WOOD CHARGER

I purchased this hand carved charger at the Cabbage Town garage sale from a serious collector.  All it needs to become visually complete is the head of John the Baptist (or a rustic cake dressed with figs and other fruits, nuts, flowers).

Matthew 14:8 
And she [Salome], being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

-King James Bible, Cambridge edition

Images below are pulled from various online sources.  

DAVID BOWIE IS

I have to admit, one of my first crushes was on David Bowie (perhaps prompted by the film Labyrinth).  He remains to me a much admired musician, performer and fashion icon and I was pretty pleased to learn that the much lauded V&A exhibition David Bowie Is, was traveling to Toronto.

This exhibition, on now at the Art Gallery of Ontario, is a fun hour +.  The exhibit is expansive featuring many stage costumes, hand written lyrics (he writes like an 11 year old girl), drawings, paintings, full music videos, interviews, film clips, posters and more.  The audio guide is stellar, using sensors throughout the space and eliminating the need for visitors to press buttons for descriptions.

Walking through the decades of his career you can truly appreciate Bowie's ability to anticipate and drive fashion.  Seeing his iconic clothes you glean the slightness of the man and appreciate his star power.  The visit certainly inspired getting the records out for an evening of B side Bowie.

David Bowie Is runs until November 27th, 2013.

Photos courtesy of the AGO.

 

DIANE BORSATO

Diane Borsato is the new Artist in Residence at the Art Gallery of Ontario and her upcoming piece Your Temper, My Weather will be featured at the AGO for Nuit Blanche this October 5.  Recruiting over 100 beekeepers, Borsato's performance examines the effect of collective meditation while drawing attention to the plight of bee populations.

Working in installation, performance, intervention and photography, Borsato challenges our place within our environment, and forces a second look at seemingly mundane realities.  Reviewing her catalogue of past projects I'm struck by the humour, sensitivity and seemingly innate ability to skim the profound from daily life.

You can visit Diane at the Artist in Residency studio until November 8, 2013.

Photo credit : Craig Boyko

WHO'S IN NADIA'S CLOSET : DEANNA

When she wasn't cutting class down at the strip mall, De could be a pretty good student.  Mr. Kingston saw her potential, steering her away from next-wave-jam-band-island-retreats and towards post secondary.  After a summer doing nothing much at Sauble Beach, ambition took hold of this one time lay-about and sparked within her an interest in International Finance.  Ditching her combats for sensible pumps she now manages the South American Branch of a well known Multi-National.

From the (ever rotating) collection of Nadia Belerique

ALVAR AALTO HOUSES

Jari Jetsonen, Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen. Alvar Aalto Houses. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, 2011.