I've been under the weather this week so I was thrilled to hear that Domes, a new exhibition of handcrafted shelters by Chantal Tardiff and Rob Shedden at the Khyber ICA, is extended until May 8, when hopefully, my Neo Citron wears off. Although, judging from how cozy Shedden's quilted igloo and Tardiff's giant toque looks, this could be just what the doctor ordered!

Photos courtesy of Chantal Tardiff

It’s no coincidence that Halifax actor Stewart Legere starred in two of my favourite plays from the past year—-Angels and Heroes’ production of Fewer Emergencies and Zuppa Circus’ gorgeous pop-fantasy Poor Boy. So I was pretty excited to hear that he's formed a new theatre company, The Safety Position, with Tyler Foley and Lee-Anne Poole—-two people, Legere says, "I've spent many hours yelling about art with…We started the company not because we felt we had something to teach, but because we felt that through our exploration and searching we might learn something…As three queer artists, we felt we brought a perspective that was perhaps a little subversive, a little oppositional. Questioning. You know...queer. In the dictionary sense of the word—-and not.”

The Safety Position will not just produce traditional theatre, but is open to interactive-style art shows with music, dance and other mediums—-in some ways, in direct opposition of its wrapped-up-in-a-ball name. “The Safety Position is a place we all find ourselves in; cuddled up, protective, defensive. In those awesome info. cards from airplanes where they tell you what to do if you’re going to crash,” says Legere. “Or if you’re being attacked by a bear. Or if you have a gun you don’t want to go off. Or being mugged. The Safety Position. A defense mechanism. We all have them. We figured we’d start from there, and see where it takes us.”

The theatre company’s first production Thom Pain (based on nothing), is a one-man monologue and search for personal meaning, written by Will Eno, and starring Legere. Foley, who is directing, first discovered the play and then passed it on: Legere read it while walking his dog in the Common, and “laughed and laughed and cried and cried. It is an amazing play. Beautiful and simple and harsh and cruel.”

Thom Pain opens at the Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen) with a PWYC preview on Thursday, April 30, 8pm. Friday night there’s a gala performance ($30) with shows May 2-10 (except for May 4). Tickets are $15-$20 and can be reserved at 449-5317 or thesafetyposition@gmail.com.

Halifax poet Nanci Lee won the regional CBC Poetry Face-off awhile back. Tomorrow, between noon and midnight, you can listen and vote for her poem. But do yourself a favour and listen to them all—there are some great words from across the country.

Plenty of people stopped to watch the dance spectacle today at Grand Parade, in honour of Unesco's International Day of Dance. First, Sarah Cox's beautiful piece, Open Fan, soothed the crowd with its meditative gestures, based the traditional movements of Japanese Bugaku. I saw Susanne Chui's The Longest Now, back in January, when it was choreographed for about 10 dancers on a small stage. Now with 30 and in an open public place, it has an entirely different context, almost like a flash dance mob or protest. In fact, when it started, a few people watching looked really confused. The claustrophobic confinement of the Seahorse stage is now replaced with sun and air—at times it looked as if these dancers were waiting for the sky to drop.

Sometimes you start reading a book and fall in love by page two. That’s what happened when I tore through Carla Gunn’s novel Amphibian, published by Coach House. The book’s narrator, nine-year-old Phin Walsh, is an encyclopedic pint-sized worrier, addicted to the “Green Channel”’s 24-7 coverage of environmental destruction. But instead of running around outside and enjoying the world he so wants to save, Phin concocts elaborate schemes like saving the classroom’s frog, Cuddles, and writing victim impact statements for endangered wildlife. His anger spills out constantly, like a David Suzuki Mini-Me, and in very kid-like ways against some huge, adult-created messes. Although the loss of innocence is heartbreaking—-are kids allowed to run freely and muck around these days?—-Amphibian is also hilarious, and contains some of the best and freshest swears I’ve read in a long time.

This is the first novel for Fredericton’s Gunn, and it’s a sparkling, memorable debut. She’s reading, along with Stephanie Domet, on Thursday, April 30 at Frog Hollow Books, 7pm.

On Monday, there was an opening reception in City Hall from 5-7pm for the artists shortlisted for the first Mayor's Award of Distinction in Contemporary Visual Art. You can see the show every Wednesday night from 7-9pm through June 17 (except for May 6). After the show, works from the winner and two honourable mentions will be purchased as part of HRM's permanent art collection.

Here's a sample of work from the shortlist. It's interesting that the work is predominantly painting, with the exception of Hannah Minzloff's transit photography, but as you can see, the work is dramatically different in style and theme.

Mark Stebbins, Datamine, acrylic ink and paint on wood panel, 16"x16"

Ivan Murphy, Commons, Winter, oil on canvas, 60"x48"

Daniel B. Hutchinson, Act I (reprise), oil and alkyd on panel, 76x76cm

Hannah Minzloff, london-69, carbon print, 35"x11"

Jonathan Johnson, Five O Five, oil on canvas, 60"x60"

If you go down to Grand Parade, Wednesday at 1:30pm, you're in for a big surprise. In honour of UNESCO’s International Dance Day, more than 30 of Halifax's best dancers and choreographers are taking over the former parking lot.

Choreographers Sarah Cox and Susanne Chui are presenting works "each reflecting different aspects of the human condition." Cox's Open Fan uses the traditional movements of Japanese Bugaku. Chui's The Longest Now is an evolution of her "Dancing on the Head of a Pin" showcase that I wrote about in January. She's moved it outdoors and increased the number of dancers. The dancers taking part include Jacinte Armstrong, Susan Barratt, Francis Brake, Kym Butler, Mufaro Chakabuda, Steve Coats, Susan Cook, Sarah Cox, Lacey Cox, Carolle Crooks, Julian Czenze, Dessie Howard (for Open Fan) Melanie Ferro, Rachel Franco, Sarah Gordon, Sheilagh Hunt, Ruth-Ellen Jackson, Calla Lachance, Véronique Mackenzie, Mary Ellen MacLean, Megan Matheson, Alexis Milligan, Kim Munro, Heather Nicks, Hillary Nicks, Lisa Phinney, Sophie Roy, Sarah Rozee, Neyah Selva (Open Fan), Elise Vanderborght, and Kathleen Vessey. The sound score was created by Rafael Franco.

Do yourself a favour, and take that brown bag sammie to the park on Wednesday.

So I've been sorting through a thousand photos of the Wearable Art Show from Wednesday night—so much eyecandy! Here are just a few to begin with. More photos and captions to follow.

I was completely bummed that I couldn't get over to Love, Me to see the t-shirts that had been reconstructed by local artists. Love owner Chara Kingston put out a call for people's old ratty t-shirts and in return, she paired those toss-away tees with a suitable artist. Yesterday, the shirts were on display, in honour of Earth Day, before being turned over to their original owners. I hope they're happy—I'd love to own any of these.

Here they are! Note the photo tag of the original tee attached. (photos and caption info. courtesy of Chara).

This pinafore or apron was made by Gary Markle. The owner doesn't normally wear t-shirts and hated everything but the image.


This t-shirt began as a basic boring XL ASPCA shirt given to a donor. She wanted to show her support of the organization but the shirt didn't fit and was really boring. This shirt was upgraded by Kim Munson / Orphanage Clothing

This t-shirt was a massive shirt again for an alumni who is wee. She wanted something she could wear not just to bed. It was retrofitted by Haleigh Sheehan of Five Surprises.

This shirt was a grey basic shirt which was a bit misshapen, but the owner felt it was too boring and basic. She had many of those. She wanted something unique. This applique owl shirt was done by Angela Melanson of Lala and Gleen Productions.

Well, we can't get the poop out of the harbour, but we can pick artists. This afternoon the city announced that Shauntay Grant is the Mayor’s Poet Laureate, taking over after Lorri Neilsen Glenn's successful four-year term. What a perfect choice.

In case you don't know who Grant is—where have you been?—the King's grad is a writer, spoken word performer, musician and broadcast journalist, hosting CBC Radio's music show, All The Best, and other programs. She's already won a few mantles full of awards, and just two weeks ago, her first children's book, Up Home received two Atlantic Book Awards for Best Atlantic Published Book and the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration (presented to artist Susan Tooke).

According the city's press release, the poet laureate acts as "an advocate for poetry, language and the arts, Shauntay will attend events across the municipality to promote and attract people to the
literary world. With the assistance of HRM Cultural Affairs staff, she will engage the community in activities, programs and events that demonstrate the positive impact of literature, poetry, and spoken word. The Poet Laureate's term also includes the creation of a legacy project."

According to the Halifax Public Library, "the average tax cost for public library services in HRM is $4.97 a month, per household." Before you get all old-man cranky and demand your toonies back, fists in air, perhaps you should consider the value of what you receive in return.

The library's new value calculator estimates the services you use monthly and calculates how much money you save by using the library’s free services (e.g. "the cost of one movie is calculated at $4.99 per month, based on average rental fees at local rental outlets.")

OK, so let's say that in one month, I take out one book and one DVD, read two magazines and a newspaper (in-house) and ask three reference questions (I'm a curious type), that value adds up to $80.49.

Consider this your financial post of the day.

Although this shitacular weather promises to let up, it's still prudent to meditate on shelter and habitat. A common theme and preoccupation among Atlantic artists like Adriana Kuiper, who builds bomb shelters, and Mary-Anne Wensley, whose warm, glowing shed at Saint Mary's University Art Gallery is constructed out of pig intestines, none look as cozy as this new exhibition opening at the Khyber ICA on Monday night (7-10pm). Domes, a sculptural installation by Robert Shedden and Chantal Tardiff, consists of Shedden's quilted igloo and Tardiff's enormous knitted toque that she has placed in various public settings. This is a short show, so check it out before May 2, and everyone starts wearing their giant flip-flops on Barrington again.

Not since dogs playing poker has there been such a great union between art and our canine friends. As part of Eyelevel Gallery's 35 Days of Non-Organized Art, artist Mathew Reichertz is organizing "Dog Day Afternoon." He explains this fur-friendly event: "People are invited to bring their dogs to the gallery between noon and 5pm on Sunday, April 26. The movie, Dog Day Afternoon, with Al Pacino, was filmed in New York City 35 years ago, the same year that Eyelevel was established in Halifax. It seems fitting to honour Eyelevel's anniversary with, at long last, a Dog Day Afternoon of its own; but instead of a bank robbery gone wrong, it will be a day of doggy pleasure done right. There will be treats and water and fun times for all."

You had me at "ruff..."

I hope that the powers that be pay attention to Charles Landry's talk on Tuesday. In the new Canadian edition of author and urban thinker Richard Florida's book Who’s Your City? , he sizes up the best places to live in Canada, depending on where you are in your life.

Guess what? We suck. We don't rate in the Top Ten for Singles (20-29)—you're better off in Iqaluit, which ranked #2—or for mid-career professionals (29-44), families or empty nesters (45-64). BUT we did get #10 for retirees (65+). Are we really surprised? Ask any young, creative person here whether they think they can stay and make a go of it. And I thought the poop-filled harbour solution was the stinkiest thing here.

According to an article by Florida in the Globe and Mail, which includes the top 10 lists:
Harnessing the full talent of everyone is the real key to sustainable prosperity. Those places that manage to harness this talent most thoroughly will emerge as the key success stories of the new century.

This new creative compact starts from two key principles: that all human beings have a fundamental right to use their full talents and creative abilities; and that in doing so they all have the right to self-expression, which is the basic building material of creative and productive endeavours. These rights are not the icing on the cake of prosperity and progress - they are the cake itself.

Music and art together. Like peanut butter and chocolate. Or Clamato and vodka. Kittens and string. Whatever you love. On Saturday, the Upstairs Apartment Gallery and the Rockgarden present a night of both, at the Rockgarden (2304 Hunter, 7pm-midnight, free or by donation). Musical guests: The Fantods, journalist wolf, No Flyers Please, Fresh Flesh and The Face.

Artists include: Jesse Walker, Chris Lockerbie, Robb Macneish, Jono Doiron, Jennifer Ashley, Cheryl Hann, Geordan Moore, Jilldo, James Lockerbie, Meghan Lanteigne, Dave Lipton, Pete Lockerbie, Juele Hortie, Stoo Metz, Zoe Solomon and Rosalyn lullucci.

No swears, or I'll tell mom. Unless it's "man, that's some F'ing good art." Or "sheeeeeeeet, I love The Fantods."