2008

By Elaine Wong We return again to XPACE, and there is something new in the gallery window to replace Alejandra Herrera‘s installation. It is a blue ceramic bowl and a pair of brown leather shoes, but they aren’t for use tonight, so I will have to wait to find out what they are for. When […]

By Andrew James Paterson After enjoying a delightful tea with the performance artist Norbert Klassen, we trudged off to the subway entrance at Queen and University by the big shiny new opera house. I had hoped that Gustavo Alvarez was intending to perform one of his public actions in relation to the opera house, but

By Elaine Wong On Harbord Street just west of Spadina, there is a small gallery that is housing another portion of the festival: a screening of some of Lezli Rubin-Kunda‘s recent video works. The screening contains three separate videos, of which two (Down to Earth and A Walk with Mask, Streamers and Sardine Cans) are

By Andrew James Paterson I had been tipped off the Chihuahua-based performance artist Gustavo Alvarez (Musgus) had been planning a performance action starting at the bus stop by the Old City Hall at three o’clock. I get there early and nobody’s there. I think of checking out the City Hall Library and checking my email

October 29, 2008 By Elaine Wong In her quest to become plant-like, this afternoon Sakiko Yamaokaperformed the first action of a series entitled Wind from Sky (Human Beings Are Plants) in a local flower shop, in which she set up a chair for herself and for any other participants who felt florally inclined. She commented

By Andrew James Paterson Late in the afternoon, I found myself with idle time so I decided to check in on the Creative Residents working out of Toronto Free Gallery. Chaw Ei Thein’s mural—Quiet River—had been extended much further than what I had briefly glimpsed late last week. A row of Burmese monks at the

By Elaine Wong This afternoon Sakiko Yamaoka led a small group of adventurers through the financial district of Toronto in search for the Best Place to Sleep, a piece whose name changes to Come with Me when performed with participants. Yamaoka led us through a series of banks where as a group, we lay down

October 27, 2008 By Elaine Wong Despite the spattering rain and the wet sidewalks, Glenn Lewis performed the second of his A Sweeping Statement walks this afternoon. The streets were cleaner today, and cleared of most of the fallen leaves—in fact we encountered another sweeper (our third in as many hours!) today, forcing Lewis to