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Remembering Clifton Ruggles for Black History Month It's hard to imagine such a thing as a high-profile community artist; usually, if you're high-profile, you're past the community stage. But beginning next Monday, Open City Productions will sponsor a retrospective of the work of one of Montreal's best-known and best-loved local artists, Clifton Ruggles. >> Ruggles, who passed away in early January at the age of 46, was known as much for his artwork as for his activism. His work at Options School, a school for dropouts and other disadvantaged teens, endeared him to all the kids he helped through to their high school diploma. "Clifton looked at his life and his work through the same lens," says Open City's Glen Hilke, a frequent collaborator. "He brought his politics to his artwork, his artwork to his teaching, his teaching into his community work. The unbroken circle was always there." >> The collection of Ruggles' journalism, poetry, photography, paintings and drawings will be on display at the Complexe Guy-Favreau for two weeks beginning Monday, Feb. 16. Free. --Philip Preville
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