^ j P a r k LOVG The always-wise J. Lo once said that love don?t cost a thing. But you know, sometimes-love don't net a thing either (G/gr//being — a case in point). And so it must be love, rather than money, that keeps Vancouver's single-screen theatres hangin' on. Because nobody's buyfc- ing anyone's affections. Leonard Schein recently renovated the Park Theatre, and he's fully aware that love's got him doing crazy things. I t doesn't make financial sense, and that's why single screens haven't been built in the last 40 years. You've got the same property tax, and only one movie showing at a time." Fifteen blocks west at the Ridge, J Bradford is held in the same thrall. 'There's no profit," she admits. "It's a labour of love/' It's a high-maintenance relationship; J works many hours unpaid, while Schein spent $300,000 on interior renovations, like making every seat a ioveseat just so his baby could look beautiful. And beautiful these old theatres are. They offer a pure and untainted experience: to be consumed by a truly great movie (think The ice Storm, not Twister), without the distractions of frivolities like arcades and product promotions. And there's room for us-a lot of us, in fact-in this seemingly cozy love affair. "There's something special about going into this big theatre and experiencing a film with so many others," says Schein. Over the generations, Vancouverites have learned that even if you are curled up with your honey on the Ioveseat, it's still possible to be wooed by the soft light of that silver screen. -Jennifer Croii rocked Stairway to Heaven at the sunset on Long Beach (using genMicah Lexier's 38 Cubic Inches (red/gray/white), erator, Fender, guitar amp, shaggy by Lee Henderson (1999, 8x6x1 inch, painted woo^y^gwing ARTSPEAK—Living up to its hair) is back with another deluxe at the Contemporary Art Ga name, this highly regarded artist- video piece about the confluence of run space hosts Vancouver Art & art, nature, and special effects. Economies: A Forum, a set of five This time around, Kevin Schmidt weekly lectures to be held at The has gone to the source, as it were, Emily Carr Institute Theatre. Art- to quote directly from The Bible in speak was awarded $20,000 to his work Burning Bush, a loop fund the project, which features from what looks to be Moses's artists, writers, and curators speak- POV of that eponymous scene ing on diverse subjects relating to from Exodus 3. This is your chance the last 15 years of Vancouver to be Moses while watching the art. The idea came to do a sequel television's Christmas fireplace Marc Bell, glittery maunder by will present a few psych-rock colto Stan Douglas's ambitious redact (Sept 10-Oct 15). 233 Carrall St., Toronto's Jennifer Murphy, string lages (Nov 18-Jan 8). of 1990, smartly titled Vancouver 604-688-0051. Artspeak.ca Jason McLean's drawings are theories by local genius Miguel da Anthology: The Institutional PolConceicao, and Jason McLean, also on the ceiling of the VAG— itics of Art. The new topic covers CAG & VAG— November 18, the another pillar of doodle-world, and starting October 15, Pablo Douglas's generation of local Contemporary Art Galley is openPicasso's drawings and prints will artists, whose international success ing a group show called Circle to be on the Vancouver Art Gallery's was directly related to a local dia- Square that offers a chance to see walls: that pairing is a deft bit of C E N T R E A-Another of ifl logue of this style. Rather than just tax dollars finally support the artVancouver's great artist-runs local pride on the curatorial level, reunite the old band, dinosaurs and work oi ]eff Halliday and Shane cc has completed their move if there ever was. When you go their juniors will be present to Ehman, two of Vancouver's most < from the mini-storage on Sey- check out Picasso's nudes, don't mour Street to, frankly, one of forget to look way up at McLean's speak on subjects such as The Art influential, if underprivileged, conthe scariest corners in the city: Star, The Academic, The Author, temporary artists. With Halliday picture of Canned Hamm above Hastings and Carrall. But when a and the Activist: Art-writing in and Ehman's drawings, plus the the T-shirt display. Picasso opens gallery dedicated to promoting Vancouver 1990-2005, by Marina stroke-inducing multimedia work contemporary Asian artists takes October 15, and he and Mclean Roy on October 13, or Whose of Virginia-based art collective the old BC Electric Building it's both finish on Jan 16. CAG, 555 Business Is It? Vancouver's Com- Dearraindrop for partial back- hardly gentrification of the neigh- Nelson St., 604-681-2700. Conmercial Galleries and the Produc- drop, this will also likely the best bourhood, and here's a chance to temporaryartgallery.ca; VAG, 750 tion of Art by Michael Turner on gallery opening party ever in the reconnect with the situation in Hornby St., 604-662-4719. November 3. Vanartgallery.bc.ca world. The show also includes Vancouver's oldest neighbourAt the gallery, the artist who new cartoon eschatology by our hood. There are few better reasons than art to see more people going down to visit East Hastings. BLANKET—We wouldn't want to give the impression that Shane Plus, the space has 25-foot ceilings and 5,000 square feet, makEhman's art has been totally ing it impossible to ignore when ignored. He had a pinball machine out on a day of gallery-hopping. at the Or gallery three years ago, Check out their September show and happens to be the youngest of Neighbourhood, featuring videos the artists in Blanket's Septemand documentaries by a dozenber show Out of Sight. There's a plus artists, including Andrea Fotana and Cornelia Wyngaarden, lineage to be traced here, from Ehman's practice to the other Karin Lee and Lynda Nakashima, as well as an installation by Jayce artists in the show: Al Neil and Salloum. September 9 to October Ray Johnson. Al Neil is also a VanA detail from And so Departew(Again) 15.23 W.Pender S t 604-683-8326. couver artist, musician, and writer, (2003, 3-screen installation) by Judy Radul Centrea,org-(ee Henderson working from an older generation at North Van's Presentation House. ARTS: ( S E P T E M B E R 2005 V A N C O U V E R 49 than Ehman (Neil was born in 1926, Ehman in 1974), but whose work also thrived in and outside the city's mainstream. And very much like Johnson's career, whose significance was only established after the artist's untimely death in 1995, Ehman is also known for his playful drawings on paper, book arts, collages and paintings (Sept 17-Oct7). In December, Blanket will show drawings by Keith Jones, another young Vancouver artist from the same gene pool as Ehman et al. Jones draws scenes from a future shocked city and its neuro-hillbilly suburbs, possibly our own vista post-Olympics, all knotarmed, x-ray goggle-wearing and crammed with monorails sending trains overhead in all directions. The exhibit coincides with the release of Jones's avant-comic art book Bacter-Area for Montreal's Drawn & Quarterly. Catch a peak of Jones's style when Swarming arounda traditional fave comes to BC Ballet. you're driving down Cordova Street in September, because he's showing a mural at the FENCE Gallery (literally a fence on the north side of the street), between Princess and Heatley. The mural involves a car, rainbows and flying people wearing gas masks. 42414 Main St., 604-709-6100. Blanketgallery.com PRESENTATION HOUSE— The House on the North Shore has an unbeatable season, starting with a September exhibition of Judy Radul's recent work, including a new five-screen video entitled Dowries Point, filmed on Hornby Island. The California photographer Stephen Shore's major touring exhibition Biographical Landscape will include the artist's influential series of images of the North American landscape called Uncommon Places. Vancouver's own history of photoconceptualism will be reinforced by a briefer overview of Evan Lee, whose photoconceptual work features serials of oil stains, ginseng root and stellar curves. (Radul: Sept 17-Oct 30; Shore: Nov 12-Jan 16; Evan Lee: Jan 2 3 - Mar 5.) 333 Chesterfield Avenue, North Van, 604-9861351. Presentationhousegall.com tation of Jason from the Halloween movie franchise is not just funny or scary, but both and more; this time around I'm told by the gallery that he'll be doing work "with magic and illusion filtered through his minimalist aesthetic." (Oct 19-Nov 19.) 1531 W. 4th Ave., 604-730-2875. Traceylawrencegallery.com MORRIS A N D HELEN BELKIN—The Belkin is planning a number of events throughout November to celebrate the life of Al Neil, placing the influence of his life and work over 60 years of our history. The Al Neil Project, as it is called, presents four separate evenings of work inspired by Neil, notably the multimedia night at the Western Front on October 15, and the series of readings entitled Under the Influence hosted by Michael TRACEY LAWRENCE—David Turner at the Vancouver Pubic Carter's photoconceptual-coop- Library on October 21. The night W E D O N O T REMEMBER DAYS, WE REMEMBER MOMENTS. C E S A R E P A V E S E At the Hotel Grand Pacific in beautiful Victoria, BC, Canada, we set the scene for memorable moments - stunning views, exquisite dining, sumptuous amenities - and the luxury of time to enjoy it all. Call 1-800-663-7550 or visit our web site for details. LIVE LIFE G R A N D . www.hotelgrandpacific. 50 V A N C O U V E R SEPTEMBER 2005 com /OO HOTEL W GRAND PACIFIC Member of Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide offers readings from our vibrant literary history of drug and alcohol addiction, from Malcom Lowry to Neil. And surely the most significant exhibition on the horizon is Inconsolable Memories, the new black-and-white film and 40 colour photographs of Cuba by Stan Douglas. Considering Artspeak's plans for October, and the photoconceptual season at Presentation House, 2006 rightly opens with Douglas's serial work on Cuba. Douglas had access to parts of the country normally off-limits to anyone not named Castro, and a series of the unfucking-believable photographs he created were shown last year at David Zwirner in New York. Dates to be confirmed. UBC, 1825 Main Mall, 604-822-2759. Belkin-gallery.ubc.ca u> S W 6 e t Y o u n g T t l i n Q Last summer Kevin Chong, a frequent Vancouvercontributor (his last * piece for us was on the phenomenon of male yoga practitioners, in May 2005) and novelist (his first ? book, Baroque~a~nova, came out in 2001 to much acclaim) was in a bit of a funk. He was staring clown the barrel of his 30th birthday-"! think there was part of me that worried the world would stop turnm ing"- his writing was tanking—"I was having trouble with my second novel, and i'd put all my eggs in one basket" and he was stuck in a cynical r u t - I t was getting harder to experience new things or to fall in iove with anything?f~~so he gathered up a couple of long-time buddies and took a road trip across Canada and the States, following in the footsteps of his hero Neil Young. The result, Neil Young Nation ($22.95, Greystone Books), comes out this fall. Funny, touching and wildly engaging, the book tells of thong's sometimes hapless but always sweetmatured attempt to exhume the Canadian-born rock idol's roots, gathering up a cast of Young's old grade-school teachers, band members and ex-girlfriends. It's idiosyncratic, illuminating and, it turns out, about so much more than Young. Chong turns the road trip-not so much a "vacation from adulthood," as the book jacket copy claims, but "more a vacation from my worries of not being an adult," he admits-into a meditation on the loss of youth, on regaining inspiration and commitment. And the book examines the nature of fan-dom, too, while featuring much lucid discussion of Young's music and appeal Chong shudders at the notion of Neil Young actually ever reading Neil Young Nation, "It would be like him finding my diary and assessing my girlie-man thoughts about him/' he says. "I'm kind of embarrassed about how big of a fan I am.'f He shouldn't be. And I'm pretty sure that if Young does ever pick up Neil Young Nation, hell like It as much as I did. -Matthew Malion OR GALLERY—Goodbye, Sydney, we'll miss you! Good luck now that you're finished your tenure at the Or (saw your show down at Access in August-cool!). And welcome to town, Michele Faguet, Or's new curator, and all the way from Bogata! That's crazy. What's she doing here? We won't know till January when her first show goes up. Don't forget to bid at the annual Or art auction, this time ADVERTISEMENT The festivities never end in Puerto Vallarta. Every day in this Mexican seaside paradise, there's something to celebrate. For more information go to visitpuertovallarta.com/vm P U E R T O VALLARTA CKl.EBBATfiS .jgf; A SEPTEMBER 14 etS>Ca3)eH SOMETHING TO REMEMBER WHEN THEY'RE TEENAGERS. I El S>ia ® c Los Charms Traditional Mexican cowboys (and cowgirls) strut their stuff as the day begins with a colorful parade. The evening brings bullfighting and calf roping events at various charro rings, food, drink and a festive atmosphere. U ®ta 2>e Experiencing a Loss for Words In addition to the native Huichols, who tell colorful legends with their beadwork, many internationally renowned artists add to the vibrant art scene. Spend the morning exploring various art galleries and the evening enjoying the breathtaking sunset and the statues of the Malecon. SEPTEMBER 15 •••••,.... • : . PUERTO IVALLARTA WAvte Mvzica Cornea to- £ife • • . • •. . • .• • ; :• . •,. •. .• A day of family happiness is a thing of beauty, though in Puerto Vallarta, hardly rare. g -^Sr^^r^'^ Mexico BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS EntertowinafreetripatVlSITPUERToVALLARTA.COM/VM | 1.888.384.6822 a S>ia S)e Viva Mexico! A nighttime parade heads to the central plaza, where the Mayor of Puerto Vallarta leads the crowd in El Grito de Dolores (the cry for liberty). Shouts of "Viva Mexico!", followed by fireworks, food and folkloric dancing, are the celebration of Mexico's independence. SEPTEMBER 2005 V A N C O U V E R 51 A perfect smile for everyone using the convenience of your eBay alias. eOr!, as it will be called, is the Or's first-ever online auction, via eBay, obviously. There's a launch party for the opening of eOr! on October 8 at the Or Gallery, and the auction closes Saturday, October 15.103-480 Smithe Street, 604-683-7395. Orgallery.org DANCE: West Coast Orthodontics offers: • Free consultations for adults, adolescents and children • Saturday appointments and extended weekday hours • 0% financing payment plans • Two central locations in Vancouver DR. SUZANNE CZIRAKI BSc, Msc, BEd, DDS, MSc (ortho), FRCD(C) Certified Specialist in Orthodontics for Children and Adults NEW DOWNTOWN LOCATION VANCOUVER CENTRE 1040 - Scotia Tower 6 5 0 W Georgia Street, Vancouver 604.685.9637 OAKRiDGE CENTRE 3 1 5 - South Tower 6 5 0 W 41st Avenue, Vancouver 604.266.8277 BALLET BC Balletbc.com, 604-280-4444 Swan Lake (Sept 28-Oct 1), performed in collaboration with the National Ballet of Canada, will features sets and costumes by Academy Award nominee Santo Loquasto. Loquasto worked in production design for Bullets Over Broadway so we're guessing it'll be swans decked out in zoot suits and fedoras that will bring "new logic and powerful archetypes to make [Swan Lake] moving and relevant to a new generation of dancers and audiences" ? We dunno. The Centre for the Arts. Artistic Director John Alleyne's version of Carmina Burana (Nov 17-19) will feature a choir 100-voices strong (pipe support provided by the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Elora Festival Singers) and a 60-piece orchestra. Powerful stuff. QE Theatre. And the holiday season wouldn't be complete without The Nutcracker (December 28 to 31). QE Theatre. FIREHALL ARTS CENTRE Firehallartscentre.ca, 604-689-0926 Extraordinary South African dancer and choreographer Vincent Sekwatki Mantsoe returns to the Firehall, after sold-out performances in 2001, as part of a cross-Canada tour with two new works (Oct 26-29). Mantsoe cites influences as diverse as communal dance he practiced with his shaman family, to Michael Jackson videos—somehow they come together in a body of work regarded internationally as groundbreaking. For 5 Solos Later (Dec 7-10) emerging choreographer Amber Funk Barton dances in commissioned work from local veterans Wen Wei Wang, Emily Molnar and Cori Caulfield; she then sets two of her own works on dancers Lina Fitzner and Karissa Barry. Each year, Ruby Slippers Theatre and The Firehall Arts Centre co-present one powerhouse woman from the national and international stage who creates and performs her own work: this year it's something of an encore as Denise Clarke once again performs her combo of dance and theatre in A Fabulous Disaster (Nov 1-5). MOVENT Movent.ca, 604-731-6856. The ever popular Dances for a Small Stage series (Nov 7-8) continues at Crush Champagne Lounge, where a cabaret-like atmosphere keeps the mood light for those of us who just "don't get" contemporary dance. Lots o' cocktails never hurt either. Eight new, made-to-measure performances staged on an eight-by-14-foot platform. Free advice: stand back. Crush Champagne Lounge. VECC Vecc.bc.ca, 604-280-4444. Recognized in Japan as a leading inheritor of Hijikata's original vision of Butoh, Ko Murobushi is one of the best known and acclaimed practitioners of this dance artform, which originated in post-World War Two Japan. Ko and his company of three male dancers will perform Handsome Blue Sky (Sept 28-Oct 1), an investigation of the works of his former master in a contemporary context. A highly anticipated event. FILM: PACIFIC CINEMATHEQUE 1131 Howe Street, 604-688-3456 September 1-26 Fellini: The Films ofFederico Fellini The bizarre and the fantastical are all the more affecting when they're 10 feet tall. So, obviously, the theatre is the best place to see the films of this masterful Italian director.