Into the electric swamp

“Creating an aesthetic with technology, but without using it—that’s what really interests me,” says choreographer/dancer Louis Turcotte about his new work Gestell. Turcotte studied visual arts before turning to dance, and also created the décor for the piece, which is composed of metres and metres of entangled black and grey cables that serve as both backdrop and metaphor. “We are submerged in an electronic swamp,” he explains. “And whether we like it or not, technology is a part of us.”

For the past seven months, Turcotte has been working on the duet with his co-collaborator Cristina Campisi, who trained in both dance and political science and seeks links between society and constructed environments. The piece opens this week at MainLine Theatre (3997 St-Laurent, 270-0892) and plays at 8 p.m. daily until Sept. 9. —Marites Carino

Hopelessly Devo-ted

You might know Mark Mothersbaugh’s name from his efforts with robo-rock avatars Devo, or maybe his later soundtrack work (Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, for instance). If you stopped by the arts tent at Osheaga last weekend, though, you might have discovered L.A.-based Mothersbaugh’s visual-arts side. Blow-ups of some of the many strange postcards he’s created over the years were on display.

If you missed it, never fear, the same works will be up at the Green Room (5386 St-Laurent) until the night of Tuesday, Sept. 12, when the “de-vernissage” goes down as of 7 p.m. Gorgeous prints will be auctioned, the Mothersbaugh portrait the HVYW8 guys busted out at Osheaga will be displayed, and Dubo, a Devo cover band featuring members of the Planet Smashers, Nanobots and Ark of Infinity, will undoubtedly whip it—whip it good! —Rupert Bottenberg

Kind words for the road

Three of our brightest folk and word talents, Paula Belina, Lisa Hoffman and Kyra Shaughnessy, are inaugurating their DIY North American tour tonight at the first Catcall women’s open mic of the season. “A friend had come to play a show in Montreal, Evan Greer of Riot Folk!, and he was basically telling us to just set the tour up ourselves,” Hoffman explains. “So it was really from the ground up—Kyra knew a few people, I knew a few people, Paula knew a few people, we just pieced it together.”

Before taking to the road, the three indie artists will be running through their tour set, flogging a variety of CDs and zines, and generally spreading a good, mindful vibe at Café Esperanza (5490 St-Laurent), Sept. 7, 8:30 p.m., $3. —Vincent Tinguely

Art trek

Driving along Fairmount last week, on the look-out for Articule’s new digs, I passed a few likely spots under renovation, but when I saw the storefront window containing the words, “Art Tells Gorgeous Lies That Come True,” I knew I had found the right space. Articule’s new location at 262 Fairmount W., just off Parc, will officially open Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., with the launch of The Enterprise by Pavilion Projects.

The inaugural project is a pseudo marketing firm that will set up shop in the gallery, host workshops and meetings and create advertisements and communiqués on Montreal’s current cultural politics. Check out www.enterprise.pavilionprojects.com for more details, and, better yet, show up and take in the opening, with a live performance by Beaver in the beautifully renovated space. —Christine Redfern

Is it Art?

COLD CALL: In 1792, a much larger percentage of Canadians lived on a farm and grew at least some of their own food than do now. Still, 175 years later, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is going strong. Though they now have a Podcast, downloadable at www.almanac.com/podcast, the Almanac’s bread and butter remains its reputable long-term weather forecasts. The hot scoop on southern Quebec winter from the just-released 2007 edition: “near-normal temperatures, on average, with near-normal precipitation. Snowfall will be below normal in the capital region, but above normal in most other areas. The heaviest snowfalls will occur in late-November, mid- and late December, mid-February and early to mid-March. The coldest temperatures will occur in mid- and late December, mid- and late January and early February.”

ArtsHole

LIBERATION INSTALLATION: The main room of VOX (1211 St-Laurent) becomes a tiny apartment living room in Mathieu Beauséjour’s politically charged 1 1/2 Métro Côte-des-Neiges, and on the television, a woman reads the FLQ manifesto that was broadcast by Radio-Canada TV during the 1970 October Crisis. Sit back and relax in nationalist bliss from Sept. 9–Oct. 21. • HIGH-FIBRE FIESTA: September has arrived and the pickin’s a-plentiful at Quebec’s apple capital, Rougemont, which, you’ll be happy to know, is only half an hour outside Montreal. From Sept. 9–Oct. 9, the area, which boasts some 300,000 apple trees, celebrates the fruit with Les Week-ends gourmands, a sauce of music, cooking demonstrations, samples and much more. Visit www.tourismerougemont.com for all the info.

ARTISTAT: Number of marionettes originating from six countries around the world travelling to meet other marionettes at their own international festival, the ManiganSes, running until Sept. 17 in the Saguenay region—details at www.maniganses.com: 197

>> Arts Listings