Digital man about town

Everywhere I go I keep bumping into the work of Alexandre Castonguay. First I noticed his video installation Generique (2001) in the Contemporary Art Museum's exhibit of new purchases entitled Where? (until Oct. 17). Then, across town at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, his photographs from the series Le Dessin des passions (1998) are part of another exhibition showcasing new acquisitions, High Points, which also includes two beautiful drawings by Massimo Guerrera (until Oct. 3).

Last week, Castonguay's playful installation Digitale (2003) opened at his happy art dealer Pierre-François Ouellette's space (372 Ste-Catherine W, #216). In this work the users/viewers create their own visuals using an old Brownie camera wired to shoot video or snap a picture, and by distorting the video image through contact with a touch screen. It's a fun environment to play with, but since it sits alone in a white-walled gallery, make sure to bring lots of friends to provide more fodder for artistic manipulation. Digitale runs until Sept. 11, 395-6032. » Christine Redfern

Deep throat and dub

If you've ever wondered how far phenomenal vocals will take you, consider Tanya Tagaq. The first woman from the Inuit town of Iqaluktuutiaq to pursue post-secondary education, she developed a unique style of throat singing while studying at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. This led to performances at festivals, concerts and clubs in Canada and Europe, a collaboration with techno DJ Michel Deveau, and a spot on Bjork's fall 2001 Vespertine tour.

Tagaq's coming to Montreal this Friday as part of the Incontri (meetings) series at the Suoni Per Il Popolo improv festival, where she'll perform for the first time with local dub reggae wunderkind Mossman and Toronto-based dub poetry dynamo d'bi young. "Live collaboration is my favourite way to make music," says Tagaq. "I've never gone near dub before, so I think that it should be an interesting mix." June 25, 9 p.m., 4848 St-Laurent. $8–$10. » Vincent Tinguely

BOM threat?

Deep-dish thinking is on the menu at Jake Brown's Tuesday show at Café Sarajevo (2080 Clark), Artistotle's Nicomachean Ethics versus McCain's Greek Style Pizza. In another example of mock conflict, Brown explains, "Part of the show is me impersonating Muhammad Ali - he's one of my inspirations."

Having honed his skills by soaking up the Ali docs Thrillah in Manila, Brains, Guts and Skill, and When We Were Kings, Brown will challenge one of this year's Best of Montreal winners. "Catherine Kidd is the champion, they voted her number one. I came back for the title: The Spoken Word King!" Tuesday, June 29, 8:30 p.m., $5. » Vincent Tinguely

A buck a flick!

Going to a movie doesn't have to be so hilariously expensive anymore. Thanks to Dollar Cinéma, see, a night at the pictures for you and yours comes cheaper than a popcorn at the Paramount. "I know how popular dollar stores are," says Bernie Gurberg, who opened the cinema two weeks ago and follows the same principle: everything is $1 - admission, drinks, candy, chocolate, popcorn, the works. And this isn't his basement or anything; Dollar Cinéma's two theatres hold 650 and 350 people, respectively, in a space formerly owned by Cineplex Odeon (6900 Décarie, metro Namur).

Gurnberg also boasts serving the "best butter and largest dose in the industry. "You know those things with the rubber handles for turkeys [turkey basters], well I use those. I can get twice as much in there, and people tell me, ‘Just lay it on.'"

This week's screenings are The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Hellboy, The Punisher and Man on Fire (see film listings for showtimes). » Matthew Woodley

Is it Art?

BOSS HOG: Unless you're reading this at café Open Da Night, waiting for your grant or EI cheque to show up, you're probably a working shmoe, in which case you have a boss. And even if your boss gets drunk with you after work, it's good to have an edge for tenser times, namely Shaun Belding's Winning With the Boss From Hell: A Guide to Life in the Trenches (ECW Press, $19.95). Belding preaches the FIRST line of defence - Fly below the radar, Ignore, Retrain, Stand your ground and Talk Turkey - with detailed instructions on how to go about your workday accordingly and a clever list of boss types to bring it all home. Next week: Winning With the Employee From Hell.

ArtsHole

TAKING OUT THE TRASH: The Canadian Centre for Architecture revives Gordon Matta Clark's "Garbage Wall", built for the first Earth Day in 1970, not by making a new wall out of new garbage, but "evoking" it in an archival installation, bringing back some of the core issues of '70s counterculture. It runs until Sept. 6. • SWEET TREAT: A newish "electrotrash, sugarush arthappening" soirée brings together artists, performers, filmmakers and other creative types to do their thing on stage in a sweaty club setting. Candy takes place every Tuesday night at the upstairs floor of Le Parking.

ARTISTAT: Number of artists and organizations taking part in Eaux Vivres: regards croisés, a wet 'n' wild exhibition marking the end of the International Year of Water at Maisons de la culture across town: 33

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