LIVE Biennial of Performance Art 2005 EVENT SCHEDULE AND BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS For Week of: October 20-27, 2005 (Ordered by date/time and by programme: first event of a day highlighted in green) Schedule subject to change. All events in association with LIVE Biennial. Thursday, October 20, 7pm DANIEL OLSON Artist Talk: DESK JOB Contemporary Art Gallery, 555 Nelson Street, 604-681-2700 www.contemporaryartgallery.ca In conjunction with Twenty Minutes' Sleep, Daniel Olson's solo exhibition at the Contemporary Art Gallery, the Montreal-based artist will talk about the relation between his material production and his performances. Olson often uses performance as a means to ignite his material production, while at the same time uses his interest in performance as the impetus for the production of many of his objects, videos, sound works and installations. In this manner, the playful and somewhat informal qualities of Olson's objects, which he makes by slightly altering existing objects, is reflected in his performances, which are in turn simple gestures that respond to already established parameters. Thursday, October 20, 9PM ANTHONY SCHRAG Performance: OUR BODY IS IN THE WORLD/IT HAS ALL GONE TERRIBLY WRONG Helen Pitt Gallery, 102-148 Alexander Street, 604-681-6740 www.helenpittgallery.org Meet at the gallery at 9pm for a par cours tour of Gastown led by Anthony Schrag. By climbing up, hopping onto, and flipping over pedestrian obstacles and urban furniture, Schrag promotes a phenomenological understanding of the urban environment while unnerving audiences. The tour returns to the Helen Pitt Gallery for something unexpected! Friday, October 21, 8 pm THE NOVA LIBRARY / A L NEIL PROJECT presents Author Reading: UNDER THE INFLUENCE: BRINGING TOGETHER WRITERS FROM THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE Alice Mackay Room, Main Branch Vancouver Public Library Curated and hosted by Michael Turner, this event features readings by Maxine Gadd and Kevin Chong. "Under the Influence" is a series of readings from the Downtown Eastside that looks at Vancouver writers, starting with Malcolm Lowry and Al Neil, writing about alcohol and drug use. The Nova Library consists of a reading room where all the books have been selected by members of Vancouver's drug addicted communities. (See also: October 17th, 7:30pm for information on the Nova Library. Nova Library Exhibit: October 15 to November 30, Level 2, Main Branch, Vancouver Public Library, 350 Georgia St.) Friday, October 21, 8pm Opening. JUDY RADUL AND GEOFFREY FARMER in collaboration* Exhibition: October 22 - November 26 Artspeak, 233 Carrall St. 604-688-0051 www.artspeak.ca Judy Radul and Geoffrey Farmer collaborate on a new work resulting from their excursions to Vancouver courtrooms. The artists will examine the "cultural performance" that takes place within the court of law, a fertile 'stage' because the court (like the theatre with which it has historical links) is both an architectural environment and a set of behaviours and performances that are conducted in and through that space. As jurors view evidence held up to a camera which appears on their screens, the use of media occupies the role of intermediary in this theatre - a theatre that is literally trying to find the truth of the performance. *Part of SET project program (see Sunday October 16) Media Contact: Gwen Kallio 604-215-2345 / sisuproductions@telus.net 1 Friday, October 21 s t to Sunday, October 23rd DIRTY GENDER SECRETS Dirty Gender Secrets presents a three-day, multi-media art event. The first of its kind in Vancouver, Dirty Gender Secrets is a trans/gendering art event that will expose both dominant and alternate myths about gender while understanding that gender doesn't exist in a vacuum, re-contextualizing trans/gendering as a complex experience within the framework of pan-American colonialism(s). All events at: Video In, 1965 Main St., 604-872-8337 Weekend Schedule: Friday, October 21, 7-11pm/midnight Performance An evening of gender performance, video, live music and gender joy! Kicking off the weekend with Aiyyana Maracle, Nation of Two, Cease Wyss, Kathy-Ann March, Sven Black/Lucille Fur, Karen Earl, Samonte Cruz, Kai Ling-Xue, Connor McCollum, Thirza Cuthand, Louis Esme Cruz , William Maria Rain, and Basil Shadid - with live sound, food & refreshments. Saturday, October 22,11am- 2pm Workshop: HOMECOMING: A WORKSHOP FOR GENDER VARIANT PEOPLE OF COLOUR Facilitation by Qwo-Li Driskill, using Theatre of the Oppressed techniques. For gender variant people of colour/mixed-race people, "home" is often a complicated reality. This workshop addresses a number of questions and issues through interactive theatre and discussion. A people of colour/mixed-race/nonwhite-only space. Cost: Sliding Scale $0-100 Participants must pre-register by October 15, 2005. Requests for (disability accommodations must be made by October 1. For registration form: visit www.dirtvaendersecrets.bioaspot.com Saturday, October 22, 9pm-Midnight Performances: AIYYANA MARACLE, BOBBI KOZINUK AND QWO-LI DRISKILL, WITH AMBIENT VIDEO ART, LIVE D J S , FOOD & REFRESHMENTS. Sunday, October 23,11am-2pm Interactive Workshop: ANTI-RACISM FOR WHITE FOLKS Facilitated by Colin Kennedy Donovan This workshop explores issues of white privilege, power and racism. Theater of the Oppressor techniques create a tangible arena for non-actors to examine allyship, interruption / perpetuation of everyday racism and societal systems of power. Cost: Sliding Scale $0-100 Partipants must pre-register by October 15, 2005. For registration form visit www.dirtygendersecrets.blogspot.com Sunday, October 23, 5-7pm Weekend wind-down Artist talk: AIYYANA MARACLE Facilitated discussion to follow. Light refreshments will be served. **This is a disAbility friendly event, and will be adamantly scent and chemical free! Please contact by October 1, 2005 for requests for (disability accommodations. www.dirtygendersecrets.blogspot.com dirtygendersecrets@hotmail.com Media Contact: Gwen Kallio 604-215-2345 / sisuproductions@telus.net 2 Saturday, October 22nd, 8pm Concert: ASTRID HADAD Y LOS TARZANES Chan Centre @ UBC Tickets: Ticketmaster.ca 604-280-3311 & Chan Box Office (in person) Info: 604-822-2697 orwww.mundomundo.com Cabaret diva-comedienne and performance artist, ASTRID HADAD, already a legend in her native Mexico City and in hip urban centres across the world, is known for her ravishing voice and outrageous stage presence. Astrid's show is a fusion of song, theatre and cabaret with gorgeous music from her band "Los Tarzanes". It features a never-ending parade of huge, extravagant costumes that serve as hilariously inventive portable sets! Whether playing the Aztec Nun, Statue of Liberty or the Postmodern Coatlicue, Astrid reveals her genius by fully embodying every lyric and iconic character with a wickedly funny stage presence. Astrid is the creator of a new style that she calls "Heavy Nopal" - this successfully combines elements of ranchero, bolero, samba, rumba, rock and jazz while humorously encapsulating the social and political realities of world in which we live. Astrid Hadad and Los Tarzanes is a comic fusion of music and theatre innovatively drawing upon traditions of Mexican and Latin popular culture that creates an all-too-funny, unforgettable heartwarming evening of contemporary stage magic - a true delight! Presented by International Arts Initiatives and the Chan Centre in association with LIVE. Saturday, October 22, 8pm JUDY RADUL & GEOFFREY FARMER Panel Discussion: THE DAY THAT I WALKED WAY FROM THE SOCIETY THAT I HAD KNOWN Artspeak, 233 Carrall St. 604-688-0051 Part of the S.E.T. project and the collaboration with the Szuper Gallery, this panel discussion will extend the impact of the project and tap into an established network of audiences. Participants will include the invited artists, as well as Vancouver artists whose practices involve similar approaches. *Part of SET project program (see Sunday October 16 and 21) Presented by the Western Front Exhibitions Program Sunday, October 23, 3pm Moderated Panel Discussion: ALTERED MINDS Moderator Glenn Alteen Panelists: Paul Wong (Vancouver), Johanna Householder (Toronto), Daniel Olsen (Montreal) and Warren Arcan (Vancouver) grunt gallery, #116 - 350 East 2nd Avenue, Vancouver (between Scotia and Brunswick Monday, October 24th, 7pm Johanna Householder and Tanya Mars, authors Book Launch: Caught in the Act grunt gallery, #116 - 350 East 2nd Avenue, Vancouver (between Scotia and Brunswick Join the authors to launch this anthology of female performance art in Canada. Tuesday, October 25th, 7-9pm KNITTING CIRCLE Discussion: Special Guest, MARTINE VIALE (Montreal) Western Front, 303 E 8th Avenue, Vancouver. 604-878-7563, www.front.bc.ca FREE A conversation about multi-disciplinary performance art. The Knitting Circle is an exciting discussion group that meets monthly to explore performance art. They discuss current trends, issues that are affecting performance art, the work of performance artists past and present - and Media Contact: Gwen Kallio 604-215-2345 / sisuproductions@telus.net 3 any other topic that affects this discipline. Activities also include guest speakers, improvisation workshops, watching video documentation, and readings. Open to performance artists, aspiring performance artists and lovers of this exciting discipline. This is a chance to become part of a wonderful support network. Participants are invited to bring knitting or a handcraft they enjoy doing, and a pillow to sit on. Everyone is welcome! Presented by Western Front Performance Art and The Escape Artists Society (T.E.A.S) Thursday, October 27, 8pm MARTINE VIALE Performance: OBJECT SCULPTURAL Western From Front, 303 E. 8th Avenue, Vancouver. 604-878-7563 www.front.bc.ca Tickets $5/$8 Viale uses various objects and materials that reference anatomical laboratories of the 16th-17th Centuries. "I present myself as an anonymous anatomical icon without precise social, cultural or sexual references. My body is my raw material and this project was born of a desire to present a reflection on the essence of the common body, made of flesh, bone, blood, air and nerves but also imperfect - strong and fragile at the same time". To date, Viale's "Object Sculptural" project has been presented at Galerie La Centrale-Powerhouse (Montreal), Chashama (New York), Tupada International Action Art event (Philippines) and Contenedores:Muestra international de arte de action de Sevilla (Spain). Thursday, October 27,10pm AND Friday, October 28,10pm PETER BAREN 2 Performances: ARK (FEATURING BRIDGE OF SIGHS, SLEEP OF REASON AND WAILING WALL) Helen Pitt Gallery, 1 0 2 - 1 4 8 Alexander St. Vancouver 604-681-6740 www.helenpittgallery.org Amsterdam-based artist Peter Baren will be performing this monumental work over a period of two days. ARK is an ongoing performative piece that has continued to evolve and change shape over time, recently in places such as Biel, Cardiff, New York, and Krakow. A multi-sensory opera of sorts, Baren's performances in Vancouver are rumoured to include nude performers, molasses, fog, drawings, texts and boomerangs, to create an environment that evokes primordial mystery, public yearning, fear and radical socio-political reformation. As the Trace Gallery in Cardiff warns: "Everything you are about to experience has been put under the spell of a floating device". Peter Baren has been active in performance art for more that 20 years and has shown his work worldwide. He is the recipient of the Prix de Rome Art and Theatre award. Sponsored by the Mondriaan Foundation and The Netheriands Foundation of Visual Arts Design and Architecture. Friday, October 28, 8pm Lida Abdul Video In Studios, 1965 Main Street (west side of Main), Vancouver 604-872-8337 www.videoinstudios.com Lida Abdullah was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1973, and lived in Germany before moving to the U.S. She graduated from the University of California at Irvine with an MFA (2000) and has since exhibited both in the US and abroad. She has produced works in many types of media including video, film, photography, installation and live performance. Media Contact: Gwen Kallio 604-215-2345 / sisuproductions@telus.net 4