Egg Life Café
Feb 16-March 30
Khyber Window,1880 Hollis Street
free
khyber.ca/window
Feast your eyes on Egg Life Café, the latest exhibit from artist Shane Song. On display in the new Khyber Window space, the installation, which features plays on various egg-based dishes, is sure to go over easy with spectators.
"In general, eggs are just amazing things," says Song. "It's like, where life begins, but it's not life yet—it's just really awesome."
Showcasing delicacies from her hometown in China, Song's exhibit includes papier mache replicas of tasty treats such as tomato-and-egg stir-fry. However, like eggs, there's a bit more to her art than meets the eye. For instance, dishes like a savoury steamed egg pudding represent compromise, which Song perfected when taking a new approach to making the silky delight.
"I'm probably too unwilling to compromise, but gradually I am learning I need to have capacity for other people," says Song. "You can still be yourself and you don't need to change anything, but you can create an equal amount of space for other people and allow them to be different."
Constructing her vision alongside her production assistant, Eric Diolola, Song hopes Egg Life Café is the beginning of a fruitful year in her artistic career and is seeking seeking more collaborators. As for her window attraction, she simply hopes to start an artistic dialogue with curious pedestrians.
"It's good for me to share with strangers, but keep the distance," says Song. "I'm not directly talking to anyone, but I present this thing that anyone passing by the window has access to. It's a positive experience for other people and for me."
