So, according to my sister's boyfriend, who witnessed it, there was a nude jumper this morning on the DVP. He jumped off one of the overpasses near the BMW facility (either Queen St or Eastern Ave). Of course, they didn't bother to tell us that on the evening news. Instead, Global gave us a report of increased cycle-cops around schools to intimidate the 16 year old out on bail (whose face was graciously blurred).

Now, I understand that there's something like at least one suicide a week on the TTC, but they don't want to make the actual numbers public. It would seem they prefer the accuracy of innuendo and rumour. The same is true for people like this morning's fellow, who (if successful) chose to leave the earth as buck naked as when he arrived. I'll credit him with some performance art originality.

But why the silence? Why do news editors everywhere think we should care about the car wrecks and murders? I haven't been murdered lately, I don't plan to be anytime soon. But what business is it of yours if I am? The same goes for the car accident. If anything, that'll be between the insurance companies. I'll concede it's everyone's business inasmuch as it ties up traffic, but beyond that I don't want or need to know.

I spent a week in Maine at the end of July, mostly reading fat books but every now and then giving my mind a rest with some channel surfing. The impression I got from my sampling of pure American television was that their reputation for being not to bright seemed well deserved. In that broadcast environment, even PBS looked dopey. I found myself really missing TVO and the CBC.

But, having come to see how great the CBC is, and how important it is to our television recipes, I can't say I very much care about the current lockout. Because it's been August, and I see it as part of the vacation - the usual cancon channels on radio and TV are whacked and so what? I can handle it. It'll be over eventually. In addition, I do have lots of books to read and TV is mostly a waste of time, especially in the summer. I also have a new gig which means I'm not doing my regular home-office hours anymore, with CBC Newsworld on it the kitchen to give me something to listen to - I'm out and about and ignoring daytime TV.

It's been a while since I posted ... been a busy summer and such. And my art grumpiness has reached the level of 'why bother?' and so I've avoided a lot of shows in favour of reading biographies of Goethe. But on Friday night, I went out to the opening at Zsa Zsa, since it was the last show there ever.

I still think it's safe to ride the subway.

I'm tempted to say 'get a grip' but it seems that the only people freaking out about the potential for terrorism in Canada, and in Toronto for that matter, are the news editors at the traditional outlets. I mean, remember a week ago, under these sweltering blue skies, when talk was on how crappy the Live 8 was and how the biggest threat to Canada was Karla Homolka, that psychopathic windbag who threatened to blow and blow and blow until our whole civil society came crashing down?

And then, Thursday morning, in London England, some bombs go off. Suddenly, Canada's provincial sense of inferiority is nowhere to be found. Suddenly, all of our insecurities about not being able to play with the big boys are gone, because 'oh my god, we're next!'

I'll make this short for once, because there's not a lot to say beyond this: if you want to check out a year's worth of Queen West shows in one weekend, make your way over to City Hall between Friday and Sunday to see all the art-stars and wannabes on display. I always find the stuff the art students are doing (who tend to be relegated to their own marginal section) to be worth checking out. Here's the PR:

--------------------

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
July 8, 9, 10, 2005

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall
Free Admission * Rain or Shine
Hours: July 8, 10am-8pm; July 9, 10am-7pm; and July 10, 10am-6pm.

Find paintings, drawings, sculptures, fibre works, jewelry, watercolours, metal works, original prints, ceramics, glass, wood works, mixed media works, and photographs by 530 artists and craftspeople!

Preview the artists' work at www.torontooutdoorart.org

Win a $500 Art Shopping Spree! Tickets are $5 each. Buy them at the TOAE office or at the Main Information Booth at Nathan Phillips Square during the show.

For more information: 416.408.2754 or toae@torontooutdoorart.org

img: Scott Waters, Domestic: Cardinal, 2004, oil on wallpaper

Earlier this week I posted an email interview with Matt Crookshank, who is showing with Lisa Pereira at Gallery 61 until July 3. This is the interview with her I mentioned would be upcoming. I first met Lisa two years ago, the same night that Andrew Harwood asked me to be part of the Michael Jackson show that he curated with Lex Vaughan and which got a lot of press. In almost every review - which seemed to be in every paper - Lisa's video was mentioned, which was a surprising accomplishment for someone who at the time had told me wasn't sure if she'd flunked out of OCAD or not. (In the end she did have to take a year off due to academic probation, and is due to graduate next year).

Lisa's video consists of porn culled from various sources and as I describe below, a sampling of different perversions and fetishes. The most amazing thing about it for me was that I learned that it is possible for someone to fuck themselves.

Here's her PR:

12 Signs of the Apocalypse Lisa Pereira 2005
This video provides 12 Zodialogical pearls of wisdom and is the Kama
Sutra of the 21st century (and not as boring). Like a diver finding
a filthy oyster at the bottom of a sewage treatment plant, this video
will certainly pay off in the long run (whatever that means).