I had the pleasure of catching up with CONTRA magazine contributing photographer Luis Mora in Hamilton last night. This Toronto vet had just a couple of days to put together a huge show. Damn! The aptly named “Last Minute Art Show” was Luis Mora’s addition to the Hamilton Art Crawl at the Assembly. The volume and quality of the work was impressive and considering that he put it together in less than a week it’s amazing.

The pieces are due to come down just as fast, probably by the end of this week. If you can’t make it down to Hamilton don’t fret. Luis will be one of 10 area photographers shown at the Drake Hotel’s “The People’s Paparazzi curated by Vanessa Gronowski and Studio Gallery. An exhibition part of this month’s CONTACT photography festival.

Luis Mora's massive collection of spraypaint stencils, sewn images and photography as part of the LAST MINUTE ART SHOW at the Assembly in Hamilton May 8th.

Tomorrow is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day! An interesting way to challenge the typical way of taking a photograph in the era of digital point and shoot cameras. Shooting digital or analog, people around the world will take part in this free international event created to promote and celebrate the art of pinhole photography.

I’m going to try and shoot some pinhole shots with my Lomography Diana+. I’ve been too busy (lazy) to drill a hole in an old camera body cap and fashion a pop can “pinhole lens” on to it. There are no “rules” but I thought keeping the my personal challenge on analog film would be fun.

The idea of taking pictures over several seconds (or even minutes) will be a change. A chance to sloooow down. The best part will be viewing pictures taken around the world using a tiny hole for a lens. The organizers encourage everyone around the world to submit images. Last year participants from over 60 countries submitted images to the gallery.

So try your hand at pinhole photography, be it a pop can, cigar box, old SLR, or modified digital camera. Pic your favourite image taken Sunday and share it with the world.

This is not a photo contest. There are no good or bad pictures. Every pinhole photograph is unique. Have fun!

The Tranzac always has a warm and cozy vibe. Looking forward to checking out a great double bill tomorrow (Sunday). Muskox and Jeremy Strachan (Gus is due back from Montreal so perhaps Feuermusik will be playing too?).

The Tranzac continues to be a hidden gem. Easy on the soul and the wallet with great music and cheap or PWYC shows.

Muskox and Jeremy Strachan
Tranzac – 292 Brunswick Avenue
Sunday April 26th at 10pm
Pay what you can!

April 18, 2009 is Record Store Day! What is Record Store Day? It was originally conceived by Chris Brown, and founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding independently owned record stores. A day meant to celebrate the few, true local record stores. The one’s that don’t merely pander to the payola and fickle tastes of corporate types “trying to move units”. These are the stores which promote local shows (even host them), sell a variety of great music vinyl as well as CD, and are types of businesses that enhance to the community (both the music community and the ones they inhabit).

Several venues in Toronto are part of the action including Soundscapes, Sonic Boom, Penguin Music and Criminal Records. You can expect the usual greatness from these epic Toronto independent record stores as usual. Tomorrow there will be some treats too. Sale items? Live performances? Local musician apparences? Special Limited Editions up for grabs? Perhaps all the above!

Record Store Day
April 18, 2009
Many participating Independent Stores Internationally and Toronto including…

Soundscapes
572 College Street

Toronto’s Contra Magazine has come out with a banging third issue. More visual stimulation if you haven’t had enough already with Fashion Week and the sunny rays of SPRING.

Of course this Friday is the night of Hamilton’s Art Crawl. It’s always nice to hit up all the gallery openings along James Street North. Considering that most galleries stay open until 11pm it makes the trip to the Hammer all the more leisurely. I may still hang in the city though. There is a a fundraiser for a local art mag, Bad Day, at Lennox Contemporary Gallery Friday night. I haven’t been to the Lennox but this might be a worthy excuse. Eva Michon is the editor of Bad Day and has produced some fine work (right here in Toronto).

BAD DAY Magazine Fundraiser – Lennox Contemporary Gallery
Friday March 13, 2009

Accessible
Parking on the street or in the lot just north at 18 Ossington Ave.
TTC via the Ossington bus or the Queen St. streetcar.

Sunday has always been a great day to relax. Wavelength is always a go to “night out” (and it’s usually PWYC!!!) but this weekend is special.

Jeremy Strachan mixes it up with Mike Smith of Muskox. This should make for an exciting blend. The warm cozy space Somewhere There is the host for this guitar/banjo duo followed by group set. Somewhere There continues to bring out some of the best and brightest from Toronto’s improvised music scene and host daily shows (except Monday nights).

MARCH 8 at SOMEWHERE THERE
340 Dufferin Street (One block south of Queen – enter from Melbourne Ave)

$8 cover

Sleeping Giant Gallery had their grand opening just one month ago. Time flies. This Friday they celebrate yet again with a group show featuring Wes Loates and Jimmy Decaire among others.

A Black & White Affair – Opening Show
Sleeping Giant Gallery
789 Dundas (two blocks West of Bathurst)

Doors open at 8pm and close at 2am

Kingston’s Everlea are in Toronto tonight. I was first introduced to them through their work with amazing photographer Brooks Reynolds on WE ARE SLEEPING GIANTS.

A Brooks Reynolds still from WE ARE SLEEPING GIANTS, a collaboration with Kingston band Everlea.

Everlea
Tuesday February 3, 2009
at Mod Club (722 College Street)
w/ Secondhand Serenade + Meg and Dia
Cost: $20

Spacing launched December 3rd, 2003. Tonight they will be celebrating the release of their latest issue (and their output of 13 issues over five years!)

Pick up a copy of the latest issue at the event, around Toronto at Pages or direct from their webstore.

Here’s to another 5 years for one of Toronto’s and Canada’s great magazines.

Spacing’s fifth anniversary party and new issue!
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West at Dovercourt
December 10th, 7pm-1am
$5 for subscribers or $10 (includes mag)
(RSVP: please note that, in accordance with Spacing’s liquor license, you need to RSVP to this event by email to rsvp@spacing.ca)