Shoestrings from the hip

Warren Wedley has a mohawk and two rooms full of some of the rarest kicks you'll find in town. Among sneakers hang few of the better paintings in the Old Port and a wall-full of toys. Inconspicuous from the outside only, Wedley's Turf Gallery (410 St-Paul) has been open but for a few months, yet he's dropping visitors' names left and right onto the floor's faux gazon (thus the "Turf" handle): Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon, Kiefer Sutherland and Kid Koala are a few who have stumbled upon the place, breathed in that new-sneaker smell and signed the wall in provided thick black marker on their way out. So why has he waited until Friday to throw his "semi-official" opening bash? "What you're seeing is phase 2 of a 10-phase process," he tells me, as we look up at the world's only glass-ceiling-sneaker-tread-display-case. "This is the beginning of truly becoming a gallery."

If not just for kicks, head down to Turf's opening to see the work on the wall, tied in with live painting by the very talented Other, Dorada and maybe more. It's tomorrow, Friday, July 9, at 5 p.m., free. » Matthew Woodley

Today's special

Alexis Walker's least-favourite fashion trend of summer '04: the cheerleader skirt. "Unless you're under 15 or you're really a cheerleader," she adds. Her favourite adjective: "special." "I like things that are made by hand. You can tell really quickly when something's mass-produced and I don't understand why anyone would spend money on a label - there just isn't the same quality."

With callused hands and 100 purses to prove it, Walker has spent much of the past few months holed up in her Plateau apartment stitching and layering fabrics that she's collected over the years into truly unique designs. She's just one of more than 175 likeminded artists, artisans, designers, gourmet chefs, glass blowers and whatever else at the 2004 One-of-A-Kind Show and Sale, taking place outdoors on the Jacques-Cartier Pier in the Old Port. The show runs from July 9–18, $5 with unlimited re-admission. » Matthew Woodley

Poetic politics

Next week you can experience in person the internationally acclaimed performance artist Maria Teresa Hincapie in La chute: corps poétique/corps politique. Curated by the We are not Speedy Gonzales collective, she and four other fellow Colombian artists will arrive in Montreal to collaborate with locals on a series of public interventions from Tuesday, July 13, until Friday, July 16. Invading public spaces and art institutions, the purpose of the performances is to question the artist's position in culture, society and nature. The times and locations will be listed daily at www.cam.org/daredar. Each action will be filmed and then shown at Dare-Dare's gallery (460 Ste-Catherine W., #505) starting at 5 p.m. on July 17. The opening is preceded by a round-table discussion at 3 p.m. and the exhibition runs until July 24. » Christine Redfern

True colours

Black Rainbow is a name both tough and soft, so it makes perfect sense that the new-formed gang of North American and European screen printers are making dolls for their Montreal show, opening today, July 8, 8 p.m., at Pharmacie Esperanza (5490 St-Laurent). "It's because they're cheap and easy to print, and we want to catch on to the hipster toy craze before it's too late." explains Rhode Island-based BR spokesperson Vikki Warner. Still, wanting some affirmation of hardness from the group founded by locals Seripop and Boston's dungeon master Gunsho, I proposed the hypothetical challenge of being trapped in an elevator with the choice of either a screen printer or a Photoshop wizard. "Black Rainbow would prefer the Photoshop wizard because he would probably be fatter and would provide us with more sustenance if we were forced to consume him," explains Warner. "Screen printers tend to have developed muscles of some sort and can put up more of a fight." The show runs until July 31. » Matthew Woodley

Is it Art?

RUN, LOCALS, RUN: Imagine if reality TV shows dwindling in novelty value were to combine efforts, creating spectacles like Ben Mulroney hanging by his nutsack while eating cat food off a crazy gorilla. We may be close because one reality combination that is coming is a fusion of Survivor, Fear Factor and The Amazing Race, and it's so real that it's not even on TV. The Bell City Chase is a one-day, 4–6 hour urban obstacle challenge that has been making its way east, collecting winners for the National Championships in major Canadian city after city since mid May. On Saturday, July 10, it hits Montreal and there's room for 250 two-person teams. The only requirements are being of legal drinking age and $150 (per team). See www.thecitychase.com for full details.

ArtsHole

HOT FLICKS FOR HOT NIGHTS: The 13th edition of Vues d'Afrique's Ciné-spectacles au Clair de Lune gets underway tonight, July 8, at 7:30 p.m., with reggae-ragga band Syncop, followed by a screening of the Algerian drama Rachida. Every night until July 11, a similarly sizzlin' mix of live global music followed by an outdoor screening of the best of African cinema takes place in Parc LaFontaine's Théâtre de Verdure, and it's free. • OUI OUI, BIG TOP ADVENTURE: Beginning this week, every Sunday until Aug. 8 you can take in free flips and follies for free, courtesy of the City of Circus Arts, as part of TOHU Sundays (8129 St-Michel). Shows begin at 3 p.m.

ARTISTAT: Record-breaking attendance at Ex-Centris and Cinéma du Parc for the first 10 days of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, which, according to cinema reps, "will likely remain unchallenged for years to come": 21,000

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