Hi, art lovers! | | | (CBC Arts) | | Indulge me for a second. Stop and take a look around. Wherever you are, I am convinced you have something right in front of you that involved a designer — even if it’s just the phone you’re reading this on. So what’s that object’s story? How did it come to look, and function, the way it does? Every manufactured item began as an idea in someone’s head, and in our new series, CBC On Design, you can explore what it means to be an industrial designer. The folks you’ll meet all hail from Canada and they’ve dreamed up the products you see in shops and offices (and the occasional Will Smith movie).
In five short documentaries, you’ll get a closer look at different projects and materials. Concrete, one of the most widely used substances in the world, is the subject of Episode 1, and you’ll follow a Montreal-based duo, Matt and Shawna Heide, who are passionate about working with the stuff. Furniture designer Geof Lilge features in the episode on seating, and he joined one of the series producers, Max Amerongen, on CBC Radio to chat about the show. The full series is streaming now on CBC Gem. | | | | Because we promised you eye candy ... | | | | | Nicholas Zirk | The last time we checked in with Nicholas Zirk, he was painting scenes replete with dishes and bottles and all sorts of household tchotchkes … the sort of stuff CBC On Design might get you thinking about. But his latest series depicts items of a more organic nature. This piece is Sun Worship II. It’s appearing in Floriography at Galerie Nicolas Robert in Montreal. The show opened last week and is there through Aug. 30. | | | | | Artwork: Kezna Dalz; Photo: Katya Konioukhova | Sun worship of a different variety: Sweat, Sand & Dandelions by Kezna Dalz. You can see this one in Montreal too. It’s featured in Livart’s summer exhibition. | | | | | Artwork: Laura Hudspith; Photo: LF Documentation/McBride Contemporain | Laura Hudspith has a solo exhibition (Wanderer) at Zalucky Contemporary in Toronto this month, but I saw this photo on Instagram and had to share it: Conduit for the Fullness of Each Moment. The piece is included in Between the Cracks in the Sidewalk, a three-person show at McBride Contemporain in Montreal. | | | | | José Lara Menéndez | Fresh Paint/New Construction, Art Mûr’s annual group show featuring painting and sculpture students from around Canada, opens July 19. José Lara Menéndez is doing their MFA at Concordia University, and this piece (Sarah’s Crime) is in the exhibition. | | | | | Artwork: Sage Szkabarnicki-Stuart; Photo: Shay Markowitz/Koffler Arts | Who could forget this video? Sage Szkabarnicki-Stuart made it for the CBC’s Creator Network, and if you’re in Toronto this month, you can see more of her work in person at Koffler Arts’ gallery space, Koffler301. The exhibition was recently extended to July 27. Here’s a peek at the scene inside. | | | | | Shane Fester/Toronto Outdoor Art Fair | | | The annual event is attracting more national talent than ever. Says one visiting artist, “Where else am I going to have 170,000 people see my work in three days?” But there’s plenty at stake for out-of-towners. | | | | | Black Tabby Games | | | Originally from the States, the creatives behind Black Tabby Games are now hailed as great Canadian game designers. Why did they decide to move to Toronto? | | | | | Mike Patten | | | | Khadija Baker is among the 13 winners of the inaugural David Suzuki Foundation Rewilding Arts Prize. | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was forwarded to you. | | | | | Got questions? Typo catches? Story ideas? | | We're just an email away. Send us a note, and we'll do our best to get back to you.
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | |