Touch and glow

Fabric that changes colour in response to the heat of your body, small LEDs that light up on your clothes in response to being groped… no, this isn’t some sci-fi fantasy, but clothing that has been developed by local textile wonder Joanna Berzowska.

After studying at MIT, Berzowska co-founded International Fashion Machines in Boston and developed the first electronic ink, wearable animated display and “Electric Plaid.” Instead of applying her skills to military applications, a path she could have chosen, Berzowska’s interests lead her to Concordia University, where she focuses on other uses for her research. “This is called fashion, and it is mostly visual,” she says. “We feel the killer app for wearable computing is to convey personal identity information.”

You can hear more about Berzowska’s work with electronic textiles, wearable technology, reactive materials and squishy interfaces during her talk tonight, Dec. 2, 5:30 p.m., at Studio XX (338 Terrasse St-Denis), 845-7934. » Christine Redfern

Trouble at the factory

Though lamentable, it’s somewhat fitting that Marc Tessier got laid off from his job last week, given the nature of his brand-new graphic novel, Mac Tin Tac. A mix of George Orwell’s 1984 and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s magic realism, the book follows the story of Mac, an artist living in a mythical city where everyone works for the Cake factory. The factory is shipped off to the third world and the people revolt.

“The book is based on my own experiences,” Tessier says. “For me it began at a time when Mulroney was bringing in free trade, and jobs began to go elsewhere… The pattern has continued. Now the photo lab where I worked has cut jobs because of shifts on the international scene.”

Mac Tin Tac is 15 years in the making as a novel (it was initially serialized in the early ’90s), written entirely by Tessier and illustrated by a handful of mostly local artists. “They all worked for free,” says Tessier (who, by the way, has no plans of revolting). “Solidarity among Montreal comix artists is very important—it’s a bit of a family. And it’s great because now all these people are known internationally.” Celebrate the lighter side of trade at Mac Tin Tac’s launch on Saturday, Dec. 4, 5–8 p.m. at Le Cheval Blanc (809 Ontario E.), free. » MATTHEW WOODLEY

Bhopal recall

It’s considered by most to be the worst industrial disaster in history, yet many don’t know about the Bhopal Disaster, a toxic gas leak that killed thousands and injured hundreds of thousands in the Indian city 20 years ago this week. “Things like this that go on in the third world often just get swept under the rug,” says Laurel Sprengelmeyer, general manager of the Teesri Duniya Theatre. They’re bringing in a travelling photo exhibit by one of India’s most renowned photographers, Raghu Rai, and Maude Dorr, documenting the disaster and its lingering aftermath; 20,000 live on contaminated soil and drink poisonous water in Bhopal today. We Are Not Flowers, We Are Flames is on display at the YMCA Centre-Ville (1400 Stanley) until Dec. 12. Also commemorating the anniversary, a staged reading of Rahul Varma’s play Bhopal will be read at the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance) in Hindi on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m., and in French on Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. » Matthew Woodley

Cutting the Q

This Sunday, Corey Frost returns from a world tour to launch The Worthwhile Flux. “It will be part infomercial, part travel program,” Frost explains. “Jake Brown will speak on the work of Corey Frost, there’ll be a slide show of surprising road signs I’ve encountered across five continents, and I’ll perform a story about what happens to the world when the letter Q is retired.” Performance artist Victoria Stanton is also on deck. December 5, 9 p.m. at the Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent).

On Tuesday, Dec. 7, David McGimpsey will launch his new compendium of humorous fictions, Certifiable, by rocking out with his band, Puggy Hammer. “Mostly it’s a celebration,” says McGimpsey. “It’s gonna be easy on people, we’re there to have fun.” He’s joined by bandmate and author Jason Camlot, poet Jon Paul Fiorentino and Maya Merrick. December 7, 8 p.m. at Club One (1186 Crescent). Both shows free. » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

NOW THAT’S A KNIFE: When Is It Art first heard about Kyocera Ceramic Santoku knives, we thought, “Woah, better keep those things away from the Greek parties.” Thing is, Kyocera knives are made from smash-proof zirconium oxide, a material similar in hardness to diamond. Their Santoku knife, which originated in Japan, is known for its smooth-rocking motion and imperviousness to acids, juices, oils and salts—unlike its steel sister. To make the blades, ceramic material is ground into a micro-fine powder, made into slurry and poured into a machine where it is subjected to 100 tons of pressure and moulded. Then, the blades are sintered at a temperature of over 1,000 degrees, surface finished, tumbled and buffed. Following that, they’re precision-polished, buffed, honed and sharpened using diamond wheels. Make the cut at www.cooking.com, $49.95.

ArtsHole

SOUND IDEAS: To encourage people to contribute to the multimedia madness on their Web site, Agence TOPO is launching their Post-Audio Netlab, today, Dec. 2, 5:45–10 p.m., at the Café du MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance), with audio performances by Alexis O’Hara, Sylvie Chenard, Tsalal, Le Monochrome, Mossa and Leo Cruz. Visit the site at www.AgenceTOPO.qc.ca. • DANCING THROUGH SLAUGHTER: As part of their Série Émergence this week, lending the floor to emerging artists, dance space Tangente (840 Cherrier) presents Pierre Lecours’ solo work, Les abattoirs. It runs from Dec. 2–5, $12.

ARTISTAT: Number of meals delivered each year to isolated seniors in Montreal by the Santropol Roulant, throwing their annual Cabaret Roulant this Wednesday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m., at the Kola Note (5240 Parc) with a feast of film screenings and performance, $25–$50, 284-9335: 25,000

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