Incinerator art oasis

If you plan on seeing anything over the next four nights, Champ Libre's DÉSERT is the place to be. The massive extravaganza of video, installation, performance and music occupies the equally imposing industrial setting of the des Carrières incinerator (1266 des Carrières, near Rosemont metro).

Champ Libre has filled this sort of modern-day castle with works by 125 artists from 20 different countries. To find the entrance, just look for the black Mustang filled with sand by Horacio Zabala. Once inside, check out Isabelle Hayeur's interactive video installation that plays with the distorted perceptions experienced in the long tunnel in which her work sits. The tunnel was previously used to remove the detritus from the incinerator.

Then, if you don't get sucked into running around a ping pong table until dawn while listening to country music (a project by Berliners Remco Schuurbiers and Bijan Dawallu), head up the ramp lined with railroad containers (each containing different micro environments for you to explore the physical and psychological space of the desert) and arrive in the main gigantic space above, where different programming happens nightly. The packed schedule is at www.champlibre.com, including plenty of daily free events coinciding with this weekend's Journées de la Culture. » Christine Redfern

After the ball

Forget the stage and the robe, a much more memorable coming-of-age ritual for many a Canadian is that which takes place during graduation night, whether it be pissed and squealing from a limo sunroof, alone, or in a windy field after the dance. The latter is what photographer Guillaume Simoneau captures as part of an ongoing project he's shooting at his former high school on the south shore of Quebec City. "I know what makes up these nights," he says. "But I was definitely trying to avoid the over-drunk thing." Accordingly, Simoneau (class of '94) captures intimate, often insecure moments in a way for which he has a knack.

The photos are part of Quiet Fires, a bigger exhibition by collective-to-watch Working Circle, which also includes photographers Hilary Leftick, Aaron Seligman and May Troung. It opens on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the Nest (3673 St-Dominique), 7–10 p.m., before POP Montreal puts the Dears and Donkey Heart on the stage to rock it like the prom. » Matthew Woodley

Launch time

Norman Nawrocki's Rebel News Service continues with his solo Duckwork CD, featuring spirited anti-war and anti-Bush rants, spiels and chanties. The launch is tonight, Sept. 23, 5–7 p.m. at Casa del Popolo (4873 St Laurent), free.

Meanwhile, a new poetry zine, Yalla, launches at the next Drop the Gloves Tuesdays open mic at Grumpy's (1242 Bishop), hosted by Larissa Andrusyshyn. Says editor James Erwin, "I'm interested in doing the zine for the fact that it starts up a miniature press where I can do various types of publishing." Yalla features visual art by Étienne Lafrance and poetry by rob mclennan. Contributors Brendan Murphy and Kristina Drake will be reading, along with Streeteaters publisher Paula Belina, Irwin and Ben Lavigne. Sept. 28, 9 p.m., free. » Vincent Tinguely

Major falls

Tangente's very popular Les Majeurs series kicks off this weekend. The event spotlights choreographers with a newly established presence on the contemporary scene, and one to watch for is Toronto choreographer/film director Jenn Goodwin, also a graduate from Concordia's contemporary dance program. Throughout her life, Goodwin has experienced falls both physical and emotional; they serve as muse in her newest theatrical solo choreography, The Falling.

For the other half of the evening, choreographer Claude Godin has created a duet for Magdalena Nowecka and Clara Furey called Magnet-Mesc. The piece explores the relationship created between the two dancers, as well as fate and coincidence, stripped down to the bare bones of movement with a soundtrack that mixes hip hop, goth and electronic sounds. Les Majeurs runs Sept. 23–26 at Tangente (840 Cherrier), $15. » Marites Carino

Is it Art?

SNOT FUNNY: Remember the kid at your eighth birthday sleepover who laughed so hard Orange Crush came out his nose and who peed the bed later on that night? He'd love this. Peter Petrie is an egg separator: a ceramic head with a big nose - the albumen splits from the yolk and escapes out the nostrils, making Peter look like he's got one hose of a runny nose. Peter is more than a kid's gag though, he's actually quite impressive in his hand-craftedness and nothing says healthy like laughter and egg whites. Get one at www.stupid.com/stat/EGSP.html, $12.99 (U.S.).

ArtsHole

CULTURE CRAZY! Les Journées de la Culture sweep the province this weekend with 72 hours of almost 1,200 free activities visual, aural and historical, with shows and workshops galore that aim to further connect the public with the world of art. A couple of local orgs involved are the Roy Street Collective with their annual architecture-'n'-art exhibition/workshop, Tabernacle (Sept 24–Oct. 3, 111 Roy E.) and the Black Theatre Workshop, holding improv nights where visitors are invited to compose a poem around a randomly chosen word from the dictionary (Sept. 25–26 at Café Sarajevo, 2080 Clark). And there's way, way more - see www.journeesdelaculture.qc.ca for all the info. • PEACE & PIPES: Chris Dyer's far-out, spiritual-psychedelia skateboard show, with its 65 broken, decorated decks, Metaphysical Boarding, is on display at Zeke's Gallery (3955 St-Laurent) until Oct. 10.

ARTISTAT: Milestone anniversary to be celebrated by Articule gallery at their "Come As You Were" bash, featuring local rockers Jerk Appeal and the Nymphets, a silent auction of art-covered T-shirts, prizes for best '80s attire and more this Saturday, Sept. 23, 9 p.m., at Le Local (7154 St-Urbain): 25

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