Oughta be in pictures

by Genevieve Paiement

"This is our 10th screening--our first at the Sala Rossa and our biggest yet!" gasps Seth W. Owen, when prodded about his upcoming High Class Picture Show event. Owen is one third of Automatic Vaudeville, alongside confrères Daniel Perlmutter and Mark Slutsky (of Mirror Listings fame).

"We're basically a major motion picture studio without the big money problems you run into," says Owen, who seems at a loss to contain his excitement about the action-packed night they have in store for the public's pleasure.

"We've got detective pictures, serials, a sneak peek at our feature film Send Money Now, prizes galore and the amazing Chuckball, who are possibly the world's best all-purpose cover band," Owen gushes. "This will be the most entertaining night that people will have had at the pictures for quite some time."

And much like Vaudevillian performances of yore, the boys' aim remains to provide as much bang for your buck as they possibly can. "At $6, it's a bargain," says Owen. "That's for damn sure." At 4848 St-Laurent, Nov. 16, 9 p.m., $6. Info: 830-0107.

Dancing about sculpture

by Marites Carino

Picture dancers resembling sculptures, wearing arm extensions and casting haunting shadows with their bodies. These are the striking images that make up Aube et Crépuscule, the brainchild of choreographer and visual artist Anne-Marie Giroux.

Through dancers Rachel Harris, Robert Meilleur and Maya Ostrofsky, Giroux sculpts with the elements as she plays with the relationships that exist between humans, stone, wood and metal.

Keeping close to nature, Giroux hiked out to the Côteau-du-Lac region with sound designer Jean-Pierre Côté to create a soundtrack that features the sounds of fire crackling, frogs and crows.

And if drawing's your thing, spectators at the Friday, Nov. 16 performance are invited to participate in some "dessin en direct." This event encourages the audience to pull out their pencils and paper during the performance and draw what's going on onstage. The works will then become part of an exposition in L'Agora's Laboratoire. So bring along a sharpener in case you get the urge. At 840 Cherrier, until Nov. 17, 8 p.m., $16-23. Info: 525-1500.

The art of war

by Sholem Krishtalka

As violently suggestive images of war reel off of the print and television media, Diyan Achjadi's new show at the Articule gallery, guise, seems particularly timely and relevant. The exhibit is a video installation, combining video projection and fabric-based works.

Originally conceived as a reaction to the events of the '98 uprising against the Indonesian Suharto government, guise consists of miniature soldiers and rioters engaging in an unsettling display of cartoonish brutality. In the video projection, this is superimposed on Achjadi's face and body. In the fabric-based elements, these scenes are embroidered diligently on delicate lace handkerchiefs. Due to Achjadi's artful handling of a brutal topic, her installation avoids event-specificity, thereby inviting deep empathy, and her approach merits comparison to Leon Golub. This is a brilliant example of art as witness. At 4001 Berri, #105, until Dec. 16.

Bass words

by Vincent Tinguely

2001 Noisemaker nah-ee-lah is living up to her title with her first indie CD project, Free Dome. A year in the making, the CD features many of her live hits as well as some brand new pieces. She's captured the intensity of her pieces by working with drummer and CD co-producer Jahsun and bassist Bassone, who make up the rhythm section of Jah Cutta and the Determination Reggae Band. Nah-ee-lah says, "I'm in heaven with the band! I'm hooked!" The production sets a new standard in local dub spoken word recording. According to nah-ee-lah, "The man mastering the CD said, 'This is definitely more bass-heavy than what we usually do!'"

At tonight's CD launch, nah-ee-lah drops the bomb with Jahsun and Bassone, as well as Giorgio on guitar, Zibz NG on percussion and Sabrina and Chilandre lending vocal support. The show also features the intense polyrhythmic word-sounds of Alex Boutros & Kaarla Sundström, spoken songs by Giorgio & Sabrina, and the lilting urban legends of Kaie Kellough. At Petit Café Campus (57 Prince Arthur E.), Nov. 15,

9:30 p.m., $5. CDs on sale for $15.

Is it Art?

Vegan propaganda alert: Remember the pleasure children of the '80s derived from collecting all those grody "Garbage Pail Kid" stickers? Anything to do with farts, zits, puke and other bodily fluids will generally keep most children regaled for hours. PETA (people for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have figured this fact out and harnessed it to get their anti-dairy message out. Part of their Dump Dairy campaign, they've created Milk Suckers trading cards with totally gross images of kids suffering from unpleasant milk side effects. The antithesis of those celebrity milk mustache ads, there's Windy Wanda (gas), Loogie Louie (phlegm), Pimply Patty and Chubby Charlie (pictured). Collect them all! For more info, check out www.milksucks.com.

ArtsHole

Colour your life: Local graphic designer and artist Dave Girard, aka Beige, claims that his art is more about questions than answers. Questions, Girard says, like "What's that shitty blob in the centre there? Who is this guy?" and, "What's with the pink?" Experience the unknown at the Vice store (58 des Pins E.) until Dec. 14. Vernissage Nov. 16 8-11 p.m. with free vodka. o Get on the bus, Gus: Level II Theatre are putting on a version of Bus Stop, the 1956 Marilyn Monroe movie. Monroe's part of Cherie, the singer with a past, will be played by Shelly Stevens while boisterous cowboy Bo Decker will be incarnated by Randy Thomas, local actor and famed Club 281 stripper. At the Geordie Space (4001 Berri), Nov. 15-18, 21-25. For times and prices, call 934-0375. :



Artistat: Number of performers and artists participating in the VAV Gallery's third annual Performance Week: over 25 :