 Hi, art lovers! | | |  | Black Life: Untold Stories | | | Why did an American filmmaker want to make a documentary about Black Canadian history? Last week on CBC Radio’s Commotion, Nelson George was on the program to answer that question. The author of books including Hip Hop America, Nelson is the executive producer of an eight-part docuseries that began airing on CBC Gem last week, Black Life: Untold Stories. The project is epic in scope, capturing 400 years of the Black experience in Canada, and episodes celebrate Black Canadians’ contributions to the arts, politics, sports and music, while introducing stories and trailblazing figures that have been long overlooked. Christopher Stuart Taylor wrote an introductory essay about the project, and how it disrupts and complicates the narrative that’s been taught for generations. As he writes: “A series like this is important because it sheds light on our stories and perspectives, good and bad, while highlighting our battles but also celebrating our joy.”
You can watch the first four episodes on CBC Gem. (Music fans might want to skip straight to the episode on Canadian hip-hop, which features interviews with Michie Mee, Cadence Weapon and MuchMusic icon Master T.) More will be ready to stream this Wednesday, including an episode all about art, literature and film. That one highlights luminaries including author Austin Clarke, filmmaker Clement Virgo (who also appears in interviews) and the 19th-century artist Edward Mitchell Bannister — a New Brunswick–born painter who found acclaim in his time, but was ignored by art historians. For CBC-TV viewers, the series premiere airs Wednesday night at 9 (9:30 p.m. NT). | | | | | And because we promised you eye candy ... | | | | |  | Jannick Deslauriers | | Art Toronto launches in just a few days, running Oct. 26 to 29 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and this spectral piece by Montreal’s Jannick Deslauriers (previously seen here) is appearing in one of this year’s Project Spaces. There’s more than one way to see her work this fall. Over in Brampton, Ont., the Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives is showing one of her art installations as part of a co-exhibition with fellow textile artist Amanda McCavour (In Her Garden). | | | | |  | David Spriggs | | Gravity (2019) by David Spriggs. This ghostly 3D illusion is created by layering painted transparencies — an approach the B.C.-based artist is famous for. In Vancouver this November? David’s opening a solo exhibition (Dimensionalism) at Paul Kyle Gallery. | | | | |  | Levelfilm | | | | | It’s the world’s largest Indigenous media arts event, and it’s accessible to all Canadians. | | | | |  | Anahita Norouzi | | | | | It’s been a year of awards for Montreal’s Anahita Norouzi. Her Sobey nomination is just the beginning. | | | | |  | Creepy Doll Museum | | | | | | | No confirmed hauntings yet, but the curators are always accepting new donations. | | |  | Eric Kostiuk Williams | | CBC Arts caught up with Eric last week to hear about 2AM Eternal. It’s a new book that collects a decade of his comics and poster art — work that captures an entire era of Toronto’s queer nightlife. | | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | | |
