À la carte

When you first enter Conceptual Cartographies at the Saidye’s Liane and Danny Taran Gallery (5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine), it might seem as though there isn’t much happening. Like its namesake the map, this show doesn’t hit you over the head with its instant visual appeal, but its interest lies in the imaginary places it can take you.

On first glance, Sandra Rechico’s ink drawings look like cross-sections of houses. It is only after looking at the large wall work (okay, and having someone explain it to me) that I discovered they were aerial views of where she walked in Toronto during the past three weeks of May. Antonia Hirsch’s works draw attention to the world’s waterways, rainfalls and borders, while Montrealer Eric Raymond’s miniature robots busily visualize satellite data concerning the contours of continents and electromagnetic waves. Ottawa artist Juan Geuer’s series of cartographic grids and Gwen MacGregor’s GPS-inspired works round out the destinations. Conceptual Cartographies runs until Jan. 28, info: (514) 739-2301. —Christine Redfern

Women of the world
take over

Expressive, intense and rhythmic are adjectives I’d use to describe the work of choreographer-dancer Ghislaine Koyéré Doté. The 28-year-old UQÀM dance grad attributes the high-energy nature of her choreographic aesthetic to her training in jig, gumboot and stepping. Doté, who grew up in Côte d’Ivoire and moved to Montreal almost a decade ago, turned to the familiar moves and beats of West Africa for inspiration for her new choreography Mâle de Femme.

The quartet has been revamped from the original version that was presented at Tangente last spring and now veers toward a more personal approach. Through text, Doté asked her dancers, who are of French, Haitian and Chinese origin, to recount stories about being women in their different cultures.

“The piece is a celebration of women,” says Doté. “It’s not just a dark piece about how we’ve suffered. It’s about identity and how we define it.” In addition to being a performer and signing off as choreographer for this piece, Doté also composed the soundtrack. Check out the work from this multi-tasker nightly at 8 p.m. until Dec. 3 at the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance), $12–$20. Also, there’s a talk with the artists after the Friday performance. Info: (514) 982-3386. —Marites Carino

Topical Ts

Artists, designers and the merely PhotoShop-acquainted take note: Onetop 2007 has been launched and they want your entries. The annual contest revolves around a different theme each year, inviting designers to submit a piece based around it in the way they choose, be it playful, political or purely aesthetic.

“Each year we choose a topic connected to current affairs—to something that’s preoccupying people,” says organizer Olivier Busquet. “This year, we chose the environment.” The theme is a decidedly heavier one than last year’s chosen preoccupation: the couple.

In early February, a top-secret panel of journalists, fashion personalities and environmental specialists will choose 20 winning designs, to be printed onto limited-edition t-shirts and sold around, as well as outside of, Montreal. The deadline is Jan. 22; contact info@onetop.ca for submission guidelines. —Matthew Woodley

Slaphappy in stanzas

This Saturday, Ottawa-based Arc magazine launches its winter “slaphappy” issue at Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain gallery (372 Ste-Catherine W., #216). “It used to say ‘Canada’s National Poetry magazine’ on the spine before we redesigned it,” explains Arc editor Anita Lahey. “We decided that was a little intense, so for the past few issues we’ve been choosing a word that’s playful or provocative. ‘Slaphappy’ appears in a poem by Sharon McCartney.” Issue contributors Sandra Ridley, Alexandra Pasian, Rhonda Douglas and Mark Frutkin will read at the closing vernissage of Miroirs du cosmos by the issue’s feature visual artist, Marie-Jeanne Musiol. Dec, 2, 2:30 p.m., Free.

Next Thursday, Susan Elmslie, winner of this year’s A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry, will read at the Yellow Door Poetry and Prose Reading, along with fellow nominees. At 3625 Aylmer on Dec. 7, 7 p.m., $5. —Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

MAP QUIRK: Canadians still wondering where, exactly, the beef is in this country need look no further than Melissa Edwards’ The Geist Atlas of Canada: Meat Maps and Other Strange Cartographies. Turns out it’s in Beef Trail Creek, B.C. and Beef Bone Island, NL., though don’t discount close Québécois relatives Lac de la Viande, Lac Steak, Lac Loin, Lac Salami or Lac Hot Dog.

And that’s just a bite off the meat page—this atlas also has maps erotic (Bare But Bay, ON., Breast Work Hill, AB., Knob Hill, Nunavut, Climax, SK.), conflict-related (Bad Neighbour Rock, ON., Push and Be Damned Rapids, N.B.), doughnut-esque (Lac Snack, QC., Dunk River, P.E.I.), and others, such as “Angst,” “Apocalypse,” “Gay,” “Philosopher’s,” “Hollywood” and “Kitchen Implements.” It’s erudite, addictive and more fun than a vacation in Screw Creek, Yukon. (Arsenal Pulp Press, $24.95).

ArtsHole

BARELY LEGAL: Galerie Clark turns 18 this month and, after strutting cockily through the SAQ, will hold its annual fundraising auction, Encan 18. The vernissige is tonight, Nov. 30, at 8.pm., and all works are on display until Dec. 8. The auction, conducted by “the unique” Gaétan Nadeau, is Saturday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. Works can also be seen at www.clarkplaza.org.

ARTISTAT: Number of photographs showcased as the province’s best news snaps of the year in Photos de presse 2006, running Dec. 6–Jan. 21, at the Maison de la Culture Frontenac (2550 Ontario E.): 40

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