We’re still reminiscing about last week’s patio kickoff. Despite the storm clouds, it was an awesome turn-out and we all had a lot of fun—Latitude 53, guest hosts Team Edmonton & Womonspace, and bunch of awesome members and guests. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make it such a success.
THIS THURSDAY:
Opening Receptions
Celebrate the solstice with the opening night for two of our summer shows: SPACES&PLACES:VisioningMcLuhan@100 and VITULAZIO by Barbara Prokop.
For SPACES&PLACES, we’re teaming up with the Media Ecology Association and the University of Alberta to pay tribute to media guru Marshall McLuhan’s 100th birthday. It’s also our contribution to this summer’s THE WORKS festival.
Meanwhile, in the ProjEx Room, Berlin-based Barbara Prokop takes a look at a great architectural debate between client and architect in VITUALAZIO. Tour a conceptual 1970s villa and imagine what it might be like to live there with the aid of Prokop’s absorbing two-channel video installation.
Sound artist Raylene Campbell will also be at the patio, showing off her new media installation in our Summer Incubator Series.Visit the community gallery at 7pm to hear her talk a bit about her work.
Featuring
To add to the excitement, musicians Gary James Joynes, Scott Smallwood and Shawn Pinchbeck will be on the rooftop to perform a live electro-acoustic set. Later, DJ Josh Trayner delivers a special mix dedicated to the man of the evening, Marshall McLuhan.
The patio this week features food from Cafe Select, a yummy door prize from Kerstin’s Chocolates and great cocktails from el Jimador and Finlandia Vodka.
See you there!
We’ve just updated our website with the two shows opening later this week. We’re busy installing in the gallery this week, but expect some more details soon.
We promised you some previews of what’s coming up this summer—and it’s getting oh-so-close. Well, here’s a quick overview to get you started.
Rooftop Patio Series & Summer Incubator Series
Our classic Rooftop Patio Series kicks off again in just a couple of weeks on June 16th. It’s the same idea as the last four years: weekly cocktails, guest hosts and snacks from 4–9 on our beautiful patio, but every year we try to outdo the last. Last year we accompanied the patio with a four-week selection of mini-shows in the Community Gallery highlighting some new ideas from Edmonton artists, and this year we’re going all-out. The new Summer Incubator Series expands on that idea to run for the full ten weeks (starting from June 13), and will feature lots of familiar faces from our community and membership who you were already likely to see on the patio. It’s a chance to look into what they are cooking up.
But we’re not done yet! The second week of patio, June 23 marks the opening of The Works, as well as our programming that will be included in the festival, so we’ll be throwing our own bash inside the gallery as well as out in the sun:
Barbara Prokop: VITULAZIO
Berlin-based artist Barbara Prokop comes into the ProjEx Room from June 23rd to July 23rd. Her work is a two-channel video installation that follows an architect and client on a tour of their project. It’s an exploration of the artist-viewer relationship. Curious? Watch for our summer newsletter and invitiations coming out in the next few weeks—if you’re a Latitude 53 member you’ll find them in the mail soon.
Spaces&Places:VisioningMcLuhan@100
This one isn’t exactly secret: we posted a call for submissions some time ago. But the list is ready and the projects are under work. Spaces&Places marks the 100th birthday of Edmonton’s most famous scholar export, Marshall McLuhan, with a new selection of works by Edmonton and international artists. The June 23–July 23 run crosses McLuhan’s birthday on 21 July, and the show is also a part of the programming of the Media Ecology Association’s annual convention at the University of Alberta so it’s sure to be an event.
As well as the details in our newsletter which by now you’re all eagerly expecting, our writer in residence Anne Pasek has prepared some posts about McLuhan’s legacy that should help to get you excited about the show. Watch the blog later today for the first, and pay attention over the next few weeks for further details, pictures, and all the rest.
