I'm just a love machine

Luddites beware, in Marie-Suzanne Désilets' intervention you may find yourself saying "I love you" to a machine. Made to look as though it's constructed of concrete and glass, the tall, cylindrical object blends perfectly into the downtown landscape, where it asks passers-by to respond to a series of questions on the topic of solitude, love and work.

The title of the work, Projections - je suis une machine, is no metaphor; Désilets is the machine. Hidden inside the cylinder, she selects from a series of pre-recorded questions and responses to interact with the user. The work investigates our relationship with technology and how we communicate in urban spaces. Yet from the viewpoint of the public, the situation is ambiguous. Security personnel at an office tower were more than surprised when they went to physically remove the machine from the park adjoining their building and found a woman inside. To view the piece or for schedule of public interventions go to La Centrale (460 Ste-Catherine W., #506) until May 31, 871-0268, www.lacentrale.org. » Christine Redfern

Cabaret connects the dots

"The pixel describes the dots that make up the picture. It's small but makes up something big," explains choreographer Marie Claire Forté. She's describing the individual performances that compose The Pixel Project, an event with "explorations in video movement and sound" that she and Erin Flynn have been concocting since January.

"We're both emerging choreographers, and there are not many venues, but we knew enough talented people to put something together," says Forté. The one-night cabaret performance takes place at La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent).

Forté will be presenting a piece with music by composer Andréanne Hatin, and Flynn's piece looks to translate frenetic club energy into a shaped work.

"We set out to create a show that wasn't so dance oriented, and we wanted to extend our community," says Forté. More than a dozen contributors will be participating in the soirée, including, of course, dancers and choreographers, as well as filmmakers, DJs and live musicians. Sunday, May 18, 8 p.m., $7 at the door. » Marites Carino

Get your goth on

Fetish fiends, get out your dog collars! If you haven't already heard, this Sunday, May 18, Fetish Montreal and Decadence are doing it up for the Queen (Victoria, that is) with Sacrilege II at Foufounes Électriques (87 Ste-Catherine E.).

Following up last year's Sacrilege I success, the night promises to draw a motley crew with live bands getting their goth on, fetish fashion shows, DJs, and an array of special performances, including a surprise act from local Black Sun piercing gurus (my guess, not for the weak of stomach). Events will take place in four rooms, including two main stages, a chill-out room and a dungeon(?!).

If you're feeling it, get your tickets beforehand because hard-core comes at a cost: $21 in advance, $30 at the door. Tickets are available at Foufs as well as at a handful of stores around the city - www.sacrilege2.com for the full rundown.

New art axis

Hey budding artists, Heritage Canada, ever forging Canadian culture, is building a new stage. Terminus 1525 is a pilot project platform using the WWW to give exposure and networking ops to emerging creators of all types.

Inspired by Australia's popular Noise Festival, Terminus is both an online and street-level endeavour. Artists register to create their own "studio" - essentially a place to post jpegs, Flash art and mp3s - as well as participate in the forums and discussions. Meanwhile, events are being organized in the four hub centres across Canada, of which Montreal is one. On the menu for the coming months is a workshop on how to go pro for young musicians and a Plateau-alley graffiti gallery.

"This is a chance for people to express themselves fully," says Terminus's Montreal-region producer Lou Pienza. "It's bringing power back to the community." But so far, Montrealers have been slow to catch on. "There's a developed artistic scene here already," says Pienza. "You have to make sure you're pulling off something of interest before people take notice. Hopefully it'll make noise once the project takes shape." The word's out, www.terminus1525.ca for the rest. » Matthew Woodley

Is it Art?

U-FIT TO WEAR: Not since the sadly-defunct Reebok Pump have shoemakers been so innovative. Luigi Pavone Helium Footwear Co. Inc. (hmmm, never heard of them) have created a sneaker with a convenient, portable canister used to fill the sole to taste with patented "he-gel." The shoe seems a perfect combination of age-old Italian craftsmanship and modern engineering. A telling snippet from their press release (best understood with Mediterranean inflection): "Once they said to Sig. Luigi Pavone: ‘Shoes are just shoes.' He replied, ‘It depends what kind of shoes you are talking about.' Then he added, ‘Luigi Pavone shoes are not just shoes they are also a health aid.'" 1-800-Luigi Pavone to order.

ArtsHole

BOTH FEET OFF THE GROUND: Danny Taran Creative Photography Award-winner Melissa Caro shows a selection of recent work featuring quick-snapped hovering models. WEIGHTLESS explores elation and freedom at the Saidye's Espace deux (5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine) until May 22. • DOMESTIC SCIENCE: Real-life sisters, Les Soeurs Couture started by salvaging objects from their grandfather's studio and garage. Then they put their science degrees to use dressing the machines in women's clothing and giving them playful stereotypical roles. L'Aspirante souffleuse shows at the Darling Foundry (745 Ottawa) until June 1.

ARTISTAT: Number of works in the permanent collection of Les Impatients - an outsider-art group for psychiatric patients - who are launching a book of their highlights and history, Artists From the Fringe, at the Douglas Room, Douglas Hospital (6875 LaSalle, Verdun) Wednesday, May 21, 12:30pm: 10,000

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