Unstraight outta Oz

"Muscle boys, drag queens, lipstick lesbians, bears and leather daddies…" Australian photographer Mazz enumerates the subjects who populate her shots of the Sydney Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras. "Be they buffed and bronzed, seriously sign waving or glittering with glamour, they were there at the events."

Known for her trademark purple attire, Mazz is the unofficial documentarist of Down Under Pride celebrations, one of the biggest gay parties in the world and now in its 25th season. Along with a cast of colourful characters, over the years she's caught candids of Boy George, Sandra Bernhardt, the Village People, Kylie Minogue, Chaka Khan, Jimmy Somerville and Sir Ian McKellen.

From one million photos in the Mazz Images archive, 350 pics were chosen for the limited-edition book You & Mardi Gras, currently being launched worldwide. "It's a diverse collection of images which commemorates all who come out to celebrate life," she says.

Montrealers have an opportunity to show Mazz how photogenic we are this Thursday and Friday, July 29–30, 4 and 6 p.m., when she gives tours of her photo installation at the Divers/Cité site in Parc Émilie-Gamelin, on display to Aug. 1. For more info: www.PaloAltoMedia.com/pride.htm. » Sarah Musgrave

Do north

If you're a dance fan, no doubt you've heard of the Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur, which has been showcasing the performance arts for the past eight years in the nearby Laurentian getaway. But if bicycle wheels are all you've got, getting out there can be problematic. Organizers are finally making things easier for Montrealers this year, though, and have started up a shuttle bus service to bring spectators to and fro.

This year, watch out for a handful of dance companies making a Canadian premiere under the big top, such as the American-based festival opener Ballet Internationale, who perform Carmen, and contemporary group the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (Aug. 5 and 7). Other highlights include a performance by Margie Gillis (Aug. 3), which celebrates her 30 years in the dance scene, and don't miss the finalists in the International Choreographic Competition (Aug. 4), which features up-and-coming talents. For the full schedule, go to www.artssaintsauveur.com or call 450-227-9935. » Marites Carino

Vermont flaunts

Jo Ellen Housego's Vermont connection Jennifer MacIntyre has corralled a passel of poets and musicians for a Montreal gig. Vermonters Michael Chorney and Miriam Bernardo will perform the music of the late writer Paul Bowles. "He was also a composer," says Housego, "but isn't as well known for his beautiful music." MacIntyre joins Housego and Jordi Rosen in a brand-new band called Zig Zag Zen. "We'll improvise together with accordion, violin, shirti box and Jennifer's incredible wordless vocals," Housego explains. "It's trippy!" Rosen plays solo, Housego joins Gord Hashimoto for a set, and the line-up also includes four hot Vermont poets: Karla Van Vliet, Paige Ackerson-Kiely, Elizabeth Ready and Gabriella Klein. It's at the Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent), Friday, July 30, 9 p.m., $6. » Vincent Tinguely

Rural roots

Familiar places - the wooded slopes of Mount Royal, in particular - take on a dreamlike quality through the lens of Guylaine Bédard. Captured in black and white, her images of natural settings create an impression that's at once stark and soft, fleeting and steadfast.

Bédard's background as a medical photographer led to her experiment with lithography film, most often used to shoot text and line work. "I decided to try it outdoors and was quite taken by the initial results," she says of her nighttime trials with the technically challenging medium. "The nature of the film adds drama, intensity to the subject."

Originally from Nova Scotia and admittedly still a country girl at heart, Bédard has assembled 13 large-format prints for her first solo exhibition. Forest of Equilibrium opens Saturday, July 31, 2 p.m., with a cello performance by Norsola Johnson. It runs until Aug. 14, at Galerie Bumper, (372 Ste-Catherine W., #528). » Sarah Musgrave

Is it Art?

KITTY KEEPAWAY: Cats, though cute, are very sneaky. Even if you tell them 1,000 times not to go into a room or onto a table, they'll do it - it's their nature. One aspect of human nature is to mess with things by means of technology. Accordingly, an effective way to keep sly felines out of places they oughtn't be is by using strong pulsating ultrasonic waves, inaudible to the human ear. One of the many fine products at Planeturine.com, CatScram™ emits those ultra-high-frequency sounds, covering a 90-degree radius and extending up to 15 feet, guaranteed by the makers to keep cats away from antique furniture, dangerous machinery and poisonous plants. It retails for $39.95 (U.S.).

ArtsHole

BENEATH THE SURFACE: Bringing together artists from Canada, the U.S., Germany and Brazil, the 22nd International Symposium of Contemporary Art in Baie St-Paul kicks off this Friday, July 30, at the Aréna Luc et Marie-Claude (11 Forget, Baie St-Paul). Over the next month, the 10 participants will work in various mediums on creating a piece around the rather open theme "Sensitive surface." Viewers can watch it take shape until Sept. 6. • FIELD GOAL: Grab a pint and check out Fabrizio Cipro's sporty snaps, The Game, at Blizzarts (3956A St-Laurent) before the whistle blows on Aug. 5.

ARTISTAT: Approximate number of buff, topless gay men and fellow sailors who will dance all day aboard the floating super party SPPlash 2004 Cruise, a Divers/Cité event that takes to the Seaway from the King Edward Pier on Saturday, July 31, noon until 6 p.m., $60–$70, 999-0550 for tickets: 750

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