by CHRISTINE REDFERN

With the thermometer well above zero and rain falling outside of my window, it seems appropriate that the Canadian Centre for Architecture has extended Environment: Approaches for Tomorrow until June 10. Ever since I saw this exhibition, I’ve been thinking about landscape architect Gilles Clément’s philosophy of “working with, and never against nature” and the importance of the naturally occurring biodiversity found in “wasted” spaces like ditches and vacant lots. To coincide with Environment, a free film series titled Nature/D-Nature kicks off Jan. 25 with the documentary Fast, Cheap and Out of Control. Visit www.cca.qc.ca to view the complete line-up of upcoming films.

Tonight, Jan. 11, the exhibition Out of Space: La Photographie et l’Imaginaire Sculptural opens at 5 p.m. at Dazibao. Featuring the work of John Duncan, Nestor Kruger, Erwin Wurm, Daniel von Sturmer and Amon Yariv, it should be worth checking out. Starting Jan. 12, Access Points: (In)hospitable Architecture and Contemporary Photography presents the work of Lynne Cohen and Denis Farley at the Parisian Laundry. Also that same night, machines by Éric Desmarais and a video loop from Andrée Préfontaine’s project Tutti Frutti opens at Galerie B-312. B-312 is continuing its tradition of Thursday night concerts with well-respected sound artist Nancy Tobin and percussionist Jackie Gallant on Jan. 18, followed by Préfontaine and her violoncello on Jan. 25. Both shows start at 8 p.m. and cost $5.

What’s your typography?

This Saturday, Jan. 13, don’t miss the opening of 2007 Mirror Noisemaker Jason E. Lewis’s exhibition of interactive installations, Everything You Thought We’d Forgotten… 5 p.m. at Oboro. I was unfamiliar with Lewis’s work until a recent visit to his studio at Concordia University where he founded and directs the Obx Laboratory for Experimental Media. This poet, digital artist and software designer is playing with words and typography in ways that should fire the imagination of visual artists, spoken word performers and VJs alike. Another upcoming show that looks promising is that of Claire Savoie and Steve Reinke, opening Jan. 20 at VOX.

The Musée d’art contemporain is showcasing a lot of Quebec talent this winter. On Feb. 10, solo exhibitions open featuring Jean-Pierre Gauthier’s aural and kinetic experiments and Jérôme Fortin’s mesmerizing and obsessive folded paper murals. Gautier will also be performing live at the museum on March 21.

Even more exciting is the opening on Jan. 24 of Milutin Gubash’s video projections, as it will mark the first opportunity for many of us to check out the video works of this recently arrived Montrealer. His exhibition Lots includes all of his video works since 2004. You can meet the artist Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. or see him perform, with special guests Women With Kitchen Appliances, as part of the Nuit Blanche festivities at the museum on March 3.

On Feb. 2, Katja Høst from Oslo, Norway, presents two videos and a sound installation in The Lonely Crowd at Articule, and the same evening, Montrealer Jennifer Dorner opens a new series of paintings at La Centrale. Høst will also be giving an artist’s talk Sunday, Feb. 4, at 3 p.m. On Feb. 8 at the Mai (3680 Jeanne-Mance), Michael Fernandes opens his video exhibition One potato, two potato…it’s your life… as part of the city-wide Rallye-Expos of Vues d’Afrique (www.vuesdafrique.org).

If all this art turns out to be as hot as I imagine, this winter may never get cold.