The Field Manual - A compendium of local influence.
East Village curated art program expands with new installation on RiverWalk

 

Another chapter of public art is evolving along EV’s RiverWalk thanks to the creative minds of three local artists. Under the umbrella of art collective Light & Soul, Calgarians Daniel J. Kirk, Ivan Ostapenko and Kai Cabunoc-Boettcher have been tirelessly collaborating on the new installation for the past nine months.  EV’s master developer Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), initiated an open RFP process last summer to identify local artists to create work to replace the existing RiverWalk art installation ‘I am the River’ by Derek Besant. The Light & Soul Collective trio beat out a throng of contenders for their creative and collaborative concepts.

The new artworks entitled - The Field Manual:  A compendium of local confluence - will adorn RiverWalk’s bridge abutments, storage sheds and signature robo-bathrooms for the next 24-months and is part of CMLC’s Art in the Public Realm Program that calls for the integration of both permanent and temporary art installations within the community.  

The artist trio describes their work as:

A collaborative effort that stems from the idea of the East Village. Individual stories and collective history informed our personal ideas about what east Calgary may have been and what it may be.  The work – a collection of ideas –merges past, present and future into a playful interpretation of place.

This place is a confluence of nature, culture and infrastructure. The work finds specific context where the Elbow River meets the Bow, old traditions intersect and inform new trends and displacement/replacement, growth and decay are evident around each bend.

Light & Soul’s installation process will take place over the next few weeks with completion slated for early June. The installation combines traditional art-making techniques which are layered with digital processes that create the images and sculptures. The work is comprised of paint, print, EPS foam, vector lines, steel, stucco, photography and vinyl among other materials. “It is a guide for exploring the relationships that texture our experience,” states the artist trio.

 “Daniel, Ivan and Kai spent months researching and absorbing the history and culture of East Village, says Clare Nolan, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. “Their artwork really captures the spirit of the community’s past, present and future through vivid graphic depictions and we are thrilled to see their work come to life in East Village.” 

The team brings complementary skills sets to the project: Kirk is the visual artist concerned with culture, connection, urbanization and its by-products; Ostapenko is the fabricator, “our practical, logical and infrastructure mind,” says Kirk; and Cabunoc-Boettcher is the groups connection to the natural influences through his experience with urban gardens and other community art projects.

When asked what the trio is most excited about, Kirk says “Sharing our work with the public is the most exciting stage.  Public work is open and vulnerable to feedback and criticism, so we wanted to create something worth talking about, worth stopping to take in, something that shows people that there’s more to the city than meets the eye.”

And we think it will do just that!

For a sneak peek or to watch it unfold live, stop by RiverWalk over the next few weeks and see the trio in action. And stay tuned for exciting updates as the install progresses. 

Monday, May 13, 2013
evCulture evNow


Snow Flow Glow
From the first downward-facing dog to the final Namaste, the Snow Flow was a blissful calm in the middle of a snowstorm.

 

From the first downward-facing dog to the final Namaste, the Snow Flow event on March 21, 2013 was a blissful calm in the middle of a snowstorm.

Devoted yogis transcended a blustery return to winter with sun salutations when Yoga in the Village returned to RiverWalk for the first day of spring. Snow Flow may have been a little too aptly named, but inside the heated tent, yoga practitioners who arrived bundled up in layers soon warmed up body and soul with asana, laughter and DJ beats.

It may have been icy outside, but the colourfully lit tent on RiverWalk plaza was a beacon of glowing energy. “‘Yoga central’ getting packed. Warming up to be a good one by the river!” Dick tweeted, as mats were unfurled and students stripped down to their lululemons. “I'm pumped to see what unfolds. Spring doesn't feel so far away,” remarked Travis.

While Bass Bus laid down some uplifting beats and the tent shone with calming light, students flowed and breathed and channelled their energies, led by teacher Jilaine Antoniuk. By the time the class reached shavasana, chakras were centered and toes were all warmed up. “The crescent lunges and music warmed things up for sure,” laughed yogi Travis. “East Village knows how to throw a yoga party!” added yogini Katie.

It was a very lucky Snow Flow yoga party for some participants. Three fortunate yogis won lululemon athletica prize packs, while ten more had their names drawn for much-coveted advance tickets to the next Yoga in the Village event. Flow in the Dark 2 will be held May 16 at a top secret EV location. Check back to this blog for chances to win tickets.

Thursday, April 4, 2013
evEvents


Opera in the Village
EV hosts the first outdoor summer opera festival in Canada

Today, Calgary Opera announced an exciting new culture venture coming direct to EV's river front door step - Opera in the Village - a 4-day outdoor festival on the banks of the Bow River will be the first outdoor summer opera festival in Canada and EV has front row seats. 

"There are successful summer opera festivals around the world, but until now Canada has yet to take the plunge," says Calgary Opera general director and ceo Bob McPhee. "We feel that this time is right to introduce Canada's first summer opera event and can't think of a better setting than the RiverWalk in Calgary's East Village."

For its first year, Opera in the Village, feature Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in a 900-seat tent, with six performances over four days. The Pirates of Penzance boasts an all-star Canadian cast with Brett Polegato, as The Pirate King, Tracy Dahl as Mabel, Colin Ainsworth as Frederic, Elizabeth Turnbull as Ruth, Thomas Goertz as the Sergeant of Police and Calgary's own David LeReaney as Major General Stanley. The show is directed by Robert Herriot with Gordon Gerrard returning to conduct the cast and orchestra.

Steps from the Bow River, the festival site will be filled with activity throughout the four days including sword-fighting demonstrations, impromptu opera performances, outdoor movie nights projected on the Simmons Building, food truck visits, and swash-buckling characters of all sorts. The family-friendly event will also include a two-week opera camp for children ages 9-14, which will culminate in a free public performance of their very own mini production of The Pirates of Penzance on the festival site. 

"Rebuilding a community like East Village involves much more than the delivery of critical infrastructure," says Susan Veres, vice-president of Marketing and Communications, CMLC. "It involves building great spaces and programming those spaces to showcase how they are best experienced. Opera in the Village will bring thousands of people to RiverWalk plaza to experience the transformation taking place in this downtown neighbourhood."

Opera in the Village is made possible through the support of presenting sponsor Imperial Oil Foundation, The Government of Alberta, The Remarkable Experience Accelerator Program, Calgary Hotel Association and Calgary Arts Development Authority, The City of Calgary's Event Stimulus Program and festival founders include EV's developer partners, Embassy Bosa and FRAM + Slokker along with Cenovus and Tourism Calgary. 

EV master developer, CMLC, has been working with the Calgary Opera for over four years to bring this exciting event to East Village and we are thrilled to see this vision come to life this summer.

Tickets for the general public go on sale Monday, April 22, 2013 and will be available by calling 403-262-7286 or visiting www.calgaryopera.com/arghh 

See you on the Ship!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013
evCulture evEvents


A Park for All Seasons
Now that the revitalization of St. Patrick’s Island has begun, it won’t be long before nature lovers, families and urban explorers alike will revel in the natural beauty of EV’s newly restored backyard.

 

Now that the revitalization of St. Patrick’s Island has begun, it won’t be long before nature lovers, families and urban explorers alike will revel in the natural beauty of EV’s newly restored backyard. So wax up the toboggan and put some new line on that fly rod. You’re going to want to have all your toys ready for this playground. All year round.

Imagine: soon, just a skipping stone’s throw away from RiverWalk Plaza and an easy walk under the graceful arches of the soon-to-be-completed St. Patrick’s Island bridge, will be 31 rejuvenated acres with something for everyone. An actual island. Right outside your door. Not to brag or anything, but not every backyard has a fishing cove, beach, playground, wooded areas and a rise – a hill to roll down in the summer and toboggan down in the winter, of course. Not to mention some of the most unique views of downtown and Bow River that you’ll find anywhere.  

This won't be your grandpa's St. Patrick'’s Island. More than just a cosmetic facelift, the revitalization will turn back the clocks on the landscape. Seasonal river channels that were lost during a 1960's backfill will be restored in order to return the topography of the island oasis to its natural state and allow biodiversity to flourish once again.

We just can’t wait to invite everybody over to play in our new backyard. Race you to the top of The Rise!

The rejuventation of the island will commence this spring and to allow for construction and restoration work to take place, the island will be closed to the public until Fall 2014. For more details about the rejuvenation, click here

Wednesday, March 20, 2013
evCulture evNow


PKN #15: All Stars
The gloves came off quickly when PechaKucha Night presenters faced-off in an unprecedented All Stars edition at the Boyce Theatre across from the Saddledome on February 22.

 

Ten crowd favourites, all previous speakers from PechaKucha Nights past, wasted no time defending their hard-won titles. One particularly keen competitor kick-started the competition before the crowd even made it to their seats.

Editor and writer Shelley Youngblut drafted her twin daughters into the battle for hearts and minds, conducting a social experiment of sorts. The trio offered audience members balloons and a couple of pieces of Double Bubble gum on their way to the theatre doors. “I figured, who refuses balloons from two little girls?” Youngblut laughed later. More than you would think, as it turned out.

The evening's host, Protospace's Will Knoll, explained the rules of the game: presenters could either retool their previous PKN presentations, with the usual format of 20 slides per speaker for 20 seconds each, or address any of the previous 14 themes. Speedskating champ Kristina Groves told us about the joys of her 20-year wait to carry the Olympic Torch, while architect Jeremy Sturgess assured us that “if you get the city right, creative space will take care of itself.” To nobody's surprise, only a couple of people raised their hands when cardiac surgeon Paul Fedak asked, “who in the audience has cut open somebody's chest with a saw and held their beating heart in their hands?” Were they Fedak’s operating room crew?

After Shelley Youngblut wrapped up her power play on work, branding and metaphysical bubble gum with a real-life balloon fight, the remaining speakers fought their way through a balloon-strewn debris field. Artist daniel j kirk revealed what it was really like to live in a glass box on Stephen Avenue for five days, while blogger Mike Morrison tried to justify how his planned six months in Calgary stretched into 88. After cook and illustrator Pierre Lamielle made the convincing argument that “potatoes are vegetables, tomatoes are fruit; ergo fries and ketchup are salad and smoochies”, and offered up a prayer to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the audience was ready to declare a winner of the evening's contest - all of us. Since admission to the East Village sponsored event included an InvestYYC gift card, the love keeps spreading around. Hello. Hi. Hey.

Don't miss the next EV-sponsored PKN #16 on June 3, when the theme is "sweet sixteen".

Thursday, February 28, 2013
evCulture evEvents


Digging into the future
The corner of 4th Street and 9th Avenue SE was chock full of dignitaries, guitar shovels and one very famous Canadian musical icon when the National Music Centre broke ground for a new East Village home on February 22.

 

Against a backdrop of the famed King Eddy hotel – which will be a cornerstone of the new centre – Anne Murray, musical icon and NMC Honourary Patron, beamed widely as she and officials from all levels of government tossed some ceremonial dirt. The Canadian snowbird sure knows how to wield a shovel.

Before the sod turning, music lovers and dignitaries alike packed the Enmax District Energy Centre, kitty-corner from the building site, for a ceremony that was a who’s who of Canadian officials. Premier Alison Redford, Alberta Culture Minister Heather Klimchuk, Federal Minister Jason Kenney, Mayor Naheed Nenshi, CMLC CEO Michael Brown and the venerable Anne Murray all offered kudos to the proud papa of the project, NMC CEO Andrew Mosker. All speakers declared themselves star-struck just to be sharing the stage with a performer who has 24 Juno Awards to her name. “As a mayor, you get to do a lot of fun things,” admitted Naheed Nenshi, “but, folks, I'm on stage with Anne Murray!”

As Andrew Mosker offered up the new National Music Centre to “people who live and die by the musical sword, who line up in the rain for concert tickets,” the excitement surrounding the new addition to East Village was palpable. “I am so excited about what is going on here,” declared one long-time blues fan who remembered the glory days of King Eddy, which once headlined some of the world’s best bluesmen. “I have always loved going to the King Eddy.” Some in the audience were already planning their trips to the new NMC in advance. “It's a 13-minute walk from the Calgary Folk Festival office (in Inglewood),” declared the CFMF's Sara Leishman.

Excited music lovers hugged and cheered and wiped away the occasional tear. Nobody could resist posing with the clever guitar-shaped shovels that were used in the big dig. Handcrafted by a very skilful teenaged member of the NMC Guitar Club, those guitar-shovels were hands down the most sought-after photo-ops after Anne Murray herself. They were, after all, digging into the future.

There were fewer speeches but just as much joy (and a whole lot more music) at a packed Ground Breaker Shaker celebrated that evening at the Golden Age Club in East Village. “People are friendly here at the Ground Break Shaker; I've already made two new friends,” tweeted Angela. “If you're not here, why not?” Noah added: “It's totally going off at the Ground Breaker Shaker ... so awesome!” Local bands like Danny Vacon's High Kicks kept spirits soaring and the dance floor shaking. “Great vibe, good music, come down,” tweeted Tatiana.

What a great day and a great night to dig deep into the music!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013
evCulture evNow


Run. Woman. Show
Internationally acclaimed production of ENDURE: Run Woman Show announces summer performance in East Village.

East Village and the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon are pleased to announce their 2013 partnership with ENDURE: Run Woman Show by local playwright Melanie Jones. The award-winning, immersive, site-specific show has enjoyed international recognition in London, Edinburgh and New York City and this May will return to Calgary to host a series of performances in East Village.

ENDURE: One Woman Show is a theatre show that doesn't take place in a theatre. Audience members will follow a single performer through 5km of EV's urban streets, public spaces and off-road trails. It is, quite literally, a walk in the park - though audience members have opportunities to run, if they choose. What they experience is a performance that is, according to the Calgary Herald, "as beautiful as the unconventional setting it unfolds in."

While wearing loaned MP3 players provided by the show, audiences listen to a rich narrative and musical soundtrack while the physical performance unfolds. With wry humor, raw physicality and poetic lyricism, Melanie Jones' acclaimed work offers an intimate view into the mind and body of a marathon runner, and celebrates resilience - in all its forms -with a show about facing our losses while appreciating our triumphs. 

I couldn't be more excited to bring the show back home to Calgary audiences," says Jones. " I had this idea that runners could make up a theatre audience, and that I could tell their story, their myths of the marathon, in a way that not only connects, but makes them feel validated. Running can be incredibly isolating, so this was an opportunity to create a community around that."

The special-limited engagment performance will begin in conjunction with the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon with special pre-race performances open to the general public as a featured event of the marathon's health & wellness expo May 23-25. Then on marathon day, Sunday May 26th, the performances will move to the East Village and start at the Experience Centre with performances continuing through Sunday June 2.

Performances will run May 23rd - June 2nd. For show times and to purchase advance tickets please visit:

http://www.runwomanshow.com/buy-tickets/

About the Show:

  • ENDURE is for ages 12+. 
  • ENDURE is an outdoor performance that travels through a public park space. Audiences travel approximately 5K during the show.  You will be required to be on your feet, periodically walking, for approximately 75 minutes. You will not be required to run, but we certainly encourage you to do so! Please wear comfortable clothing and closed toe shoes, and be dressed to remain outdoors throughout the performance.  The show travels through varied terrain, including some trails and off-road areas.
  • The performance will begin promptly at the published performance time.  Due to the nature of the performance, latecomers can not be accommodated.
  • ENDURE is a physical performance accompanied by an audio track. Audiences will be issued a listening device at the start line, which must be returned at the completion of the performance.
  • If there is inclement weather which could delay or prevent the show from occuring, Team ENDURE will notify attendees with an email one hour prior to the start of the performance to inform you the status of the performance.  If you enter your cell phone number while purchasing tickets, you will receive a text message if there are any weather delays or cancellations. Shows interrupted by inclement weather will be rescheduled.  Please ensure the email and phone number you use to reserve tickets is accessible to you on the day of the performance. 
Thursday, February 21, 2013
evCulture evEvents


Break, Then Shake
Mark your calendar for February 22 at 6:30 pm. for the NMC’s Groundbreaker Shaker. You don't want to miss this one!

 

Next Friday evening, February 22, the Golden Age Club in East Village (610 8th Ave SE) is the place to be. That’s where our friends from the National Music Centre will celebrate the much-anticipated groundbreaking of their new East Village home.

A media-only event will take place in the morning to mark the beginning of construction on the NMC, a 160,000 sq. ft. space that’s destined to be an architectural landmark, a key EV gathering place, and one of the country’s most innovative musical institutions. Best of all, the NMC will encompass the legendary King Eddy hotel, where the world’s most gifted bluesmen found warmth from the cold and an appreciative Calgary audience.

But once the shovels are put away, it's your turn, so come shake off the dirt, and shake your stuff. At the Groundbreaker Shaker, you’ll join the fabulous King Eddy Blues All-Stars as they shake, rattle, and roll the night away with the help of great local bands like Matt Masters and the Gentlemen of the Rodeo, the High Kicks, and the Bobby Kork Orchestra.

There's a cash bar and admission to the all-ages ‘Shaker is absolutely free, and with YYC's favourite food trucks on location, there's no need to cook supper.

Doors open at the Golden Age Club at 6:30pm, so RSVP to groundbreaking@nmc.ca, and get ready to shake the groundbreaker.

Friday, February 15, 2013
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