By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor
Arts in the Garden
Where: 13 garden spaces in the North Shore
When: May 27 and May 28, 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
What better way to spend a sunny day than at a community garden party with music, art displays, workshops, activities, and performances rooted in the land? This 24th annual event features 75 artists responding “directly to place and environment.” Find the list of all thirteen garden locations on the North Van Arts website, with each location following a theme reflecting a local gardener’s work, ranging from organic to “feathers and fungi.” Specific accessibility info for each garden is displayed on each web page. There will be “workshops exploring the relationship between birds and mushrooms in partnership with Wild Bird Trust of BC,” like the mushroom olfactory play workshop and fungi-inspired meditation at Maplewood Flats. There’s so much more to peruse on their website!
Bottled Lightning album launch
Where: The Fox Cabaret at 2321 Main St, Vancouver
When: May 30, doors open at 7:00 p.m., show at 8:00 p.m.
Tawahum, a Łutsel kʼe Dene and Plains Cree poet and musical artist, released their long-awaited album, Bottled Lightning, on March 5. This debut hip-hop album is full of nimble, powerful spoken word and rap about their arrest over their land protection work battling the front lines of the Trans Mountain pipeline, “a project that is both a violation to Indigenous rights and our climate.” They’ll be joined at the Fox Cabaret with album collaborators: Kimmortal, Khingz, HK Higher Knowledge, and Adrian Avendaño on the drums. There will also be performances from Ḱesugwilakw and Dani Lion. Tickets are $15 and you can contact Tawahum on Instagram at @Tawahum for discount codes, as “no one [will be] turned away for lack of funds.”
Indigenous Artisans Market
Where: Bill Reid Gallery at 639 Hornby St, Vancouver
When: June 10, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Support local Indigenous artists at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art’s trademark event. A walk away from SFU’s Vancouver campus, the event will feature art from “a variety of mediums, including weaving, carving, jewelry-making, beading, painting, and printmaking.” And while you’re there, check out their current exhibits: Bright Futures and Matriarchs Seen and Unseen, as well as the permanent SFU Bill Reid Collection of the Haida artist and sculptor. Look out for more information on their website on individual vendors, as they will be announced soon! Find more information about accessibility on their “Accessibility” page.
Kariton Art Gallery: Chromatic Dreamscapes and Solitude
Where: Kariton Art Gallery at 2387 Ware Street, Abbotsford
When: Chromatic Dreamscapes runs until May 27 & Solitude runs until June 30, Thursday to Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Kariton Art Gallery has two exciting exhibits on display currently. Chromatic Dreamscapes compiles “a whimsical alphabet series by Glenna Lundberg, bold colours and patterns by Amelia Ilnicki, and the dreamy surrealism of Jacqueline Stuerzl.” Solitude features the work of Adele Fussi, a senior and Indigenous artist who discovered a love for painting during the start of the pandemic. Fussi “claims it must be her Cree heritage that inspires her to paint the majestic Coastal and Rocky Mountains.” Both exhibits are also available online. You can also purchase the artists’ works and visit the online gift shop at the gallery’s website!
rEvolver Festival
Where: The Cultch at 1895 Venables St, Vancouver
When: May 24–June 4, various times
Upintheair Theatre, a non-profit theatre company dedicated to “lifting and empowering the next live performance generation,” is organizing a festival consisting of 10 shows by artists “who share a common aim to reinvent conventional theatre modes.” From drag, dance, and comedy, to an interactive website experience and online karaoke night, there are both in-person and remote options. Mainstage titles include Discounted Hotpot Centre (an “immersive culinary experience” — free hotpot served after the show) and Catfish (an “earnest exploration of identity and self-love” in ASL and English). Tickets range from $15–$30.
Confession Publique
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie St, Vancouver
When: May 26 and 27, 8:00 p.m.
This award-winning contemporary solo dance was created by Mélanie Demers and performed by Angélique Willkie, exploring “themes of privacy and secrecy, delving into the marshy depths of the psyche in a revolt against the vulgar self-exposure that bombards us every day.” Willkie shared, “We explore the spaces between things and how to navigate them. As a Black artist and woman, I don’t fit into the definitions imposed by society. That’s an important part of my collaboration with Mélanie. We’re both interested in the grey areas.” This performance is hosted by plastic orchid factory, an “artist-run organism that uses the body as a site for research and expression.” Tickets start at $10.
