Humans, animals, sex
and sculptures

Tucked away behind black and white photographs by Ewa Monika Zebrowski and Holly King's homemade landscapes at Art Mûr (5826 St-Hubert), you'll find the fantastic world of Guillaume Lachapelle. The back gallery is filled with his sculptures: miniature theatrical sets teeming with odd characters and props made of wood, plaster and bits of metal.

The stories that spring to mind while looking at this work are both humorous and unsettling, bubbling up from one's unconscious like twisted fairy tales. Lachapelle shows dogs wearing human masks, humans wearing bunny and rhino masks, penises sprouting from coat racks and butt-plugs floating like balloons. Lachapelle's sculptures have a similar feel to Marcel Dzama's watercolours, but are heavier on the sexual references. I don't know why he incorporated the real-life cast of someone's labia amongst all the other dollhouse-sized elements, but perhaps some questions are better left unanswered. The show runs until Dec. 1, 933-0711. » Christine Redfern

Taiwan on

Using a Buddhist proverb, tai chi principles, J.S. Bach's Suites for Solo Cello and a little H2O, Taiwanese choreographer and author Lin Hwai-min weaves together Moon Water, a theatrical work that has garnered rave reviews the world over. With a poetic composition that relies heavily on the visual effect and symbolism of reflections in water, Lin's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan makes its first appearance in Montreal, Nov. 26-27 at Place des Arts.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre is the Asian island's first modern dance troupe, started by Lin over 20 years ago and rooted in his integration of several dance forms, from modern dance to Chinese opera movement. The company is made up of over 20 dancers who have trained in ballet, modern dance and meditation and use tai chi techniques as a base for movement. Call 842-2112 to book. » Marites Carino

Art markets abound!

Here's a few: Dare-Dare (7154 St-Urbain) hosts the Dare-Dare Dépôt, a fundraiser to help out with their new space, with multiples for sale from several dozen artists, Nov. 26, 5-9 p.m. and Nov 27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sodac's Expo vente 2004 offers up arts and crafts at the Vieux-presbytère St-Mark (340 St-Charles W., Longueuil). Antiques, old industrial machinery and other odd items can be seen at the Darling Foundry's Bazar d'art, Nov. 26 from noon-10 p.m. before they're auctioned off Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. (745 Ottawa). Montreal DJs and music collectors will shed some vinyl and CD weight at the SAT's record bazaar on Nov. 28, noon-5 p.m. (1195 St-Laurent). Also, the 49th annual Salon des métiers d'art du Québec is underway at Place Bonaventure with fat fine-art pickings until Dec. 19. Shop on. » Matthew Woodley

Zine herd

The vast halls of the newly revived Station C lend themselves to this Sunday's sprawling third annual Expozine. There'll be 140 tables packed with indie-wrought goodies ranging from hand-stapled zines to local literary publications to elaborately silkscreened bandes dessinées. Expect the unexpected - things like The Neo-Comintern Magazine, Bumblenut Publications, and Éditions Rodrigol. The new issue of Lickety-Split will also be unleashed at Expozine, featuring art by Sherwin Tjia, words by Kevin Keck and pics by Anita Schoepp. Publisher Amber Goodwyn's poetic description of the latest Lickety: "I would very much like this to be a striptease of/ turned pages/ Held between warm hands/ Where words whisper sweet nothings/ And pictures pole dance the spine..." The event takes place on Sunday, Nov. 28, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., (1450 Ste-Catherine E., metro Beaudry), free. » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

BRUSH WITH BUSINESS: It's not art, but if art is what you make, The Montreal Artist's Handbook could be the difference between cellar and stage, basement and boutique, furnace room and film screening, etc. Because unless you've got an agent or the creative type's equivalent of a hockey mom, you'll need more than a poetic soul to get your work to the people. The handbook, put out by Youth Employment Services Montreal (YES), covers ground from legal issues to pricing to creating a buzz, with down-to-earth advice from recognizable Montreal artists in various industries and a whole whack of contacts. It's available at the YES HQ (630 René-Lévesque W., #185), $19.95.

ArtsHole

FRINGE ALERT: Hey you, the application deadline for the June 2005 Fringe festival is a-coming fast: Friday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. As always, acts are chosen by lottery - unbiased, unjudged, uncensored, any idea goes so long as it falls under the pretence of performance. With room for all of 80 companies, chances at snatching a spot are decent. Visit www.montrealfringe.ca or call 849-FEST for an application form. • CLAP 'N' TAP: The passion and flair of flamenco will light the city afire when Noche Flamenca prances into town Nov. 25-Dec. 5 with two new shows and a new featured dancer named Antonio Rodriguez, aka El Chupete. The shows run Tues-Sun at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinée at 3 p.m., 790-1245 for tix.

ARTISTAT: Number of established artists from various dynasties of the world's next superpower, China, whose work will be on display at the Galerie d'Art Chinois Hon Wah Enr (982 Clark) until Jan. 8: 50

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