Not much to look
at here, folks

What happens when you take the moving pictures out of the moving picture show? You're left with Nathalie Melikian's Action and War, now playing at VOX (1211 St-Laurent). These two videos contain no dialogue or images, just black words fading in and out on a white screen, accompanied by classic cinematic sound effects and music.

The text is an A to Z list of commercial action film clichés: "Good Guys/Bad Guys," "Martial Arts Moves," "Obligatory Breast Shot," "Voice Over." The words fill the screen, describing the film we don't see, and the end result is a humorous caricature of the genre itself. A third video, Charlotte and her Boyfriend also plays with the imagination and what is unseen in cinema. Melikian never saw the original Jean-Luc Godard film, instead she created this remake out of abridged published descriptions. Runs until Feb. 12, info: 390-0382. » Christine Redfern

A-poppin' and a-lockin'

Are Shabadoo and Rerun in the house? Maybe not, but that doesn't mean that some of Montreal's finest urban dance devotees won't be able to hold down the floor on Friday, Feb. 4, when Jack Fresno's Turn Up Jam takes over the Nest (3673 St-Dominique).

This first session of the Turn Up Jam, organized by Urban Element dance instructor Fon deVuono-powell and veteran dancer Irvin "Dazl" St. Louis, is dedicated to showcasing the art of popping, as well as various house dance styles - forms that often take a backseat to the numerous breakdance events in this city. They've signed on the talents of DJ Devious and Miss Molly to get you on the dance floor, but the highlight of the night has got to be the dance contest. Strut your stuff in front to the guest judges, Marvin Baptiste (house), or pop like there's no tomorrow for New Yorker Terrence "Fish" Williams, who trains with the Electric Boogaloos. Admission is $12, and doors open at 10 p.m. » Scott C

Less made more

The minimalist boys are in town, currently occupying Concordia's Ellen Gallery (1455 de Maisonneuve W.), where you can see sculptures, prints and drawings on loan from the National Gallery of Canada's collection. These include pieces from 1960s art world favourites Dan Flavin, Carl Andre and Donald Judd. Their art as a whole embraces industrial fabrication and rejects the individual mark of the artist. The question it brings to my mind is: is this movement still exciting 40 years after its inception, or is it being kept alive by the art market that bought into the expensive hype in the first place? It runs until Feb. 19, info: 848-2424 ext. 4750. » Christine Redfern

Sticky fingers

Zine co-creators James Irwin and Ruby Attwood are taking Yalla zine to the next level with issue 3. "The theme is artifice," says Irwin. "Looking at creation as a way of communicating between people, and also as a way of communicating with yourself."

As such, they've stepped away from the computer and gotten their fingers dirty and sticky, perpetrating collage art with scissors and glue. "This issue will put us into a new area, at least in our own heads, about what we're doing," Irwin muses.

At the launch, visual artists Meriah Schultz and Attwood will show photo projections and artwork, there'll be short, snappy stories by Andrew Hood, innovative, experimental poetry by Ian Goodman and Sara Peters, spoken word with Ali Naccarato, and an expo-licious set by the Quebec Connection. Feb. 5, 8 p.m. in a lovely loft (4035 St-Ambroise, #1409, buzz 409, near Lionel-Groulx metro), free! » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

TRUCKER TRIUMPH: One thing that really used to irk B.C. trucker Glen Hall is the inevitable attaching of snowchains that winter brings. "I sure hope I don't have to chain up," he's been quoted as saying on more than one occasion. That, however, was before Hall invented the Haller E-Z Chain. Holla! These tread masters are as easy to put on as it gets. The driver runs a metal rod through the opening of the truck's wheel, hooks the chains to the rod, hops into the warm cab, shifts her into first, and drives away, effectively linking the chain by rolling over it. Holla! Order yours at www.ezchainup.com.

ArtsHole

STRIKING CORDS: Focusing on old material, Loose Ends connects stray parts of the everyday object world, including Kai Chan's installation of thousands of incense sticks, Martha Townsend's banners patterned of old clothes, and an unravelling of threads from an old sisal rope by David Merritt. It opens at the Saidye (5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine) Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m., and continues until March 20. • UNITED COLOURS: In How I learned to stop worrying and love the U.N., Kate Rusko uses bold, pop arty colours and forms, with a dark, ironic touch, to explore, as she explains, "how these spaces reflect our yearning for security, stability and order, yet somehow possess qualities that seem alien and disturbing." Her paintings are at Galerie Bumper (372 Ste-Catherine W.) until Feb. 12. • SEX AND BEASTS: Painter Rebecca Anweiler mixes human lust with friends from the animal kingdom (lots of wildcats) in Sexual/Nature, at the Maison de la culture du Plateau Mont-Royal (465 Mont-Royal E.) until Feb. 27.

ARTISTAT: Number of giant metallic resonant breasts in Marlene Hilton Moore's audiovisual installation The Breast Drum Project, opening this Sunday, Feb. 6, 2 p.m., at Stewart Hall (176 Bord-du-Lac, Pointe-Claire), and continuing till March 13: 1

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