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Art and Design

We Heart Art!

You know what’s fun? Art openings.

kelsey-balloon-installation

Especially when the opening is at the gorgeous Rennie Collection in celebration of Turner Prize-winning Brit Martin Creed.

martin-creed-balloon-installation-rennie-collection

Sure, there were broccoli stamps, video installations, a mechanized piano and living statues. But none of us could get over the balloons.

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I mean, this installation is essentially an Ikea ballroom for grownups.

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Honestly. When was the last time you saw someone over the age of six this giddy?

Martin Creed’s Collected Works will be at the Rennie Collection until October.

[First photo by Briony Lennig.]

P.S. Take a look at this interview with The Anthology and it’ll become very, very clear why this writer did not go to art school.

May 22, 2011 by

I love, love, love dance

I love to do it, I love to watch it, I love everything about it. Which might be why I love Ballet BC’s collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery.

ballet-bc-vancouver-art-gallery

This Tuesday, they’ll be unleashing dozens of their dancers on the Gallery, where the ballet pros will perform improvisations inspired by the exhibitions. Each performance takes place right in the middle of the gallery visitors, which makes it very casual and very, very cool. I was at their last performance and you’ll be happy to know I resisted the urge to join in.

Ballet BC will be performing at the Vancouver Art Gallery this Tuesday (April 19th) at 7:00. You’ll find more info here.

April 17, 2011 by

You know what’s cozy?

Spending an evening watching a concert under a giant fleece jacket.

sweaterlodge-museum-of-vancouver

And you thought fleece outerwear had no place in a cabaret. The other night, the Museum of Vancouver created a lounge atmosphere underneath their current exhibition SweaterLodge. There, experimental vocalist and pianist Veda Hille performed her Yukon-inspired piece Field Study. Loved it. Loved her. And I think you might too.

She’ll perform this Saturday (April 16th) with Dan Mangan, Charles Demers and special guest Mayor Gregor Robertson at Smorgasbord, a benefit for Vancouver’s homeless youth. I would be there if I weren’t in California.

SweaterLodge is at the Museum of Vancouver until May 1st.

P.S. I’ll be tweeting my face off while I’m at Coachella so follow The Anthology on Twitter.

April 13, 2011 by

It would be a dream

To collect so much art that every wall in my house would be covered. Floor to ceiling.

augustine-unintended-calculations

While none of these pieces are hanging on my walls (insert sad face here), they are hanging on Becker Galleries’.

unintended-calculations-artists

They’re part of Unintended Calculations, the show that unites four street artists from around the world. Curated by Indigo (far left), it features LA’s Augustine Kofie, Vancouver’s Scott Sueme, the UK’s Remi/Rough and Washington DC’s Jeremy Inscoe.

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It’s about four different approaches to abstraction.

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So I thought I’d dress the part in three different approaches to patterns — plaid, stripes and whatever you’d call the print on my clutch.

Want to see them in person? (The paintings, not my clothes.) Unintended Calculations runs until March 26th at the Becker Galleries. And if you want to see the artists’ work on an even bigger scale, stop by the Moda Hotel where they have collaborated on two four-storey murals.

[First piece by Augustine Kofie, second two by Scott Sueme.]

P.S. The Anthology’s Facebook wall is full of art too.

March 8, 2011 by

Should have worn my Tron suit

To the sneak peek of Illuminate Yaletown.

illuminate-yaletown

The party celebrated the unveiling of the art installations that will be taking over a few downtown blocks this weekend. And it was quite the affair. Mayor Gregor kicked it off, noting that it was one year ago that the Olympic torch made its way into Vancouver. (Can you believe it’s been that long?)

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The party highlight for me? The glow-in-the-dark bracelets that served as drink tickets. They would have looked ever so cool with my H & M bangles, don’tcha think?

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But instead of my illuminated Tron suit (truth: I don’t own one) I wore this.

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I’d like to think that sparkly beads are kind of like the analog version of a proper lit-up ensemble.

illuminate-yaletown-installation

So put on your sequins and head to Illuminate Yaletown this Saturday and Sunday. You’ll feel like part of the illuminati, even if only for a weekend.

P.S. Get all high tech and futuristic and add The Anthology on Facebook.

February 10, 2011 by

“Vancouver is awesome.”

“And you can quote me on that,” said Michigan’s Tunde Olaniran after his show on Saturday.

beaded-earrings

Tunde opened for Vancouver’s Run with the Heard at the second annual Olio Festival. (His show was amazing, by the way. Next time he’s here, you want to be there.)

ayden-gallery

I went. I had a blast. Then I headed to Post Up, the latest show at Ayden Gallery, where I ogled paintings I would love to add to my living room wall. (See that gorgeous piece by William Chad Willsie? It would look amazing on this wall.)

suede-shorts

Wore vintage suede shorts that look alarmingly like lederhosen (I am so ready for Oktoberfest).

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And my walking boots, which look alarmingly like cowboy boots.

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Post Up is at Ayden Gallery until October 17th (posters above by Colin Moore). It’s awesome. And you can quote me on that.

P.S. This statement ring is going to make you drool. And we’re giving it away!

September 27, 2010 by

When I say “Oli” you say “O”

The second annual Olio festival is taking over downtown Vancouver this weekend (woohoo!), which means hundreds of emerging and established artists will be bringing their own breed of music, comedy, art, and film to a venue near you.
olio-festival-vancouver
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to see the work/love/passion of 500 relevant artists both local and international,” says Dani Vachon, Olio’s director and music curator. The four-day festival promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s with 40 events and 500 artists. This has got to change Vancouver’s reputation as “No Fun City”, doesn’t it?
“I think every festival, every artist, every comedian, every musician, and every fan is changing Vancouver’s cultural scene. In fact, your blog is changing the scene, too.”

Aw shucks.

the-very-best
So, of all the Olio artists in all the disciplines, which three are must sees?

 

“The Very Best (pictured above) is a very exciting cross between world and indie rock. I think the comedy show that’s partnered up with Global Comedy Fest at the Rickshaw Theatre will be good laughs. And I’m really excited to see what Tunde Olaniran (hip hop weirdo from Flint who is opening for Run With The Heard at Venue) will be like on stage,” says Dani.

Oh, and I’d personally like to see the documentary No Fun City. Just ’cause.

nkotb-tee-new-kids
Time to break out the New Kids on the Block concert tee and hit the Olio circuit? I think so.
Olio runs September 23 – 26. Get your wristbands here. Photo of The Very Best found here.
September 20, 2010 by

Mixed media

Went to an art show last night at Leone celebrating Vancouver artist Gina Miller‘s  mixed media works (which are beeeautiful!).

gina-miller-vancouver-artist

And it got me thinking about mixing media.

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Like coupling the soft flowiness of a silk blouse…

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…with the roughness of a wool jacket.

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And this isn’t just any wool jacket either. It’s a men’s battledress jacket, no less. I found it at an antique fair last year (note the date on the label) and it’s been keeping me warm as I battle the Vancouver weather.

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My clutch? It’s woven reeds embellished with snakeskin cutouts.

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Aha! More mixed media!

P.S. Tweet tweet (that’s Twitterspeak for “follow me”).

April 30, 2010 by

What’s more beautiful

than a handcrafted one-of-a-kind piece made of solid, responsibly harvested wood?

wood-joint-jeff-martin-joinery

Can’t think of anything right now.

jeff-martin-joinery1

This little number? It’s the workmanship of Jeff Martin Joinery which I first discovered on Room 907. And one day my kitchen island will look just like it. Mark. My. Words.

April 4, 2010 by

It’s from the Armory Show

But seems rather fitting for Oscar season, doesn’t it? The red lips, red nails, oversized pearls, sparkly diamonds and whatever those gigantic blue stones are — such outrageous glamour.

promothumb_greenberg-van-d
Image from Art Info. Jessica Craig-Martin, Real Beauty (Amfar Benefit, Cannes), 2008. C-print, 24.8 x 35.43 in, 63 x 90 cm. Edition of 5. Available at the Greenberg Van Doren Gallery booth.
March 7, 2010 by