9 minute read
ARTS & CULTURE
TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT Controller fearlessly dives into the humanrobot conundrum
The eccentric play explores technology, ethics, and human action
PAMELA SUBIA // SFU STUDENT
Controller was one of the plays included in rEvolver Festival 2022’s programme. Running from May 25–June 5 at The Cultch, this year’s festival explored themes such as gender diversity, minority experiences, and humantechnology interdependence.
Displaying the deep and innovative quality of the local arts and culture scene, Controller overrode all expectations. This interactive piece was produced by the local arts collective, Theatre Conspiracy, and written by BC filmmaker, writer, director, and scientist Mily Mumford. They are also known for their acclaimed plays at the annual Fringe Festival.
The interactive aspect of Controller emotionally guided the audience to dissect human-technology interdependence and examine ethical concerns which have existed since early civilization. With the increasing presence of technology in the lives of individuals, these tensions become more apparent and difficult to ignore.
The play started by introducing the audience to four characters living in the United States. At different plot points, the lives of these characters were determined by a vote of applause from an external agent (the audience) who has the controller to their lives. We are introduced to the characters in 2016, where two of them are video game actors and the other two work for the US military missile control centre in New York. As a viewer, the occupations of the characters Controller was part of rEvolver Festival 2022 at The Cultch. PHOTO: Upintheair Theatre
made me deeply interested in the development of the plot. Many questions arose as to what these occupations are like in reality, and what ethical dilemmas they face.
Throughout the play, the audience is tasked with making decisions for the characters in a world of killer robots, virtual realities, deepfake scandals, and violence. Controller forces the viewer to make ethically difficult decisions: whether or not to protest against a videogame or remotely bomb a group of people who could be civilians. Controller makes us think about how much more convoluted the world could get in the future with the growth of virtual reality technologies and virtually controlled war tactics.
By the end of the play, when the characters sat down to drink wine and reflect upon what had happened and what was to come, one of them giggled and said, “Nihilism is so 2020.” Nihilism is defined as “the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.” In other words, it encompasses a general indifference towards existence. This sentence was a shock to me as a part of a generation that is progressively falling into nihilism and doom mentality, but it also felt like a wake up call. After that statement, the audience has no more choices to make and the artist-audience division is replaced. This gave the audience a chance to feel relief and to reflect on the play’s message, which was loud and clear. We need to stop behaving as a spectator and start taking action for our communities and ourselves before someone (or something) else grabs the controller.
COME TOGETHER Talking Stick Festival invites you to learn from Turtle Island’s groundbreaking artists
Immerse yourself in Indigenous art
SARA WONG // PEAK ASSOCIATE
Talking Stick Festival (TSF) is about Indigenous artists coming together to present their work as a community. Since TSF’s introduction 21 years ago, it has been known as “North America’s premier Indigenous arts and culture festival.”
This year’s TSF expands on that mission statement with events hosted in partnership with more local arts organizations. From a dance performance about herbal medicine to a documentary on breaking barriers in the theatre industry, the 2022 lineup exemplifies the diverse and multidisciplinary nature of Indigenous art. Here are four events you should put on your radar!
La Mitchin di Mitchif | June 19–21 | $18 |
Scotiabank Dance Centre
La Mitchin di Mitchif is a collaborative dance piece between local companies V’ni Dansi and Oga Po’geh (Santa Fe)-based Dancing Earth. Artistic directors Yvonne Chartrand and Rulan Tangen, of V’ni Dansi and Dancing Earth respectively, are dedicated to promoting Indigenous culture and traditions through their choreography. This contemporary work explores the ancestral plant knowledge of Métis peoples. After the June 19th performance of La Mitchin di Mitchif, guests are invited to stay after the show to engage in discussion with both dance companies. Tickets are available online via Showpass.
Medicine workshop | June 26, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Free | 108-237 East 4th Avenue
performers and storytellers. Stories that Transform Us is a 90 minute documentary commemorating the organization’s growth in pushing artistic boundaries. Created by current artistic director Corey Payette, the film includes short clips from some of Urban Ink’s previous productions, as well as conversations with Payette and past directors Marie Clements and Diane Roberts. You’ll also see Margo Kane, the founder and director of TSF, featured in this documentary. Stories that Transform Us is available to stream through Eventive.
years experience as a herbalist, which they pour into their small business, Raven and Hummingbird Tea Co. I’ve had the pleasure of learning from Wyss in the past through an ethnobotany course at SFU. Their joy and passion for cultivating Indigenous plants is infectious. I also found their teaching style very approachable. If you don’t know a lot about plants but are curious to find out more, this is a great place to start. Space is limited for this workshop, so be sure to register by emailing info@vnidansi.ca.
sacred skin | Now until June 30 | Free | SFU
Goldcorp
This exhibition celebrates the work of seven Indigenous tattoo artists from across Turtle Island. Highlighting “the forms, aesthetics, meanings, and knowledge that they utilize,” sacred skin is an interactive way of documenting the artists’ cultural reclamation. Traditional tattooing in Indigenous communities suffered when the Canadian government enforced the Potlatch Ban in 1885. In an even more blatant example of cultural assimilation, Hovak Johnston, founder of the Inuit Tattoo Revitalization Project, noted how “missionaries and residential schools taught that the markings were shameful.” sacred skin explores the work that has been done in recent years to revitalize this artistic practice. From Nlaka’pamux mark maker Dion Kaszas’ bold blackwork designs to Iñupiaq creative Holly Mititquq Nordlum’s intricate handpoke and skin stitch tattoos, it’s clear this resurging art form is in good hands. TSF 2022 features tea workshops, tattoo exhibitions, and more!
PHOTO: Talking Stick Festival
Fill up your summer bucket list with visits to arts and culture sites around Vancouver! PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak
Student discounts to artsy things around Metro Vancouver
Snag great student deals on arts and culture experiences around the city
ROSHI CHADHA // SFU STUDENT
Summer is the time of the year when students make room in their schedules to have fun and explore new interests. If you are a student wanting to explore more of the city’s art and culture scene while staying within your budget, you are at the right place.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra TD All Access Pass
Who can afford to go to see the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) live on a student budget? With tickets normally ranging from $25–97, getting a decent seat can be an extravagant outing. To encourage more young people to attend the symphony, TD and VSO offer a program called TD All Access Pass, which gives students discounted tickets to VSO Regular Series concerts. TD All-Access Pass tickets are available two weeks before the performance dates for students to purchase two tickets at $20 each. To get approved for this pass, you need to be a full-time student or below the age of 35 and fill out a registration form which will be processed within 72 hours. For people who prefer to enjoy concerts in bigger groups, the VSO offers 15% off their adult price tickets for students with a group of 10 or more. this summer. This year’s 33rd season is running from June 8–September 24 with different plays featured at different weeks. Their programming this year includes A MidSummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Harlem Duet. I had the opportunity to go and watch Romeo and Juliet with my friends and I still remember the live performance. I want to visit again with my friends as there are student group bookings which you can access after submitting an application form. There needs to be a minimum of 10 people in the group in order to apply the 15% discount, making tickets $23 each. Tickets at regular price range from $27–$80 so this is a bargain! Enjoy live theatre under Bard’s iconic tents with your friends!
Vancouver Art Gallery
This is an amazing place to check off your list if you are interested in multiple floors of art exhibits! The Vancouver Art Gallery is considered “one of North America’s most respected and innovative visual arts institutions.” They offer $6 off on their ticket prices for students, making your ticket $18 rather than the regular adult price of $24. Don’t forget to bring your student ID on the day of your visit in order for them to confirm your student status. Of course, if you want to plan ahead and go on a Tuesday after 5:00 p.m., you can enter the gallery by donation. I’ve heard so much about this place but haven’t had the chance to visit yet. I’m hoping to catch installations such as The Imitation Game: Visual Culture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence or Kids Take Over and check these off my summer bucket list. With changing exhibits throughout the year, these are discounts to use again and again.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Are you someone who loves to take pleasant nature walks while enjoying the smell of fresh flowers and exploring cultural artifacts? If yes, this is a place for you. The garden is open Wednesday to Sunday 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. with special student tickets costing only $12 in comparison to regular $16. To get this student discount, you just need to flash your student ID card! What makes me excited to visit this place is that it’s a culturally significant garden that hosts many events and educational exhibitions such as Intangible Thread - Part 2, an exhibition that involve 19 artworks that present “new possibilities and connection between two different cultures and two different regions.”
