Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 4

Dance Flashback | Pol Sembrano: Anywhere (EP) (Independent / 28 October 2024)

Dance Flashback
Pol Sembrano: Anywhere (EP)
(Independent / 28 October 2024)

Stream it on Spotify

Upbeat dance music with a retro kind of flair, that's the mood of this four-song EP from Filipino-American composer and musician Pol Sembrano.

Vintage synths create a signature sound that, while inspired by the artists of the 80s and 90s, adds a modern, existential take on lyrics. 

The message is simple: fall in love, and of course, dance. 

Based in Seattle, Pol is a classically trained pianist. His sense of musical experimentation led him into electronic music. The EP is a teaser for his upcoming full-length album. 

“I have always been confident in myself as a musician and by writing, producing, arranging and performing on my own. I am a classically trained pianist, but I am also inspired by other genres of music, in this case electronic/dance music. This provides a whole new dimension in my music persona as I do not wish to be categorized as “this or that type of artist”,” he says in a statement. 

The songs have earworm melodies and layers of rhythm and harmony. You'll be reminded of the likes of Depeche Mode, Blondie, and New Order. 

Pol acts as singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer for the self-titled release.  

“Although I am open to working with other collaborators, I want to prove to myself I can musically survive on my own, especially at the very beginning stages of this artistic journey. My goal is to share my music with those who will hopefully connect with it. Whatever happens afterwards is not up to me but the universe.” 

One quibble comes to mind: the vocals need a little more conviction. They can be either somewhat disembodied in that vintage style, or more impassioned - here they feel somewhere in between.

Tracklist: 

Anywhere (Single Mix) Open Mind (Single Mix) Number (Single Mix) Nothing To Say (Single Mix) 

Websites:

Official Website: https://polsembranomusic.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555480786694Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polsembranomusic/

Lighting Designer Sonoyo Nishikawa Wins The 2024 Siminovitch Prize

 From a media release

Lighting Designer Sonoyo Nishikawa Wins The 2024 Siminovitch Prize
Canada's Top Theatre Prize

Toronto, ON (December 2, 2024) — Montreal-based lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa, acclaimed for her transformative and evocative lighting designs, is this year’s winner of Canada’s most valuable theatre award. Since 2001, the Siminovitch Prize has celebrated groundbreaking theatre artists whose work has strengthened the Canadian theatre landscape and advanced the art form. With a career spanning continents and collaborations with leading theatre artists, Nishikawa has established herself as a pioneering force in Canadian theatre. Sonoyo Nishikawa, the 2024 Siminovitch Prize Laureate, has selected Mayumi Ide-Bergeron as the Siminovitch Prize Protégé.

 “Sonoyo Nishikawa’s designs push the boundaries of what we expect lighting to do. Often working within challenging technical constraints and using an array of sources, Sonoyo unfailingly finds ways to transcend the limitations imposed and create unexpected and variously spectacular or intimate, compelling images that go far beyond typical theatre illumination. Known and admired for her dedication across all scales of productions, from indie theatre to opera, she brings the same excellence and attention to detail regardless of budget or venue. Her work embodies a profound spirit of collaboration, and her enduring commitment to experimentation and risk has moved theatre lighting into an expressive art form that reaches audiences on a deeply emotional level.” - Guillermo Verdecchia, 2024 Siminovitch Prize Jury Chair

Sonoyo Nishikawa 

Sonoyo Nishikawa has established herself as one of the most visionary lighting designers in Canadian theatre. Trained in London under the sponsorship of Japan’s Ministry of Education and Culture, Nishikawa has collaborated with some of the world’s leading theatre artists. Her work includes celebrated productions with Robert Lepage, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Les Sept Branches de la Rivière Ōta, for which she won a Dora Mavor Moore Award. 

Her innovative approach has earned her numerous accolades, including the Prix des meilleurs éclairages, awarded by l'Académie québécoise du théâtre, and the Prix Jacques-Pelletier.

Nishikawa’s recent projects showcase her range and influence, from Les Sept Branches de la Rivière Ota at the National Theatre in London to Once Upon A One More Time at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington and Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes at Centaur Theatre. Known for her subtle yet powerful techniques, she transforms theatrical spaces with designs that resonate deeply, creating what has been described as “painting in light.”

“The light on stage turns on and off, disappears and reappears, according to the ever-changing story, the movements of the performers, the rhythm of the music and the breath of the audience. It's as ephemeral as fireworks. I aim to create lighting designs that give the audience hope for tomorrow, that leaves them with a lifetime of inspiration, just like watching a sunrise or sunset.”  - Sonoyo Nishikawa

Siminovitch Protégé Prize: Mentorship for the Next Generation

Supported by the RBC Foundation, the Siminovitch Protégé Prize underscores the importance of mentorship. This year, Sonoyo Nishikawa has selected Mayumi Ide-Bergeron, a multidisciplinary artist based in Montreal. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Set and Costume Design program, Mayumi’s work bridges French and English theatre, incorporating an innovative style that is both poetic and eco-conscious.

Thanks to a partnership among the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation, the National Arts Centre, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the 2024 Siminovitch Prize Laureate and Siminovitch Prize Protégé are also being given the opportunity to come together and collaborate at an artist residency at the Banff Centre in 2025.

Celebrating the Future of Canadian Theatre

The Siminovitch Prize Gala, held on December 2, 2024, was a vibrant celebration of Canadian theatre, attracting notable figures from the theatre community, including artists, producers and patrons. The evening began with the premiere screening of the 2024 Siminovitch Prize documentaries, also shown at siminovitchprize.com, followed by the eagerly anticipated winner announcement and Sonoyo’s passionate acceptance speech. 

2024 Siminovitch Prize Finalists

The Siminovitch Prize represents the highest level of peer recognition in the profession. This year’s finalists showcase the diversity and creativity within Canadian theatre design:

Itai Erdal (Vancouver, BC): A performer, playwright, and lighting designer renowned for his evocative and atmospheric lighting designs.Debashis Sinha (Toronto, ON): An award-winning and boundary-pushing sound designer/composer who blends technology and heritage to add new meaning and richness to theatrical experiences.The Old Trout Puppet Workshop (Calgary, AB): A groundbreaking puppetry company known for its all-encompassing design work, creating whimsical, larger-than-life productions for audiences of all ages.

Each finalist receives a $5,000 award and a documentary for their portfolio.

“The Siminovitch Theatre Foundation congratulates the groundbreaking designers shortlisted for the 2024 Siminovitch Prize and the talented emerging artists that the finalists have chosen to mentor. We look forward to the significant work they will go on to make for years to come.” – Briony Glassco, Chair, Siminovitch Theatre Foundation Board of Directors

Commitment to Artistic Growth

A total of $138,000 was awarded: $75,000 to the Siminovitch Prize Laureate, $25,000 to the Siminovitch Prize Protégé, $5,000 to each of the shortlisted artists, and $5,000 to the three emerging artists selected by the finalists. Each finalist/emerging artist pair also receives $2,000 to support collaboration and mentorship in 2025.

Documentaries Showcasing Canadian Theatre

Audiences can step into the studios of the 2024 Siminovitch Prize finalists for an intimate glimpse into their artistic vision and creative process through short documentaries in the Siminovitch Showcase.

2024 Siminovitch Prize Jury

Each year, a jury of professional theatre artists from varied disciplines and backgrounds selects the Laureate. The 2024 Siminovith Prize jury included Reneltta Arluk, MJ Dandeneau, Soheil Parsa, Jessica Poirier-Chang, and Jury Chair Guillermo Verdecchia.

Musicata Chamber Choir | Solid Joys and Lasting Treasures

From a media release:

Musicata Chamber Choir
Solid Joys and Lasting Treasures
December 1, 2024

Get Tickets

Come join the Musicata Chamber Choir for an unforgettable experience at the Church of the Ascension. This event promises to fill your heart with joy and your soul with treasures that will last a lifetime. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and bask in the warmth of community. 

Mark your calendars and get ready for a day filled with inspiration and love!

Musicata is joined by cellist Miriam Stewart-Kroeker and organist Stephen Boda in Bach’s Jesu, meine Freude (Jesus, My Joy), Pachelbel’s Magnificat, Mendelssohn’s Weihnachten and many other old and new songs of seasonal joy.

Guest Performers

Hamilton native Miriam Stewart-Kroeker began her musical studies at the age of five. She earned an Honours Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance, followed by a Diploma in Chamber Music Performance. She subsequently earned a Master's degree in Cello Performance at McGill University.

Miriam is an avid chamber as well as orchestra musician. She is a co-founder of the Andromeda Trio, and has performed as a soloist with a number of orchestras, including the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. She is a former member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. 

Musicata Chamber Choir (Photo courtesy of Musicata)

Stephen Boda is a noted organist, composer and teacher based in Hamilton. Stephen earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto, followed by an Artist Diploma at McGill University. He went on to earn a Master of Music degree from Yale University. 

He has performed as a soloist across North America, and has accompanied choirs throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Stephen is the Principal Organist at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto.

He is also a passionate educator. 

The concert takes place at the historic Church of the Ascension, 64 Forest Avenue Hamilton, ON L8N 1X1.Musicata 2024/25 Season

Season tickets (3 concerts) - $75

March 2, 2025 - Bells, Bongos and Bernstein

Percussionists Stefan Kitai and Byron Allen rejoin Musicata in a wide-ranging concert of music for choir and percussion. Bernstein’s haunting Miss Brevis centres a program that also includes music from Africa and Latin America.

May 4, 2025 - Myth Congeniality

The lighter side of Musicata expresses itself this year with a program of music that takes a modern look at antiquity. New works by Broadway composer Rosalind Mills, and Alice Dearden give a quirky modern take on tales from Greek mythology.

Musicata is joined by clarinet, piano, and percussion in this wild ride into the distant past.

A taste of the choir:

The Vancouver Art Gallery Opens the First Exhibition in Canada Dedicated to Firelei Báez

From a media release:

The Vancouver Art Gallery Opens the First Exhibition in Canada Dedicated to Firelei Báezon view at the Vancouver Art Gallery from November 3, 2024, to March 16, 2025

This major survey will take over the second floor and exterior of the Gallery, showcasing two decades of otherworldly painting, sculpture and installation

Check it out here

OCTOBER 29, 2024, VANCOUVER, BC // Traditional Coast Salish Lands including the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) and Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ) Nations.  

The Vancouver Art Gallery is proud to present the first North American solo exhibition dedicated to the work of Firelei Báez, one of the most exciting painters of her generation. 

Firelei Báez, A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways), 2019 (detail), two paintings, hand-painted wooden frame, perforated tarp, printed mesh, handmade paper over found objects, plants, books, Oman incense and palo santo, The Joyner/ Giuffrida Collection, Courtesy the Artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York, Photo: Phoebe d’Heurle, © Firelei Báez

Spanning nearly two decades of her career, Báez’s rich and potent body of work delves into the complicated and often incomplete historical narratives that surround the Atlantic Basin and reexamines these histories for the present day. 

Over the past twenty years, Báez has made work that explores the legacies of colonial rule in the Americas and the Caribbean, drawing from sci-fi, fantasy, anthropology, folklore and mythology to propose new narratives. 

Firelei Báez, Fire wood pretending to be fire, February 12, 2012, 2013, acrylic and gouache on Yupo paper, Collection of Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr., Courtesy the Artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York, Photo: Adam Reich, © Firelei Báez

The exhibition features over two dozen paintings (some over 20 feet in length), drawings and sculptural installations, all of which are expansively vibrant and original, creating a sense of otherworldliness. Organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and featuring the largest number of Báez’s paintings gathered in one place to date, this spectacular survey offers Canadian audiences the rare opportunity to revel in Báez’s powerful stories and sumptuous details.

“We are honoured to host the only presentation of Firelei Báez’s work on North America’s West Coast,” says Anthony Kiendl, CEO & Executive Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. “Currently located in a historical courthouse steeped in colonial history, the Vancouver Art Gallery is an apt site for showcasing Báez’s art, weaving another narrative into her rich tapestry of history, folklore and fantasy.” 

Firelei Báez, Sans-Souci (This threshold between a dematerialized and a historicized body), 2015, acrylic and ink on linen, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Museum purchase with funds provided by Lesie and Greg Ferrero and Rose Ellen Meyerhoff Greene, Photo: Oriol Tarridas, ©The Works

Historical knowledge is met with colour and imagination in this exhibition, which results in powerful, richly coloured paintings and immersive sculptural installations that offer visitors the sensation of stepping into Báez’s world. 

This ambitious survey will take over an entire floor at the Vancouver Art Gallery, including two works installed in the rotunda, where they engage with the building’s colonial architecture and history. The exterior of the building will showcase a banner designed by the artist specifically for the Gallery’s facade, poignantly covering its imposing neo-classical architecture with a mythical female protagonist and engaging the city’s location at the edge of the ocean. 

Truth was the bridge (or an emancipatory healing) (2024) depicts a ciguapa—a mythological figure that is a recurring motif in Báez’s work— crouching over a map on the left panel, while a tidal wave on the right crashes towards the centre. Báez often paints overtop maps, charts or construction plans for colonial architecture to challenge our understanding of power, history and truth. In Truth was the bridge (or an emancipatory healing), she combines this practice with her common reimagining of Afrodiasporic figures, ciguapas of Dominican folklore and other mythological creatures. The ciguapa is a woman-plant-animal hybrid who is known to be a trickster, reclaimed as a powerful femme figure by the artist. 

This monumental mural is a reminder that colonial histories can be reimagined for future generations. 

Firelei Báez, Adjusting the Moon (The right to non-imperative clarities): Waxing, 2019–20, oil and acrylic on panel, Private Collection, Courtesy the Artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York, Photo: Christopher Burke Studios, © Firelei Báez
From the Curator

Firelei Báez is the first major exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery curated by Eva Respini, who joined the Gallery in 2023 as Deputy Director & Director of Curatorial Programs. 

“Since I first saw Firelei’s work over a decade ago, I have been impressed by the rigour of the work, and its expansive creativity and ambition. From the very beginning, she has made work that explores how we understand the Americas and its colonial histories. In this moment, her insistence on revising the dominant narratives to include multiple perspectives, imaginary realms and layers of complexity, is not only refreshing, but necessary. Her sweeping, large scale paintings are history paintings for our era,” says Eva Respini, Deputy Director & Director of Curatorial Programs. 

Báez’s powerful paintings feature complex and layered use of pattern, decoration and saturated colour, and their impressive scale physically immerses viewers into her worlds. Her investment in painting’s capacity for storytelling and mythmaking informs all her work, including her sculptural installations, which bring this narrative quality into three dimensions. 

A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways) (2019) is an otherworldly installation that invites audiences to reassess the past, present and possible futures. A grotto-like space is cocooned in perforated blue tarp—a material often used for shelter following natural disasters, particularly in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where the artist’s family is from. The tarps are reimagined as the night sky, or perhaps an underwater world, casting spots of light onto material patterned with Black diasporic symbols of nurturing and resistance.

A notable work is Báez’s wall-size installation Man Without a Country (aka anthropophagist wading in the Artibonite River) (2014–15), in which Báez uses 225 pages sourced from late 19th century texts on the history of Hispaniola—the Caribbean Island that is divided between the Dominican Republic and Haiti—as supports for drawings depicting chimeric organisms, femme figurations and decorative embellishments. The markings intervene across the text, fusing folkloric motifs with academic writing to offer new ways of reading history and culture. Báez installs each page individually to form this intricate installation, suggestive of island geographies and bodies of water, which viewers navigate according to their personal paths and perspectives. 

Firelei Báez, A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways), 2019 (detail), two paintings, hand-painted wooden frame, perforated tarp, printed mesh, handmade paper over found objects, plants, books, Oman incense and palo santo, The Joyner/ Giuffrida Collection, Courtesy the Artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York, Photo: Phoebe d’Heurle, © Firelei BáezBaezThe Exhibition: On The Road

This exhibition is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and will be on view at the Vancouver Art Gallery from November 3, 2024, to March 16, 2025. The exhibition will then move to the Des Moines Art Center (June 14, 2025 to September 21, 2025). Firelei Báez is curated by Eva Respini, Deputy Director & Director of Curatorial Programs, Vancouver Art Gallery (former Barbara Lee Chief Curator, ICA/Boston), with Tessa Bachi Haas, Assistant Curator, ICA/Boston. 

 The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue, available for purchase in the Gallery Store. This beautiful hardcover publication features works from throughout Báez’s career, sketchbook extracts and essays by Leticia Alvarado, Katherine Brinson, Jessica Bell Brown, Julie Crooks, Daniella Rose King, Eva Respini, Hallie Ringle and Katy Siegel.

The artist talks about her work in a video:

Art Rate Monitor At The Art Gallery of Ontario

From a media release

Art Rate Monitor
At The Art Gallery of Ontario 

First-of-its-kind museum activation invites visitors to discover how their heart reacts as they encounter great art
With wearable tech and a personalized wrap report, visitors can see what moved them as they explore the AGO

AGO’s Art Rate Monitor is free with general admission until November 19 

TORONTO — Since launching in September, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s innovative Art Rate Monitor has been asking visitors “how does your heart react to our art?” And today, halfway through its limited-time run, early results suggest that it is Modern Art that is setting Toronto hearts a-flutter.

Designed by the AGO with Zulu Alpha Kilo and technology partners WXM Tech, this first-of-its-kind activation pairs wearable heartrate monitors and beacon technology to track visitor heart rates as they move across four levels of the museum. Free with admission and available to visitors of all ages, more than 3,000 visitors have chosen to participate so far. 

The details of their visit are shared back to them via a personalized shareable digital wrap report, which summarizes their physical responses to select artworks, revealing what moved them most, what calmed them down, what colour drew them in and where they lingered the longest. It also assigns participants to one of eight playful art personas from Muse to Powerhouse. 

“People come to the museum for many reasons – to play, to learn, to decompress, to be alone, to connect, or to be inspired. And now, for the first time, we’re able to showcase some of the very real physiological impacts of spending time with art,” says Herman Lo, Senior Director, Visitor Welcome, Art Gallery of Ontario. “The Art Rate Monitor is a playful and insightful way to show visitors that each AGO visit – and visitor – is unique. This is the gallery of us.”

What's Your Art Rate?

With a collection as diverse as the city it calls home, it’s not surprising that early results among AGO visitors are eclectic. To date, the AGO has found that:

German artist Gerhard Richter’s sensitive photo-painting Helga Matura (1966), currently on view as part of Moments in Modernism, is proving a visitor favourite – with most participants spending the most time with this painting. It’s also the work that’s making 20- to 30-year-olds’ heart rates go slo-mo.Visitors aged 30 to 40 are enjoying Otto Dix’s satirical style of realist painting, spending the most time with his eerie Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelmann (1922).Meanwhile, in the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art, Japanese-Canadian artist Kazuo Nakamura’s lush Landscape (1963) is setting the hearts of visitors over 40 racing.

As for colour preferences? Seems visitors across all age categories remain firmly in their Greige era. We love an overcast GTA day. 

Free with general admission, the Art Rate Monitor continues through Nov. 19, 2024.The AGO is always free for Ontarians under 25, AGO Members, Annual Passholders, and Indigenous Peoples. For more details on how to become a Member or Annual Passholder, visit ago.ca. 

Grenada Tourism Authority Reveals Carriacou’s First Underwater Sculpture Park: A World Adrift

From a media release

Grenada Tourism Authority Reveals Carriacou’s First Underwater Sculpture Park: A World Adrift

Supporting Environmental and Economic Restoration Post-Hurricane Beryl

St. George’s, Grenada (October 2024) – The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) is excited to announce the official unveiling of A World Adrift, a breathtaking new underwater sculpture park located off the shores of Carriacou, Grenada’s sister island. 

A World Adrift - underwater sculpture park at Carriacou (Photo courtesy of the Grenada Tourism Authority)

Designed for everyone from experienced divers to curious tourists to explore through snorkel or glass bottom boat, this stunning installation, created by world-renowned artist Jason deCaires Taylor, was initially scheduled for earlier this year but was postponed following the devastation of Hurricane Beryl in July. 

While the main island of Grenada was unharmed and remains open to tourists, the unveiling of the new park symbolizes Carriacou’s resilience, playing a crucial role in regenerating the island’s marine life and supporting its economic recovery.

A World Adrift - part of the underwater sculpture park at Carriacou (Photo courtesy of the Grenada Tourism Authority)A World Adrift

A World Adrift features a striking fleet of 30 boats, each one helmed by a fearless local schoolchild, symbolizing hope, leadership, and the importance of the next generation in safeguarding the environment. 

The boats, designed to resemble delicate paper origami, highlight the fragility of the ecosystem, with the children representing the future stewards of the environment. The sculptures are made from high-grade stainless steel and pH-neutral marine cement and are submerged 5 to 8 meters below the surface, creating diverse habitats for coral growth and marine species.

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor shared his vision for the project, stating, “A World Adrift is a powerful reflection of the delicate balance between humanity and the ocean. Each boat in the fleet represents resilience, with the local children serving as guides through uncertain waters—a metaphor for our collective journey in addressing environmental challenges.”

From the original underwater sculpture, park, "Visissitudes" in Moliniere Bay, Grenada (9 November 2007, 12:11/SunCat at 12° 05′ 11.37″ N, 61° 45′ 59.13″ W/CC BY 2.0)Eco-Conscious Tourism

This installation is the second underwater sculpture park in Grenada, following Taylor’s iconic first park off mainland Grenada, which debuted in 2006 and welcomed a new installation in November 2023. 

Recognized as one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World, both parks are part of a broader effort by the GTA to position Grenada as a leader in eco-conscious tourism. A World Adrift not only promotes sustainability but also serves as a key driver for economic recovery by attracting visitors to both Carriacou and Grenada.

Petra Roach, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, echoes this sentiment, stating, “A World Adrift is more than an attraction—it is a call to action, reminding us of our collective role in the stewardship of the planet. As we rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, this installation provides a source of hope and a tangible means of recovery for both our environment and economy. It acknowledges the fragility of our world while celebrating its capacity for renewal. We invite travellers, conservationists, and art lovers alike to engage in this shared journey of resilience and regeneration.”

A World Adrift - sculpture park at Carriacou, Grenada (Photo courtesy of the Grenada Tourism Authority)Getting There...

For travellers looking to experience A World Adrift, private charters can be booked through one of Grenada’s many dive shops, offering guided tours for an up-close look at this extraordinary blend of art, conservation, and economic revitalization.

As Grenada continues to lead the charge in eco-conscious tourism, A World Adrift promises to be a must-visit destination for those passionate about art, marine life, diving and environmental conservation, while supporting the economic recovery of Carriacou and Grenada.

For more information about the destination and this new installation, you can check out this link: www.puregrenada.com.

Grenada, photo by Cindy Lane Ross (CC0C/Pixabay)Grenada  

Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean, a hidden gem with unspoiled beauty offering a lifestyle so pure and authentic that you will feel instantly renewed. Famed for its aromatic spices and organic chocolate, the tri-island destination of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique is located in the eastern Caribbean. 

The Pure Grenada experience beckons visitors to its 40 white sandy beaches including the world-famous Grand Anse Beach, 15 breathtaking waterfalls, six chocolate factories, four rum distilleries, and more than 30 unforgettable dive sites, including the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean ‘Bianca C’ and the World’s First Underwater Sculpture Park. Grenada was also named the world’s first ‘Culinary Capital’ by the World Food & Travel Association (WFTA). The World Travel & Tourism Council “Safe Travels” approved destination is committed to protecting your health and safety while allowing you to tailor a beyond-the-ordinary experience of a lifetime. 

To plan your next vacation to Grenada, visit www.puregrenada.com

Space For Art | Youngplace Toronto: Another DECADE November 7 to December 15, 2024

From a media release

Youngplace Toronto
Another DECADE
November 7 to December 15, 2024

Sketch Working Arts: Renaissance, LALA J, Niles X, | dis assembly: Adam Wolfond |Flavio Belli: Zach Atticus, Richard Hambleton | Intergalactic Arts Collective: Maxine Heppner, Jessie Garon, Suzanne Liska, Tracey Norman, Sara Porter, and Jessica Runge

Check It Out Here

Organized by Koffler Arts, the DECADE project celebrates 10 years since Youngplace at 180 Shaw St. opened as a vibrant hub for arts and culture in the west end of Toronto.

In 2023 Artscape went into receivership, leaving the fate of many cultural spaces at Youngplace unknown. From February through May 2024, Koffler Arts highlighted eight artists with studio space in the building, shining a spotlight on the importance of affordable spaces for artists to create work in Toronto. 

The second part of the exhibition Another DECADE (Nov 7 - Dec 15), curated by David Liss, focuses on the arts organizations who have called Youngplace home over the past decade. 

Artists & Organizations

SKETCH Working Arts is a community arts organization that engages young Queer, Trans, and Black, Indigenous and other racialized young people navigating poverty, living houseless, or on the margins to experience the transformative power of the arts; build leadership and economic self-sufficiency in the arts; and cultivate environmental and social change through the arts. The SKETCH portion of the exhibition will be curated by artist and creative Renaissance in partnership with exhibition curator David Liss, and include Renaissance’s own work as well as artworks by LALA J and Niles X.

dis assembly is a lab for neurodiverse artistic experimentation involving processes that explore the conditions and techniques for human and more-than-human relation and support. Another DECADE will include work by non-speaking autistic poet and filmmaker, Adam Wolfond, the co-founder and co-director of dis assembly.

Flavio Belli has been an active contributor and participant in Toronto’s cultural scene since the late 1960s, working as an artist, gallerist, curator, programmer, consultant, collector, facilitator, and advocate in both the public and private sectors. 

Another DECADE will include work by Belli and two artists who he has represented as a commercial dealer: the late Canadian-born, legendary New York street artist Richard Hambleton (aka Shadowman) shown by Belli in his first gallery in the 1970s, and Zach Atticus, a Toronto painter represented by Belli’s current gallery.

Intergalactic Arts Collective (IGAC) is a dynamic group of movement-based artists who come together with the shared purpose of uplifting each other and the community through sharing resources and creating space for people to engage with Dance. 

Another DECADE will include a video art piece by IGAC’s six artists: Maxine Heppner, Jessie Garon, Suzanne Liska, Tracey Norman, Sara Porter, and Jessica Runge.

Youngplace Toronto (Photo by Jeff Hitchcock, CC by 2.0)

The DECADE project comes at a time of economic challenges in Toronto that demand consideration of how artists and arts organizations can inhabit the city, contribute to its vitality, and achieve greater security for the future of Youngplace and other cultural spaces across Toronto. 

Art Book | Lyle Ashton Harris: Our First And Last Love

From a media release

Art Book | Lyle Ashton Harris: Our First And Last Love

Buy It Here

Both personal and universal, Harris’s multimedia works weave together legacies of family dynamics, queer histories, and Afro-cosmopolitanism.

Lyle Ashton Harris: Our first and last love, now available, charts new connections across the artistic practice of New York-based artist Lyle Ashton Harris (b. 1965, Bronx, NY). Informed by an adolescence that unfolded in New York City and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as well as several years spent living in Ghana, Harris explores the complexities of African and African American collective identity while forging his own personal narrative as a Black queer man. The retrospective exhibition chronicles Harris’s approach to representation and self-portraiture while tracing recurrent themes and formal techniques in his work over the last 35 years.

Central to this curated selection is Harris’s most recent series titled Shadow Works, mixed-media assemblages of photographic prints embedded in Ghanaian printed textiles with cowrie shells, pottery, handwritten notes, clippings of the artist’s dreadlocks and other personal ephemera. In both the artist's solo exhibition and this book, these works serve as thematic anchors underscoring Harris’s layered approach to his ongoing creative explorations.

Lyle Ashton Harris: Our first and last love accompanies Harris’s recent successful exhibition, of the same title, at the Queens Museum. To herald the opening of the show, the Queens Museum honored Harris at its annual gala along with stellar figures from the worlds of art, fashion, and business.

Lyle Ashton Harris: Our first and last love, is now available from Distributed Art Publishers, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Walmart.

Lyle Ashton Harris (Photo by Lloyd Foster)ABOUT LYLE ASHTON HARRIS

LYLE ASHTON HARRIS (b. Bronx, NY, 1965) was raised in New York City and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Harris obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts. He attended the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program.

Harris has cultivated a diverse artistic practice, ranging from photography and collage to installation and performance art. His work explores intersections between the personal and the political, examining the impact of ethnicity, gender, and desire on the contemporary social and cultural dynamic.

Harris’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York; the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles; the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zurich, Switzerland; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, Spain; Tate, London, UK, among others.

Harris has also presented performances at a range of venues, at Volksbühne Grüner Salon sponsored by KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2019); a lecture/performance on Andy Warhol presented by the DIA Art Foundation, New York (2018); and an installation/performance at Participant Inc., New York (2018); and a lecture/performance on experimentation, politics and sexuality in the work of filmmaker Marlon T. Riggs at Griffin Art Projects, Vancouver BC, Canada (2020).

Harris received a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2016), the David C. Driskell Prize from the High Museum of Art, Atlanta (2014), and the Rome Prize Fellowship (2000) among other awards and honours. Harris joined the Board of Trustees of the American Academy in Rome from 2014 and was appointed a trustee of the Tiffany Foundation in 2016.

His work is available from the following fine art galleries: Salon 94 (New York, NY, USA); David Castillo (Miami, FL, USA); Maruani Mercier (Brussels, BE). Harris is a Professor of Art at New York University and lives in New York. 

The 24Th Annual World Creole Music Festival in Dominica Set for October 25-27, 2024

From a media release

The 24Th Annual World Creole Music Festival in Dominica
Set for October 25-27, 2024 

Dominica welcomes global travelers to three nights of pulsating rhythms on the Caribbean’s Nature Island 

ROSEAU, Dominica – September 2024 – Tickets are now on sale for the 24th annual World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), scheduled for October 25-27 at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Dominica. 

The World Creole Music Festival 2023 (Photo courtesy of WCMF)

As one of the Caribbean's most anticipated festivals, the event is the highlight of the island’s two-week celebration honouring its Creole heritage leading up to its Independence Day celebrations on November 3. 
Through music and food, travellers immerse themselves in Dominica’s rich culture with some of the top musicians from around the globe. Attendees can look forward to the best in Creole music, food, and art. This year's lineup includes standout performances by the iconic Marley Brothers, Stephen and Damian Marley, multi-talented actor and Afrobeat/R&B sensation Rotimi and the electrifying energy of Jamaican rising star Valiant. 

 Internationally renowned for its unique blend of musical performances set against the island’s stunning tropical backdrop, the WCMF will feature three days of live music, showcasing genres such as Cadence-lypso, Kompa, Zouk, Soukous, Bouyon, and Zydeco. 

This year’s star-studded lineup includes Kassav, Nadia Batson, Umpa, Subance, Mr. Ridge & Dirty Dawg Pudaz, Asa Bantan, Signal Band, Tian Winter, Skinny, Voice, Midnight Groovers, Gramps Morgan, and more. 

The World Creole Music Festival 2023 (Photo courtesy of WCMF)

“The World Creole Music Festival is one of Dominica’s most cherished cultural festivals, expected to surpass last year’s record number of visitors with one of the best lineups to date,” said Hon. Denise Charles-Pemberton, Dominica’s Minister of Tourism. 

“Every year, we are blown away by the increase in visitors to the island looking to immerse themselves in our iconic cultural offerings. We are thrilled to be able to share our island’s deep cultural heritage through traditional music, dancing and food with visitors from around the world during our annual World Creole Music Festiva, further celebrating Creole Heritage Month and kicking off Dominica’s Independence Day celebrations.”

The World Creole Music Festival 2023 (Photo courtesy of WCMF)Tickets

Festival tickets can be purchased online at THIS LINK 

Getting There

North American travellers heading to the festival will be able to take advantage of expanded nonstop service from Miami International Airport to Dominica's Douglas-Charles Airport on American Airlines. 

Daily flights will depart starting Tuesday, October 24 through Monday, October 28. This expansion reflects the growing interest among travelers not only to attend the festival but also to immerse themselves in the captivating experiences that Dominica offers. 

Additional details can be found at THIS LINK  For more information or to explore the island’s wide range of hotel offerings available for the event, please visit www.DominicaFestivals.com or follow @dominica.festivals on social media.   

 

Calibishie, Dominica, W.I., taken 22 May 2006 (© Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 4.0)About Dominica 

Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EEK-a, and not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) is the youngest Caribbean Island and the last to be colonized, ultimately earning its independence on November 3, 1978. Dominica lies south of Guadeloupe and north of Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean. 

Known for its unparalleled natural beauty, Dominica has become a top destination for those seeking both adventure and relaxation. Visitors can dive into the island's vibrant underwater world, embark on scenic hikes through lush rainforests, indulge in wellness retreats, and explore eco-tours that highlight the island's commitment to sustainability. 

The combination of these activities, along with the allure of the WCMF, makes Dominica an irresistible destination for those looking to experience the best of nature and culture. 

The World Creole Music Festival 2023 (Photo courtesy of WCMF)

Air travellers can connect to Dominica direct from Miami on American Airlines and make regional connections on Air Antilles, Air Sunshine, Coastal Air Transport, InterCaribbean Airways, Caribbean Airlines, Silver Airways - (Code share: American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and United), from the surrounding hubs of Antigua, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St Lucia, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

If travelling by sea, travellers may connect to Dominica on the L’Express des Iles ferry service from Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Lucia, and on Val Ferry from Guadeloupe and Martinique. 

Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume At The Birmingham Museum Of Art

Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume
Just closed☹️at the Birmingham Museum of Art

I try to visit art museums wherever I go, and the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama, is always a rewarding experience. Recently, I was just in time to catch the very last day of an exhibit of Disney costumes - the actual pieces worn in various films.

Despite its closure, though, I think the costumes are worth checking out in all their intricate detail. I left envying the work of the costume designers - it must be quite gratifying to have the kind of budget to realize those fantastical dream outfits.

The images from even a few of the pieces on display speak for themselves.

Beauty and the Beast

Belle (Emma Watson), designed by Jacqueline Durran; along with you know who.
L-R: Worn by Oprah Winfrey as Mrs. Which in A Wrinkle in Time (2018) - designed by Paco Delgado, Worn by Emma Stone in the 2022 film Cruella - From notes by designer Jenny Beavan, it was one of 47 costume changes for the film's star & Jasmine, worn by Naomi Scott in Aladdin (2019) - designed by Michael Wilkinson

From the designer's notes at the show: "Oprah's costumes were very technically complex because we were using materials that we're not used to like neoprene, plastic, metal and optic fibre."

Once Upon A Time

From the TV show Once Upon A Time (2011-2018): Hook, worn by Colin O'Donoghue, Cinderella, worn by Gerry Schram & Evil Queen worn by Lana Parrilla (designer: Eduardo Castro)

Alice Through The Looking Glass

From Alice Through The Looking Glass (2016) - designer Colleen Atwood: Iracebeth, the Red Queen, worn by Helena Bonham Carter & Mirana, the White Queen, worn by Anne Hathaway.