blogTO | Posts by jade

blogTO | Posts by jade http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2008 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:06:01 PDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The Movement Project's How We Forgot Here With a passport and customs declaration form in hand I, along with fifty other people, waited to enter the Walnut Studio Loft last night for the opening of The Movement Project's "How We Forgot Here". A security guard started checking our bags for liquids and asked us to fill out our customs forms. Funny, I never get nervous in airports and immigration but for some reason I was jittery when she grabbed my passport and asked, "Are you a Canadian citizen?"

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/08/the_movement_projects_how_we_forgot_here http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/08/the_movement_projects_how_we_forgot_here Arts Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:39:46 PDT Arts Jade 2008-08-15T16:39:46 Explore China Through Art This Week As all eyes will be on this Friday's Summer Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing. But this week in the city a number of galleries and festivals are aiming to take the spotlight off the athletes and direct our attention to both traditional and contemporary Chinese visual art.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/08/explore_china_through_art_this_week http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/08/explore_china_through_art_this_week Arts Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:42:42 PDT Arts Jade 2008-08-06T15:42:42 All Summer, All Free: Not Quite How I Remember It The Power Plant at Harbourfront Centre has opened its doors to the public All Summer, All Free. This year's major group exhibit, Not Quite How I Remember It is a cohesive collection of visual and aural imagery from fourteen accomplished Canadian and international artists who rehash and sample history and iconic works previously done by other artists. Rather than looking at these as a wistful memory, the exhibiting artists reenact and fuse separate events, making one question the authenticity of the present.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/07/all_summer_all_free_not_quite_how_i_remember_it http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/07/all_summer_all_free_not_quite_how_i_remember_it Arts Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:07:23 PDT Arts Jade 2008-07-31T09:07:23 Live Kangaroos in Nightclub Averted Tonight's This Is Australia event at Richmond St. nightclub This Is London promises to "transform London into the outback" with DJ Chris La Roque's outback mash-up sounds, a chance to win a trip to Australia and... live kangaroos?

blogTO reader Michelle Palmer brought this event to our attention via a Facebook thread initiated by her animal-loving friends. A number of people contacted the club, organizers and animal rights groups such as PETA, protesting the planned appearance of live kangaroos, which would have been caged around the club premises.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/07/live_kangaroos_in_nightclub_averted http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/07/live_kangaroos_in_nightclub_averted Environment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:21:11 PDT Environment Jade 2008-07-26T22:21:11 NOW's Third Annual Designer Challenge Winners
Who doesn't love a cool new tee? NOW Magazine just revealed the grand prize winners of their third annual Designer Challenge, with each design printed onto four different t-shirts. These tees will be sold at various events around the city at $10 each, with all the proceeds going to Art Heart, a charity that supports creativity in visual arts for inner city children, youth and adults. The shirts will make their debut at the NOW booth this coming Sunday, June 29 for Pride Day.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/06/nows_third_annual_designer_challenge_winners http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/06/nows_third_annual_designer_challenge_winners Arts Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:36:05 PDT Arts Jade 2008-06-26T13:36:05 TD Jazz Festival: Amanda Mabro at Supermarket Tonight
As part of the TD Jazz Festival this week, Montreal chanteuse Amanda Mabro will performing at the Supermarket tonight. Amanda's old school belt-out jazz has a sense of theatrical throwback as she mixes in French and German cabaret influences - think Ella Fitzgerald meets Marlena Dietrich more than Jane Monheit. Having just released her Red Rows EP which CBC Radio 1 calls "groundbreaking", Amanda is busy with the jazz festival season with another concert at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal next week. She also produces WAWA (WeAre WomenArtists) which recently wrapped its fourth annual show back in her hometown.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/06/td_jazz_festival_amanda_mabro_at_supermarket_tonight http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/06/td_jazz_festival_amanda_mabro_at_supermarket_tonight Music Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:30:04 PDT Music Jade 2008-06-26T10:30:04 Hexes & Ohs at Steam Whistle's Unsigned
Hexes & Ohs are Heidi Donnelly and Edmund Lam, a Montreal-based electro indiepop duo and real-life couple whose collaborative efforts on-and-off the stage have lasted longer than most modern rock n' roll romances. Their 2005 debut album Goodbye Friend, Welcome Lover generated a lot of buzz on the blogosphere, drawing comparisons to New Order, The Postal Service and friends Woodhands and got them spots on festivals around Canada and across the border such as the CMJ Music Marathon in New York.

After three (long) years, Hexes & Ohs will finally be releasing their follow-up entitled Bedroom Madness this September. The band is currently en route to our fair city for tomorrow night's Unsigned at the Steam Whistle, sharing the stage with Gravity Wave, Bocce and Opopo. I spoke to Edmund this morning and asked - why the bloody hell did it take so long?

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/05/hexes_ohs_at_steam_whistles_unsigned http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/05/hexes_ohs_at_steam_whistles_unsigned Music Thu, 29 May 2008 16:44:42 PDT Music Jade 2008-05-29T16:44:42 OCAD's Hotshots Exhibit at the Steam Whistle
Pictured works by Amanda Rataj, Alex Kisilevich, Lee Kellough, Kirk Wynter, Marino Imperio, Stella Mandrak-Pagani and Raffy Ochoa

It seems like Toronto is being taken over by photography - and photographers (as well as photoenthusiasts) this month. Besides CONTACT, currently showing at the Steam Whistle Brewery is Hotshots, an exhibit featuring the best works of seven third year Photography students from the OCAD. While you wouldn't see this listed in CONTACT's official events guide, Hotshots might be worth a visit if you want to discover fresh, new talent in the city.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/ocads_hotshots_exhibit_at_the_steam_whistle http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/ocads_hotshots_exhibit_at_the_steam_whistle Arts Wed, 21 May 2008 13:56:22 PDT Arts Jade 2008-05-21T13:56:22 Contest: Win the New Sam Roberts Band Album, Signed Lithograph Poster
Love at the End of the World, Sam Roberts Band's highly-anticipated third album debuts in-stores and online today. Recorded in their hometown Montreal, the album takes you on a socio-political road trip "from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" ("Love at the End of the World"), through the stripmalls of North America ("Stripmall Religion") and its final destination "Detroit '67". Love also contains the catchy lead single "Them Kids".

The photograph above was taken during the taping for their MTV Live show airing on Saturday, where the band previewed most of their new tracks to the media and contest winners. Unfortunately majority of the crowd were teenage fans of Panic at the Disco, who were slated to play after. Nonetheless the Canucks held their own and may have taught Panic a thing or two. If you're more a Sam fan and want to be one the first to own the new album plus a gorgeous signed limited edition Chemical City lithograph poster, continue reading for contest details.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/05/contest_win_the_new_sam_roberts_band_album_signed_lithograph_poster http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/05/contest_win_the_new_sam_roberts_band_album_signed_lithograph_poster Music Tue, 20 May 2008 16:23:29 PDT Music Jade 2008-05-20T16:23:29 Shopgirls Presents Gifted: One Day Sale Tomorrow
I usually disagree with the phrase "it is better to give than to receive" but with such precious gift ideas from Shopgirls I wouldn't mind giving... or receiving, specifically if it's the "Domestic Goddess" necklace by Samantha Nemiroff sported by 'Shopgirl', right.

Shopgirls, a precious boutique and gallery in Parkdale, is hosting a one-day sale entitled Gifted tomorrow from 1:00 to 6:00pm. What makes this day special is that Shopgirls' owner Michelle Germain has brought in one-of-a-kind or one-of-a-few gift-inspired pieces such as jewellery, cards, artwork, bags, baby shoes, men's and women's clothing and home decor from 20 new Canadian artisans, sold on that day only. The event also features live jazz and complimentary gift-wrapping.

With Mother's Day this weekend, Father's Day only a month away and wedding season fast approaching, Gifted is the perfect opportunity to find something truly unique to make a loved one smile.

Here is a sneak peek of what you can find at Shopgirls tomorrow.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2008/05/shopgirls_presents_gifted_one_day_sale_tomorrow http://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2008/05/shopgirls_presents_gifted_one_day_sale_tomorrow Fashion & Style Fri, 09 May 2008 13:36:14 PDT Fashion & Style Jade 2008-05-09T13:36:14 No Love For Poster Child?
Image courtesy of Poster Child

Renegade street artist Poster Child has been doing installations on the subway vents in front of Nathan Phillips Square in the last few weeks. For his third piece he created a big inflated doll and invited the folks at Dear Toronto to film the event. Let's just say that not everyone was feeling it:

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/no_love_for_poster_child http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/no_love_for_poster_child Arts Thu, 08 May 2008 12:39:03 PDT Arts Jade 2008-05-08T12:39:03 Alternative Tentacles 3 at Xpace Ends Tomorrow
The third annual installment of Alternative Tentacles ends tomorrow Saturday, May 3, so if the urge to go gallery-hopping during this month's CONTACT festival hits you, this exhibit might be worth checking out. Showing at the new Xpace gallery location on Ossington north of Queen, Alternative Tentacles 3 features artwork from nine alternative high schools around the city.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/alternative_tentacles_3_at_xpace_ends_tomorrow http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/alternative_tentacles_3_at_xpace_ends_tomorrow Arts Fri, 02 May 2008 16:48:35 PDT Arts Jade 2008-05-02T16:48:35 Alex Vs Alex's Portrait Party Opens CONTACT Tonight at Brassaii
Despite the downpour last night a solid number of people packed the galleries along the Queen West strip, and even with tonight's impending rain there's no stopping the official launch of the CONTACT Photography Festival at Brassaii. Like last year, the party will be featuring live portrait photography and projection by quirky duo Alex Vs Alex.

Alex Vs Alex is Alex Ioannou and Alex Gray, whose friendship spawned from their penchant for taking pictures of interesting people in equally interesting environments. The Alexes have come a long way from their 18-year old selves tinkering with their fathers' hand-me-down cameras to highly sought-after photographers commissioned by Mini Cooper, Puma and the Royal Ontario Museum. Tonight the Alexes are replicating last year's Portrait Party but on a grander scale with a guerilla post-production studio, a specialized computer system that automatically uploads the pictures and projects them as a slideshow and no less than six printers dispensing instant headshots for the partygoers.

Continue reading for pictures from last year's Portrait Parties at CONTACT and Nuit Blanche.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/alex_vs_alexs_portrait_party_opens_contact_tonight_at_brassaii http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/alex_vs_alexs_portrait_party_opens_contact_tonight_at_brassaii Arts Fri, 02 May 2008 12:46:20 PDT Arts Jade 2008-05-02T12:46:20 GalleryDK Opens Tonight, Launches Anamnesis Exhibit
Starting today, Toronto becomes every photoenthusiast's mecca with CONTACT running across the city all month. Tonight in Parkdale Gallery 1313, Shopgirls and The Gladstone are opening their doors to the public with their respective CONTACT exhibitions, and right smack in the middle is Queen West's newest addition to the art crawl, GalleryDK.

GalleryDK is the brainchild of the DK Photo Group, an established Toronto-based collective made up of Russell Brohier, Sean Galbraith, Laurin Jeffrey, Steve Jacobs and Mat Merrett, known for their haunting imagery of abandoned urban sites. I met Sean at the gallery while he was hanging his pieces for tonight's Anamnesis launch.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/gallerydk_opens_tonight_launches_anamnesis_exhibit http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/05/gallerydk_opens_tonight_launches_anamnesis_exhibit Arts Thu, 01 May 2008 11:25:21 PDT Arts Jade 2008-05-01T11:25:21 Don River: Throw Me A Lifesaver! During yesterday's much-blogged about Earth Day I decided to take the 501 streetcar down to the Lower Don River and check out the latest project by No. 9. According to their website's mission statement, No. 9 believes that "contemporary art can stimulate positive social and environmental change". For this particular piece, executive director Andrew Davies (of NYC's MoMA and Evergreen @ The Brickworks' fame) commissioned Quebec artists BGL to install a 30-foot sunken cruise ship* on the water and a huge orange lifesaver with "Don River" painted on it.

I missed the Earth Day walking tour which happened in conjunction to the April 22 project launch so when I got there the only people in that area were a few cyclists and a homeless man shouting indecipherable words at me from under a bridge. I was expecting a "sunken ship"* like it says on the website but this is what I saw:

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/04/don_river_throw_me_a_lifesaver http://www.blogto.com/arts/2008/04/don_river_throw_me_a_lifesaver Arts Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:00:29 PDT Arts Jade 2008-04-23T15:00:29