want to give to much away, but the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge returns to the Calgary Home + Design Show this week and I’m participating in it all in the name of charity.
My chair – entitled CHESS! – is looking pretty spiffy and I’m putting the finishing touches on it as we speak.
The Ultimate Upcycle Challenge 2: ChairLIFT, is a charitable upcycling initiative and will feature pre-loved chairs that have been upcycled into fabulous new creations by local media personalities, designers, and tastemakers, with all proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta.
“The Ultimate Upcycle Challenge was one of our most popular features at last fall’s Calgary Home + Design Show, and we couldn’t wait to bring it back,” says show manager Teri Salazar in a statement. “Environmentally-friendly and design-savvy, upcycling hits all the right notes with today’s clever homeowners. We know this will be our best showing yet!”
The restored designs will be up for grabs at a silent auction in Hall B, where show-goers can place bids on chairs designed by an amazing group of awesome YYC creatives including Avenue Magazine’s Ricky Zayshley and Jaelyn Molyneux, I’m Mr. Fabulous blogger Ryan Massel, Founder & Creative Director at The Heather Company Heather Draper, President & CEO of Calgary Arts Development Patti Pon and more.
So, come down to the show and make sure you head to Hall B to see all the finished designs.
And check back on Calgary is Awesome later this week for the full scoop on the finished project, show details and more.
Photo by Leesa Connelly courtesy of Third Street Theatre
Third Street Theatre opens with X
Calgary’s very own queer theatre company – Third Street Theatre – is kicking off their season this week with a not-to-be-missed touring production.
X by Sunny Drake explores addiction and asks what’s your guilty pleasure?
Using stunning stop motion animation, whimsical puppets and sharp live performance, this fast-paced one-man show is grounded in, but not limited to LGBTQ experiences. The show is a unique, humourous and honest look at addictions, vices and things many of us like to pretend we don’t have an affinity towards.
“Sunny morphs his own hands into realistic human puppets. Combined with his other multimedia, these scenic elements materialize into compelling representations of the characters’ fleeting grasp on their behavior and their susceptibility in the face of substances and circumstances beyond their control,” explains Artistic Director Jonathan Brower in a statement.
The internationally touring piece was a recent festival winner at Toronto’s prestigious SummerWorks Festival, and is currently on a cross-Canada tour.
“I am really thrilled to be doing work that is presented specifically by a queer theatre company, as much as I absolutely love non-queer presenters presenting my work, there is definitely something very special to entrust my work into the hands of queer theatre presenters,” says creator Sunny Drake in a statement. “For me it’s really important to be responsive to what local folks think will be received well and I really trusted Artistic Director, Jonathan Brower’s opinion that X would be relevant, engaging and exciting for a Calgary audience.”
The company is also hosting subsequent community workshops – Trans 101 & Telling Your Story by Sunny Drake – hosted by Hillhurst United Church (1227 Kensington Close NW) on September 21 from 1pm to 5:30pm. Workshop details here.
X by Sunny Drake runs September 16 to 20 at EPCOR Centre’s MOTEL space. A special matinee on Saturday, September 20 will include an American Sign Language interpreter (ASL). All performances are wheelchair accessible.
Arts Out and About
And if that wasn’t enough to keep your arts craving satisfied, there’s even more on the go this week.
This Thursday, you should all go to Art Up Calgary.
It’s up. Really up. The annual elevated art event will be taking place on the Calgary Tower Observation Deck from 5pm to 9pm and features new original art for sale from 20 local artists including Teresa Grasby, Scott Mackenzie, Corinne Clark and more.
Admission is free with RSVP (limited number available so get on it).
Art Up Calgary goes down this Thursday, September 18 at the Calgary Tower. Details here.
On Friday, September 19, you are all invited to come down and check out the Bee Kingdom’s current show at the Glenbow Museum before it closes on September 28.
They’re throwing a closing party starting at 8pm and it includes a tour of their Iconoclasts in Glass exhibition, live entertainment and $5 Village Brewery Beer.
Tickets are $5 at the door and the Bees themselves will be on hand to talk art.
If you’re out and about swing by the new Windsor Park Fire Station (5536 4th St SW) and check out Calgary’s newest public art piece, Under the Helmet.
Installed as part of the City of Calgary Public Art Program, the piece was created by Canadian artist, Ilan Sandler. Amazingly Ilan began the installation on Monday, September and, despite the record snowfall last week, completed the install on schedule on Thursday, September 11.
The piece consists of a large linear aluminum sculpture of a fire fighter’s helmet that nearly rests against the station and viewers can walk right up under the piece to check it out closer.
Another great ticket this Thursday is to check out the closing reception for the current EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts +15 Window Galleries (205 8th Avenue SE).
One of the coolest is Yvonne Mullock’s Ignorance on Trial at the Untitled Contemporary Art +15 Window. A mixed media and collage based installation, the piece is a surreal landscape of Vogue catalogue manicured hands and botanical images of fungi that collide in a playful and unnerving interrogation of both plant and human sexuality.
The reception takes place this Thursday, September 18 from 6pm to 7pm with drinks to follow at Wine-Oh’s
And another great visual arts treat is taking place at Newzones.
This month they’re presenting Home Grown – two solo shows by two amazing Alberta artists.
Both Bradley Harms and Samantha Walrod will be in attendance for the opening receptions this Saturday, September 20 from 1pm to 4pm.
Bradley Harms’ Marble Hydras showcases his talents in abstract painting and uses his medium as a tool to address the contemporary experience.
In Majestic Wanderer, Samantha Walrod continues to explore painting and collage in her investigation into the relationship between man and nature. Her pieces are mesmerizing and hauntingly beautiful.
Both shows open this Saturday, September 20 and run until October 18.
In the film front, this is a crazy busy week with the Calgary International Film Festival taking place.
But if you have the time, the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers will be presenting the Calgary stop on Bent Light Collective’s Western Canadian tour.
These five innovative artists based out of Winnipeg reimagine cinema using 16mm film, hand processing, photocopier cinematography, DIY projectors and performances.
New works by the collective will be screened at EMMEDIA on Wednesday, September 17 and Filmmaker Andrew John Milne will be leading a Q & A after the screening.
The Bent Light Collective Screening goes down this September 17 at 8pm at EMMEDIA Production Society (Suite 203, 351 11 Ave SW). Admission by donation.
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra just started their new seasons and it’s an uber busy week for them with all things Bond.
You Only Live Twice: The CPO’s Bond Cocktail Party takes place this Thursday, September 18 from 7pm to 11pm at the Christine Klassen Gallery and doubles as a fundraiser for the orchestra.
Experience an evening of hors d’oeuvres, “Bond-esque” cars, photographers and the musical talents of Broadway stars Capathia Jenkins and Ron Bohmer. Wear your best attire and make Mr Bond jealous.
Tickets are $175 and includes appetizers and signature drink tickets.
Then make sure to check out 50 Years of James Bond – part of the CPO’s POPS series – on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
Featuring Ron Bohmer and Capathia Jenkins with Conductor John Morris Russell, it’s going to be a great show.
This week is also the kick off for the Calgary International Flamenco Festival.
Running September 20 to 27, the festival showcases the beautiful art of Flamenco and kicks off with a performance by Calgary born dancer Fiona Malena as well as performances by Andrés Peña, Carmen Romero, Karen Flamenco and many other local, national and international dancers and musicians. Details here.
And if you’re already looking towards next week, Alberta Printmakers’ PIY Festival is happening in conduction with Alberta Culture Days on September 27 and they need your help.
A/P is looking for volunteers to help out with two shifts for lino cutting, t-shirt silkscreening and photography.
Interested? Email Carrie and help out if you can.
Do you have something awesome coming up and want to be part of the Calgary Arts Round Up? Drop me a line at amy @ calgaryisawesome.com!