by CHRISTINE REDFERN

Here are some thoughts, in no particular order, on some highs and lows of the visual arts scene in 2003.

BEST NEW SPACE

A big shot of adrenaline to the scene was supplied by the SAT's new locale (1195 St-Laurent). The SAT's programming is open so events can be added as they develop. Residencies and special projects are ways to keep programming current at other venues, but it's time to push the visual arts away from the month-long show booked two years in advance. Things have changed just a little since the gallery system of art distribution was set up - like indoor plumbing and electricity. There are better ways to communicate and connect the visual arts to a broader community and the SAT's flexibility is one of them.

BEST FESTIVAL

This year's new media segment of the FCMM was terrific. With all of the interactive videos, films, audio, as well as presentations by the likes of artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, no matter how much you saw, it felt like you still missed a lot.

BEST GALLERY DIRECTORS

I always feel like I can pop by and see something interesting in Galerie Art Mûr (5826 St-Hubert). One example from a plethora of excellent shows was Juliana España-Keller's exhibition of photographs and videos, which explored identity with lots of tattoos and guns.

BEST MUSEUM-CURATOR COLLABORATION

My favourite among the museum shows this year was the Canadian Centre for Architecture's Out of the Box: Price Rossi Stirling + Matta-Clark. This is perhaps a bit surprising, given the archival subject matter, compared to some of the other big exhibitions that happened this past year. What grabbed my attention was the chance to see the individual working process of each of these artists/architects, the thought that went into the presentation and the collaborative work behind the creation of it all.

BEST PERFORMANCE

The Mobile Home collective's Orphique, which showed last spring, sticks out as a memorable combination of street theatre, performance and installation art. The hallucinogenic and kitschy performance started at Galerie Clark (5455 Gaspé, #114), wound through the halls of the Fashion Plaza building and ended up on the loading docks for a surrealistic tea party.

BEST COMMERCIAL ART

Buy-Sellf brought together work by French and Canadian artists at the Quartier éphémère (745 Ottawa). The concept behind the French Buy-Sellf collective is a mail-order catalogue, in which artists can sell their art themselves as opposed to through a gallery. To its credit, much of the work in the exhibition was spiced with a healthy dose of humour.

BEST INVESTMENT

Food and booze isn't just for openings anymore, savoury examples being Resto-bar Cluny at Quartier éphémère and the high-brow Gallery 1225 (1225 de la Montagne), with a cozy atmosphere and permanent bar serving wine and whskey to the après-cinq crowd.

WORST EXAGGERATION

I was told by someone that Kurt Hentschlager and Ulf Langheinrich, the two artists who make up Granular Synthesis, were the best artists in the world. Let's just say I've had a better body buzz standing in front of a stack of speakers at a concert. Frankly, I fail to see the purpose of having 360 degrees of video surrounding the audience on 16 screens when every screen shows the same thing.

BEST CAMERA OPERATOR UNDER TWO FEET TALL

I'm not sure if Jana Sterbak's video at the Venice Biennale was any good because I couldn't make it. But I liked her canine camera-operator, Stanley, whom I met at the press conference. If you're reading this, Stanley, I'd love to collaborate with you!

MOST COMMON SAYING

What I heard most from artists this year was, "I don't see many shows." So much good art is percolating under the surface of the city and across the disciplines. Get out and check it out!