Hacking talks Holberg, Harleys and shotguns
word on the street is...
U of T philosopher unleashed on page 4
Atwood’s a cyborg, page 7
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University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly
Vol. XXXII N0. 4
ueaT caters to students
the campus New UofT and University of California research shows that parents regularly lie to their children to control their behaviour and emotions.
changes. Mr. Jaco Lokker, executive chef at the University of Toronto, felt that there needed to be a single place where students could come for information about on-campus food. Previously, information on the internet was somewhat haphazardly scattered over various student-life websites, and the Food and Beverage Services homepage was too limited in its reach. The UeaT Blog has been designed with comprehensive information about eateries and cafeterias across campus. It provides details on the sort of food provided at each location, and whether or not it will accom-
the local Ali Dirie, a member of the Toronto 18, admitted in court that he did belong to a terror cell. Dirie pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a terrorist group. the world World leaders are meeting at the UN HQ to revitalize talks on climate change. Chinese President Hu Jintao is expected to unveil some steps that are going to be taken to tackle the country’s emissions. the weird On Sunday, police
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officers had to capture an emu running loose on I-20 in Missisipi. Deputies were able to surround the animal, resorting to a taser and handcuffs to get it off the road. - Amina Stella
wavelength leaves sneaky dee’s
This Ain’t The rosedale library turns 30
dAn CrAig
miki sATo
Come October 4th, Wavelength, the indie and influential weekly music showcase, will no longer be showing at Sneaky Dee’s. Having helped to launch the careers of such artists as Feist and Broken Social Scene, fans of the series will now have to see it at The Garrison, a new pub that has popped up in the sketchy-come-trendy Dundas and Ossington area. A psychedelic, or sometimes drunken, playground for musical talent that features all sorts of acts from loud to weird, from soloists to 14-member ensembles, Wavelength originally began in February 2000 in a now-closed club called Ted’s Wrecking Yard. In October 2001, Wavelength moved to Lee’s Palace. However, co-organizer Jonny Dovercourt says that Lee’s was
too big a venue to capture the intimate vibe that they wanted. So at the end of May 2002, they moved to Sneaky Dee’s and have called it home for the last seven years. “Our relationship with Sneaky Dee’s has been a long one and a healthy one,” says Dovercourt. “But Wavelength has always been more about people than a place.” Founded as an artist-run collective made up of local musicians in the fall of 1999, Wavelength published a zine from 2000 through to 2005 along with their weekly concerts. The mandate of the collective was to encourage collaborations and increase awareness of the underground local community. Dovercourt says, “That remains our mandate to this day.” The former booker at Sneaky Continued on page 8
This is cause for celebration On September 16th, a diverse crowd of former-beatniks, book-lovers, and young artists, gathered at Harbourfront Centre’s Brigantine Room to celebrate the 30th birthday of a place that The Guardian has named Canada’s best independent bookstore, and one of the ten best bookstores in the world. Writer and poet friends of This Ain’t paid tribute with readings from some of their new and older works. Marking the longevity of Toronto’s most popular independent bookstore is a pleasant occasion, especially in light of fellow non-commercial bookstore Pages’s recent closure. Founded by Charles Huisken in the same year as Pages, This Ain’t opened on Queen St. E in 1979, before moving to its longtime residence at Church and
Wellesley in 1986. It called the heart of The Village home until July 2008, when it moved to its present location in Kensington Market. The bookstore is well-known
for its involvement with Canadian underground culture, encouraging and stimulating the works of local talent. It Continued on page 7
ALEX NURSALL
UofT Food and Beverage Services has undertaken some major changes across all three campuses, following the results of a student satisfaction survey conducted by the ASSU last year. These include new, environmentally-friendly initiatives, as well as outreach services designed to communicate directly with a larger percentage of the student body. Although Food Services has undergone changes before, these new programs—collectively called UeaT—are singular in their nature and extent. The new UeaT Blog is the cornerstone of all these
The shorts
ALEX NURSALL
TEjAs pArAsHEr
September 24, 2009
the news
2
September 24, 2009
Fall Elections unlikely
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MIKE WINTERS
Politics buffs will agree that the last few weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster ride. Not that long ago, a fall federal election seemed a virtual certainty. In a campaign-style speech in Sudbury on September 1, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff told the prime minister: “Mr. Harper, your time is up.” He vowed to bring down the government at the first available opportunity. In the days following Ignatieff’s challenge, the NDP’s Jack Layton, who had previously boasted about voting against every confidence motion since the last election, started using phrases like “reaching out” and “working together” when talking about the Tories. In an interview with CBC radio’s The House on September 5, Layton suggested areas where his party would be willing to work with the Conservatives, including retirement security for seniors, job creation, and employment insurance (EI) reform. According to U of T political science professor Nelson Wiseman, those words smacked of desperation. “Jack Layton sounded like he was begging for a bone,” he said. “The polls I have seen show NDP support has dropped from where it was during the last election; if they force a vote, they could lose some key seats in Ontario.” In the end, none of those three issues made it into the confidence
motion tabled by the Conservatives last Friday. Instead, the “ways-and-means” motion focused on implementing the popular tax credit for home renovations. Nevertheless, the NDP decided to vote for it, stating that they didn’t want to stop future progress on EI reform by forcing an election. The motion was also supported by the Bloc Quebecois. Reaction to the move among political groups on campus has been predictably mixed. Gabe de Roche, president of the U of T Liberals, said he was surprised by the decision. “The NDP have been saying for a long time now that they will vote against the government at every opportunity; I was pretty shocked to see that Jack Layton backed down on that.” The move was derided by the NDP Socialist Caucus, which
held a recruitment meeting on campus last Tuesday. “This is not going to endear the NDP to its base or earn any applause from the right,” said the group’s leader, Barry Weisleder. “The party needs to get back to its roots.” Conservatives, however, were pleased with the motion’s passage. “Another election would have meant the loss of millions of tax dollars,” said Brittany D’arcy, Director of Communications for the Campus Conservatives. “Politicians should be concentrating on continuing to keep our country on top of the economic situation, not their own personal campaigns.” Both de Roche and Weisleder said they worried that the move would raise cynicism among students. But Professor Wiseman isn’t so sure that students are affected by the machinations of
party politics. “The federal government has very little influence in student issues,” he said. “The provinces make the decisions, all the federal government can do is to crank the amount of money they provide up or down. For most students, politics is about being involved in Greenpeace or Amnesty International, or whatever their particular issue is.” If that is the case, the latest shifts of power on Parliament Hill will likely go unnoticed here on campus, especially now that the immediate threat of an election has passed. Nevertheless, week is a long time in politics, and campus leaders say their strategies haven’t changed. “We’ve been in pre-election mode, and we’re going to stay there,” said de Roche. “It could still happen any time.”
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September 24, 2009
3
Toronto’s first man-made natural park
UeaT caters to students
Andrew gyorkos
modate specific diets. Lokker wanted to make sure that the blog was about “educating, not merely informing” people, and that “it would read more like a food magazine than anything else”. There are also various special-interest sections on Farmers’ Markets, sustainable local ingredients, and the role that on-campus food might play in social justice, as well as quick, accessible recipes for occasions like Ramadan and Nutrition Week. The ASSU survey has also had a major impact on the popular Sid’s Southside Café in Sidney Smith. The building’s Spartan interior has been renovated into a more relaxed, bistro-like surrounding, as per student demands. Seating is more spacious and comfortable, and personal booths have been installed to create quiet study areas. There are new food stations, such as Sultan’s Middle Eastern Cuisine, and pasta and baguette stalls. ASSU representatives say that “it is still much too early to gauge student response, but it seems generally positive”. In addition, UeaT has made environmental sustainability one of its guiding principles. The Lug-a-Mug campaign, which has been running for a few years now, is being implemented with renewed vigour. Students will save $0.25 on any hot beverage at a campus eatery when they use their own mug rather than a disposable container. Last year,
the campaign saved 76,561 cups from ending up in the dump. This year, UeaT hopes to double that number. A new Public Water Initiative has also been started to cut down on the use of plastic bottles on campus. Aside from the obvious problem of litter, many students and staff felt that bottled water involves the unregulated manufacture of harmful PET chemicals, and condones the commercialization of a natural resource which should be a given right. On the St. George campus, there are now four stations offering free, filtered water. In association with Canteen Canada, EnviroPURE Vending Machines have also been installed on all three campuses. Students can fill reusable containers with 500ml of water for $0.50, or 500ml of any flavoured drink for $1.00. Lokker considers this an opportune time for such programs to be implemented. “People are more aware of what they eat now; they want to know and understand where their food comes from, how it affects the world around them. UeaT is, to a large extent, just about making sure that students have access to all the information and services they need for this—we want to underline that we are always there to listen to their concerns.” The UeaT blog can be reached at http://blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca/Ueat/.
time to pursue the humanities. Time is money, and money, whether we like it or not, is vital in our world. One solution might be a major injection of federal cash into the liberal arts to make it more affordable and practical for students to study. Once again, however, we are faced with the problem of how
to get the public to see this as worthwhile. Unlike the sciences that can produce practical solutions to daily problems, the humanities benefit us in a more abstract way. Getting people to understand this and to see the benefits in an English or History degree is a very steep hill to climb.
Humanities in Inhumane Times Tomasz Bugajski When you tell people that you study History, they always seem to always ask, “And what are you going to do with that?” The perception that the liberal arts are impractical and a waste of time is fairly common. When the University of Toronto was first founded, one of its main goals was to produce good citizens, not necessarily graduates trained for high-paying jobs. Over the years, many people feel that this emphasis has changed to “business schools and shiny office buildings,” in the words of Avi Lewis, one of the panelists at a September 21 roundtable discussion on the role of humanities in our society, hosted by the Jackman Humanities Institute. In addition to Lewis, who is the host of Why Democracy? on Al Jazeera, the guests included Chad Gaffield, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Jill Matus,
Professor of English at the University of Toronto, and John Ralston Saul, author of A Fair Country: Telling Truths about Canada. Panelists discussed the problems facing the humanities: how to promote them and public prejudices against them. A reoccurring theme throughout the discussion was the lack of understanding among the public about what constitutes “humanities.” Jill Matus complained that many people only associate the discipline with the performing arts and leisure. Avi Lewis emphasized the corporatization of education and its disregard for the liberal arts. Chad Gaffield pointed to the great Canadian contribution to the humanities and praised private initiatives for their investments, but said there is plenty of room for us to improve. John Ralston Saul explained how valuable the humanities can be when addressing important problems
like global warming. The conversation evolved into a debate on the role of universities in promoting humanistic education and the place for federal government funding. The guests were equally concerned that the liberal arts do not receive enough money from public or private sources. Their explanation was that the field is too misunderstood and organizations have no incentive to invest in its research. One of the most interesting question of the evening was how to get the public to value the humanities and to realize the importance of investing their tax dollars in its research. Unfortunately, the panel could offer no concrete answers. It’s hard to blame them; the liberal arts benefit us in no concretely measurable way. In a suffering economy, refining our minds with literature and history can sometimes feel pointless. Many of us, as suggested by the panelists, just do not have the
ALEX NURSALL
The climbing boulders, another key element of the park, were imported from Perry Sound. Jeff Cowan, VicePresident in charge of operation and health & safety, explored the possibility of using boulders from Toronto, but explained that, due to weathering, they were not of ideal quality and had to be found elsewhere. Cowan and a small team from Gardens for Living, the designers and builders of Bienenstock’s Natural Playgrounds, are currently in the process of applying final touches and servicing to the park in the hopes of opening it to the public by the weekend. The formal opening ceremonies will be held on October 7. Previously, natural playgrounds had only been constructed at daycares and other similar facilities in Toronto. The hope is that more public parks similar to the one in Leslieville will pop up all over the city.
ANDREW GYORKOS
The pressure to “go green” has finally evolved beyond the choice between biodegradable bags and hybrid cars. Now toddlers can make sustainable choices about where they play, thanks to the revitalization of McLeary Park, Toronto’s first natural playground. The park is deliberately designed to reconnect children with nature during their playtimes. The Leslieville park is currently in the process of being finalized for public use. “Several sites were considered, but Leslieville was chosen as the playground that was in need of an upgrade,” said Bruce Sudds, Vice-President of Development at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, thecompany supervising the playground’s construction, in an email to the newspaper. “There are a high number of children in the neighbourhood, and the city had slated funds to
upgrade the park.” The park was made possible by a $300,000 donation from ING Direct Canada. On September 17, around 500 ING employees completed the bulk of the labour. They were responsible for creating paths, planting shrubbery, and installing musical instruments. At the end of the day, ING Direct employees laid down 300 cubic yards of material - quite an impressive feat for office workers with no formal training in construction. Sixty percent of the materials involved in the park’s construction came from natural resources available in the area. A colossal elm tree that had succumbed to disease was cut down and re-purposed for the commanding upside-down tree structure that dominates the central park. The rest of the tree is being used to build tables, chairs, benches, and forts around the playground.
cont’d from page 1
Lewis speaks of the corporatization of education at U of T.
the inside
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IAN HACKING INTERVIEW
dan craig
Appointed a U of T professor in the Department of Philosophy in 1991, Ian Hacking has been the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships for his contribution to the humanities. Most recently, he was awarded the Holberg Prize. This prize, annually awarded by the Norse government, is for outstanding academic achievement in the fields of the arts and humanities, social sciences, law and theology. Total cash attached to the prize is approximately $700,000CAD. Prof. Hacking has published over 220 peer-reviewed articles, and 13 books. He excels not only at expressing himself in technical detail to other scholars, but also communicating to a general audience in such publications as The Globe and Mail, The New York Review of Books, and The New Republic, among others. the newspaper caught up with him via email while he was in transit between speaking engagements. You were born and grew up in Vancouver, and received your first degree at the University of British Columbia. What was it like to grow up on the west coast? It was quite provincial and still quite British. As an adolescent I lived in North Vancouver, very different from prosperous West Vancouver. It had been a boom town during the War, with the shipyards going full swing. You can imagine social consequences when the troops came home and the shipyards pretty much closed. UBC was also pretty provincial but by chance there were a handful of exceptional undergrads doing mathematics. It should be remembered that in those days in BC it was very easy for a boy to work summers and completely support himself for four years of college. Your first degree was a Bachelor’s in Physics and Mathematics. When did your interest in philosophy and history develop? I had no thought of being a philosopher and certainly never took a philosophy course. I was a pill, to use a term of abuse of the day, until in my third year I began to hang out with people who waffled about existentialism. I also went around with several older and highly disreputable European students. I decided without knowing anything to apply to Cambridge University to read for a second BA in moral sciences. By a real fluke I got accepted at Trinity College which changed my life. Plan B was to spend my college savings on a Harley: my most disreputable European friend and I were planning to ride South to Tierra del Fuego. That was in 1956. In your work, Representing and Intervening, you argue that scientists cannot only
represent the world, but also must by necessity intervene in the world. Is this an inevitable handicap? Is it a handicap at all? Quite the contrary. Until let us say the time of Robert Boyle, when people started seriously messing with the world in order to systematically produce new phenomena, the scientific mind was terribly handicapped. Of course we may end up doing irreparable harm, as in Margaret Atwood’s nasty dystopias Oryx and Crake (2003) and the just-out Year of the Flood. Do you think there is an objective reality out there? If so, are we getting any closer to revealing (or intervening in) it? If I have to give yes or no answers to the specific questions, then: yes, yes. But the questions stink. For example, the second one suggests that there could be ultimate “revelation” of “reality” -- which is nonsense. These days, medical research is published almost daily in mainstream publications in the form of statistics and probabilities. Do you think knowledge published like this is valid, or even useful to the average person? You ask if knowledge of this kind is “valid”. Lots of it is, but it is very difficult for even the most assiduous citizen to sort out the probability overload. As you know, we are inundated with health statistics which get revised all the time. Last year sugar was the great evil, this year salt, a little bit of fat is deadly, is good for you, etc.. Some of this is just journalism, but the scientific community is not innocent: publicity for statistical statements is good for getting funded. Think of the daily announcements of “the gene for schizophrenia” or whatever – at best a risk factor has been detected for a very small population. Still, it is surely important to know that people who talk on cell phones while driving tend to drive badly. Please, readers, do not talk on your
cell when you are at the wheel! You have won many awards and fellowships throughout your career. What does an award like the Holberg mean to you? It has to be taken with a lot of humility. I probably have 100 people on my bookshelves who are equally worthy, and there will be another 2000 whom I have never read. The Norwegian parliament wanted to give awards in subjects not covered by the Nobel prizes, and so it established the Abel prize in mathematics, and the Holberg prize in humanities and social sciences, to emphasize that these too are integral to human aspiration and achievement. The Norwegians were sharing a little bit of the happy accident that they have a lot of premium quality offshore oil. I feel that winners of such prizes should take the hint and share their good fortune, but not in ostentatious ways. What does a philosopher of science like to do with his free time, that is assuming he has any? I am answering your questions on a flight back from Lethbridge. I gave a couple of talks there and then my wife and I had a great long weekend walking in the Rockies (Waterton park). By the way, I do not like being identified as a philosopher of science. I am a philosopher. Do you have any advice for young philosophers? Anything you would do differently? Any thing I would do differently? Once long ago when I was driving across the Southern United States in my $90 Dodge I stopped at a service station in the middle of the desert to do some duct-tape type repairs. The mechanic owner was so impressed he offered me a job on the spot. “I will teach you all I know,” he said. I wish I had stayed to learn. (“Don’t worry that it’s kinda lonely out here,” he also said, “of course I’ll give you a handgun, and we always have a loaded shotgun under the counter.”)
September 24, 2009
the science Tim Ryan discovers hope in recent literature for people with severe spinal cord injuries Earlier this week, a col- spinal cord injury. laborative effort by research The research group, headed by groups out of Switzerland and Gregoire Courtine, tested comthe United States published a binations of pharmacological and paper in Nature Neuroscience, electrical stimulations in concert in which they describe how they with locomotive training to recovered function in the limbs judge whether they could actiof mice after severe spinal cord vate and functionally remodel injury resulting in full paralysis the spinal cord locomotive in the legs. circuits. They found that two It has been known in some molecules which act as seroform, for all of time, that se- tonin agonists (serotonin is vere spinal cord injury which a neurotransmitter that acts prohibits all supraspinal inputs during muscle contraction, generated in the brain from its agonists are molecules reaching that are our lumsimilar to bosacral serotonin, (leg) spinal “This is a big step in the and beinitiative to restore some have and circuits, leads to quality of life in humans generate permanent who have suffered severe the same paralysis in spinal cord injuries and are effect), and paralyzed.” rodents and electrical humans. stimulaFurther, tion close paralysis stemming from an in- to the severing point of the spinal jury around the neck can lead to cord improved leg contractile the loss of unassisted breathing function in approximately one and can shorten one’s lifespan week. In doing this, the group (see Christopher Reeve). was able to demonstrate for the After a complete severing of first time the ability of these rats the spinal cord, the networks to engage in full weight-bearing of neurons in the spine below locomotion on a treadmill. the split retain the intrinsic This is a big step in the initiaability to oscillate and generate tive to restore some quality of rhythmic motor outputs. The life in humans who have sufcircuits that underlie these out- fered severe spinal cord injuries puts are called central pattern and are paralyzed. With the generators (CPGs) and while development of effective spinal they can’t produce muscle cord repair therapies such as movement on their own, it is this, there is real progress in the CPGs that are accessed, counteracting the debilitating activated and manipulated to loss of function and the optiallow the recovery of loco- mization of the use of CPGs in motive function after severe regaining function.
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September 24, 2009
the inside
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the inside
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September 24, 2009
Noah Gataveckas and Miki Sato “Community Centre for the Arts,” says Carmelo Bordonaro, owner of Bloor Cinema. “If it were up to me, that’s what I’d call it. That’s the way I see it. A little bit of everything, for everyone.”And he’s not joking. Over the 100-plus years The Bloor has been in business, it has played host to a cornucopia of artistic and cultural events. The theatre has lent its stage and 800-odd seats for comedy, burlesque, live music shows, and in more recent years, its popular end-of-month celebration of cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. When the theatre debuted in 1905, the building was originally known as The Madison, hosting vaudeville acts. It underwent a major renovation from 1940-41, transferring into a moving-picture theatre called The Midtown. Undergoing several name changes throughout the years, it was for some time in the 70’s known as The Eden - owned by multiplex chain Famous Players - functioning as a profitable porno theatre. Finally, in 1979, the theatre was renamed The Bloor Cinema, adopting the name after the original Bloor
Theatre, which is now known as Lee’s Palace. Mr. Bordonaro’s eyes light up at the mention of the theatre’s regular showings of 50s and 60s classic films. “Yeah, that’s one of my favourite parts” he says. Recent classics that have hit the big screen include Annie Hall, Psycho, and The African Queen. “As long as people continue to come, we’ll be happy to continue to play them.” But this highlights a current issue for the theatre’s management. Since the rise of laptop movie-watching, audiences have dwindled at the single-screened repertory cinema. Though numerous festivals, such as Hot Docs and Toronto After Dark, bring in dedicated film-goers, regular attendance remains a cause for concern. Because of the dominance of first-run megaplex theatres, rise of DVD rentals, and personal downloading, the future of this vintage movie house may be at risk. In 2006, four of the major rep cinemas in Toronto closed its doors after the late Peter McQuillan’s family was unable to support the costs of running the Festival Cinemas. The Bloor, unlike its not-so-lucky counterparts, has persevered. Now employed
ALEX NURSALL
The Bloor Cinema: A Historic Landmark in the Annex
by a majority new staff, the theatre has no immediate plans for changes, but Theatre Programmer Peter Kupowski, tells viewers to “expect a lot more cult classics” in the near future. “We try to have programming that everyone can enjoy. Especially young people. If it wasn’t
for the University of Toronto, we might go out of business,” Bordonaro says. Located on the north side of Bloor Street near Bathurst, the theatre is a mere stone’s throw away from St. George campus. “We couldn’t do this without the community,” says Bordonaro, “which makes sense. After all,
that’s who we do this all for.” Upcoming events include the second half of Classic Tarantino, September 28, and the Toronto-Palestine Film Festival, September 26-27. For more information, go to www.bloorcinema.com.
the arts
September 24, 2009
ROM, AGO team up for Art & Glamour This Ain’t the Rosedale cont’d from page 1
AMY STUPAVSKY
amy stupavsky
holds an impressive history of visits and readings by authors such as Hunter S. Thomson, William S. Burroughs, and Alison Bechdel, to name a few. This Ain’t continues to play host to an array of readings and literary happenings, so it’s easy to find yourself spending several hours there each week. In a dimly-lit Brigantine Room, bill bissett takes a sip from his bottle of water before bestowing the crowd with an impromptu poetic treat: “Standing, sitting, breathing, in the universe. With all the candlelight, you’re all stars.” Captivating the room with his unique musical, tranceinducing poetry performance, bissett pauses to remark, “I love Charlie. When I got eye surgery, he put eye-drops in my eye three times a day. When I got Hep C, he visited me in the hospital.” The bookstore, as well being the best place to find smallpress publications, graphic
novels, counter-cultural nonfiction, and an extensive collection of poetry, is also a place where both authors and customers associate personal memories and a kind familiarity. Canadian fiction writer and poet, Stuart Ross, expresses the fondness he had, and still has, for the “inclusive” and “alternative” bookstore, whose staff supported his small publication in its early days. Charles Huisken’s genuine love for good reading and all things art rubbed off on his son, Jesse, who began helping his dad run the store in 2008. New fans and loyal customers alike look forward to seeing This Ain’t around for another thirty years, continuing to be, as CBC Radio’s Jowi Taylor puts it, “a safe, comfortable place to explore so many crazy writers.” This Ain’t the Rosedale Library is located at 86 Nassau St.
Edward Streichen’s Self-Portrait to see his face, you know it’s him,” this reporter overheard a visitor say of Steichen’s talent at revealing Coward’s persona through the composition. The ROM’s Vanity Fair Portraits delves into society’s preoccupation with the cult of celebrity. The exhibit showcases an exuberant collection of Vanity Fair’s portrait photography, which formed the cornerstone of the magazine’s vintage and modern periods. The iconic images encompass a who’s who
of film, theatre, music, politics, sport, journalism, and literature. The real stars of the show, however, are the people behind the lens: Mario Testino, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz, all celebrities in their own right. “It’s an interesting intellectual analysis of the nature of celebrity, its burdens and opportunities,” said William Thorsell, ROM Director and CEO. Both exhibits run until Jan. 3, 2010.
ALEX NURSALL
Visitors to the ROM and AGO will receive a double-dose of photographic heaven on September 26 with the opening of two shows, the Vanity Fair Portraits and Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, the Condé Nast Years: 1927-1937. In an affirmation of enthusiasm for photography, the joint exhibits represent the ROM and the AGO’s first collaborative effort. As one of the most influential photographers of the last century, Steichen captured the visual culture of his age. The show covers his years as chief photographer at Vanity Fair and Vogue, when he was at the height of his ability. “We are an institution that celebrates the art of looking and engaging visitors in the contemplation of objects,” said Matthew Teitelbaum, AGO Director and CEO. “The Steichen exhibit invites you to slow down and think about issues of composition and scale. It encourages you to develop a visual vocabulary.” The exhibit is overwhelming in its scope and volume, displaying the range of Steichen’s achievement and amaz;ing inventiveness. He offered fashion lovers a stunning array of couture snaps from every major designer, from Lanvin to Chanel. His expert manipulation of artificial light highlights the sumptuous tactility of the clothes. Equally adept at portraiture, his 1932 photo of Noel Coward arrests the viewer. Coward sits staring penetratively at the camera, insouciantly puffing a cigarette. “You don’t even have
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Danger: fiction and robo-arms ahead Noah Gataveckas This Sunday the 27th, Queen’s Park will be invaded by a bunch of professional liars. You’ve been warned. Don’t trust anything they say. This is how they make a living - they tell stories, most of which are not true, then sell them to people who don’t know any better. If you happen to walk by the Park as it goes on, be sure to cover your ears. Especially if you’re of a more scientific mindset, or used to thinking in terms of fact and reason. Otherwise, you might find yourself elbow-deep in concrete poetry. The horror! But for those of you who are thrill-seekers, the Word on the Street festival might be just the ticket you’re looking for. There will be a wide variety of venues and events to test your rational perspicacity. Some of these on-
goings include a Comics and Graphic Novels Tent - featuring interviews with Toronto-based writers and illustrators; Proud Voices - celebrating queer community and LGBT writing; and the Eye Weekly Music Stage focusing on new music-related books. “The celebration of literature and reading is a wonderful event for people of all ages, and reaffirms Toronto’s commitment to arts and culture as vital characteristics of a livable city,” says Mayor David Miller. “The beautiful grounds at Queen’s Park offer a spacious setting and a great place for residents and visitors to relax, read a book or magazine, and participate in fun activities.” Now in its 20th year, the national festival has an eventful day planned, including a huge exhibitor marketplace and amazing lineup of authors.
Some notable writers attending Sunday’s event include Kenneth Oppel, Nino Ricci, and Stuart McLean. Margaret Atwood will also be on hand with her signature LongPen at the ScotiaBank Bestsellers Stage, signing copies of her highly-anticipated new novel, “The Year of the Flood”. The festival will also have its share of non-fiction fun. For an expert take on the personal finance, visit the Money Matters Tent. Or, if you think you might need some tips for the kitchen, check out the Cooks ‘n’ Books Stage. Bookworms, delight! But be weary; you can never trust an author. Except me, of course - I always tell the truth. Word on the Street will take place on Sept. 27, from 11am to 6pm. For more information, go to www.thewordonthestreet.ca/ wots/toronto.
MIKE WINTERS
Word on the Street celebrates 20 years of celebrating Can Lit
the backpage
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Wavelength leaves Sneaky Dee’s cont’d from page 1
Dee’s, Shaun Bowring, who became an integral part of the Wavelength series over the last five years, had long spoke about opening his own club one day. His dream now realized in The Garrison, he invited Wavelength to join him at the new space. Dovercourt said they jumped at the opportunity. Getting in on the ground floor was a large draw for Dovercourt and his colleagues. “Literally,” said Dovercourt. “That is a big advantage of the new space, it is on the first floor with no stairs to load gear up! And it’s also in an exciting, burgeoning neighbourhood: Dundas and Ossington.” Wavelength is making the change of venue in time for their 500th show next February. A recent press release from the Wavelength crew states that they will “conclude the weekly Wavelength series on its 10th anniversary.” Jonny Dovercourt assures me, however, that they will not be disappearing. “We are planning on transitioning from a weekly Sunday night series
into a new, yet-to-be-determined format.” The Dundas and Ossington area has recently seen a noticeable explosion of cafes, bars and art galleries. The Garrison will be opening around the corner from the already wildly popular artsycountry-hipster Dakota Tavern. The Garrison is located at 1197 Dundas St. W, and the October 4th Wavelength will feature Home Video (Brooklyn, NY), SherpaFeast, Wet Dirt, and Sean Ward. If you want to see Wavelength at Sneaky Dee’s (431 College St.) one final time, your chance will be this Sunday, Sept. 27 and will feature Sandman Viper Command (Strokesmeets-Television jumpy guitar pop), The Sales Department (“music made with a computer by a human”), Let There Be Light (post-gazer balladry), and Debbie Suede (twangy atmospheric pop). Bands start to play at 9:30.
missed connections - on campus Saw what you had to offer at the Munk Centre basement bathroom. You peeked back. Meet you same place, Fri 5pm. to respond or send your missed connections, email thenewspaper@gmail.com
September 24, 2009