Photo courtesy InOttawa.ca on Flickr.

Alrighty, folks - for those of you lucky enough to stick around town for the long weekend, you’re in for a few treats.

Yes, the Bytowne Burlesque Revue is happening - and, if you’re in the market for your own burlesque name, check out the ingenious suggestions from fellow readers. If you’re hoping to fit in a last summer festival or two, be sure to schedule in the Serbian Festival happening down on Albion Road. For another festival, all you’ve got to do is look up - waaaaaay up - as the hot air balloons from the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau float by overhead all weekend long.

For you music lovers, we’ve got a couple of themes happening down at Mavericks this weekend: first, a few somewhat violently-named bands on Friday, followed by a food theme on Saturday with Sketchy Poutine, Knives and Forks for Freedom, and a few others. In addition to their usual throwback parties (80s or 90s, anyone?), Barrymores has the Venomous Femmes stopping by on Saturday night. Ceremonial with Insides Out will be down at Cafe Dekcuf on Friday night, the same evening that Brock Zeman will be at the Elmdale. Speaking of which, the Hinterlandband will be back at the Elmdale on Saturday, playing some tunes before Jack Pelletier and the Battle of Ontario take the stage. Manny Ward will be at Ritual this Friday, while Babylon has a crazy Sunday night show planned - it is the long weekend, after all! For an entirely different evening, head to the Blacksheep Inn any night - they’ve got some country folk goin’ on, as well as the Big Soul Project dropping by.

For those of you looking to brush up on your Spanish, check out the Festival of New Spanish Cinema down at the Library and Archives. And don’t worry if you can’t make any full-length features this weekend - the Spanish Short Film Festival starts on Monday and runs until Wednesday.

On the exhibit front, it’s the last weekend for the camouflage show at the War Museum. The Diefenbunker has the Guys in Caves show - if you’ve never been to the Diefenbunker, this is a perfect reason to check it out. (And for a sneak preview, read Apt613’s interview with the artist!)

And don’t forget to light up your life in our new favourite neighbourhood - the Lumière Festival is sure to be a lovely evening.

Foucault's Pendulum at Carleton.

Post by Mokum

The other night I strolled over to the Herzberg Laboratories at Carleton University to spend a few minutes with the Foucault Pendulum. I was looking for a metaphor. If you haven’t seen the Foucault Pendulum at Carleton, it really is that: a five-storey replica of the famous pendulum first conceived of by the 19th century French physicist Léon Foucault. In designing his pendulum, Foucault set out to demonstrate in an easy-to-see experiment that the Earth rotates; in this he succeeded.

How does it work? Like many groundbreaking discoveries, Foucault’s proof was quite simple. All he did was suspend a large pendulum from the ceiling to show that the plane of its motion, with respect to the Earth, rotated slowly clockwise. What does this clockwise motion mean? The simplest – and correct – answer is that it means that the Earth turns.

Although it seems obvious now, prior to Foucault’s 1851 experiment nobody had demonstrated this simple fact. Apparently, it had been well understood since the time of Ptolemy that the Earth slowly, imperceptibly rotated, based simply on observations such as the overhead passage of the sun and stars. But nobody had ever shown this basic truth upon the Earth itself before. With the public demonstration of his proof at the Pantheon in Paris on February 3, 1851 (“You are invited to see the Earth turn,” he announced), the previously unknown Foucault caused a sensation. Napoleon III gave him a job for his efforts, and now there’s a crater on the moon with his name on it.

Why am I going on at such length about this 160-year old experiment? What is “the point” of this article? Simply to restate a basic truth: the Earth is turning, even if we Earthlings can’t feel it.

Which brings me back to my metaphor. I invoke Foucault because his demonstration reminds us of our limitations: from our perspective, the Earth seems stable and the pendulum appears to always be swinging into new planes of motion. Applied to art and culture, this reminds me of Albert Camus’ remark about those who “merely set down their armchairs facing in the direction of History” and then presume to call themselves progressive. Things really aren’t always as they seem.

What: the Foucault Pendulum

Where: Carleton University, Herzberg Laboratories building

When: permanent display

Admission: free

Rating: thumbs up (2)

Photo courtesy of Justinvl on flickr

Post by Lauryn Kronick

One can’t help but notice that Ottawa has been getting slightly more sexy and risqué over the past few months. Much of this is thanks to the pleasing, teasing ensemble of Rockalily Burlesque.

On Saturday, September 4, the Bronson Centre (211 Bronson Ave) will be transformed into the largest sultry, deliciously raunchy cabaret venue that Ottawa has seen. Rockalily is bringing us the Bytowne Burlesque Revue, which will feature more than six burlesque troupes and dancers to get us all hot and bothered.

Along with other local favourites, the Sexual Overtones (including the Puff Sisters and Muffin Tops), and welcoming out-of-town beauties Boudoir Rouge from Hamilton, Toronto’s Starlight Burlesque and Fiona Flauntit and the divine Miss Sarah Diva from Halifax, this is by far Ottawa’s biggest burlesque extravaganza to date, Rockalily’s Miss Helvetica Bold says.

“This is going to be huge – nothing like this has ever been done in Ottawa before. It’s a collaborative brainchild that will hopefully be more attractive to the mainstream audience,” she adds.
Mysterion the Mindreader will be your host for the evening. For all of you exhibitionists who want the world to know your deepest, most inner thoughts, Mysterion will be doing audience mind-readings between performances so get your bravery cap on.

Voyeurs are not only treated to the spectacle in the main theater – a cabaret-style lounge in Mac Hall awaits those who crave a more intimate feeling with sensual jazz music playing, delicious munchies from the Green Door and sugary sweets from Monster Appetite. The lovely folks at Royale Boutique will be snapping your lovely selves at their makeshift photobooth, so make sure you are dressed accordingly. The two finalists from Burlesque Idol, Lana Lovecakes and Miss Rhapsody Blue will be there to distract you from conversation on the lounge stage. And what could be better than bar profits going to support the Carleton Coalition for Sexual Assault Support Line?

This is a big step for Rockalily’s performance cred – Miss Helvetica Bold says the troupe has been envisioning this for awhile. “Burlesque is popular in underground (culture), specifically in downtown Ottawa,” she explains. “This is why the show has a more ‘classic’ style of performance – to move away from the underground and bring it to the mainstream.” This is also a good time to catch Rockalily’s performance before they take a much-deserved break until next year.

The fun doesn’t end at 11 p.m. – revelers are invited to party with their favourite burlesque performers at the ARC; the Hotel in the Lounge (140 Slater Street) where DJ Lowpass will get your bodies bumping and grinding and once again, fabulous raffle prizes will get you wanting to win and once again, bar proceeds benefit the Coalition.

The Bytowne Burlesque Revue takes place this Saturday, September 4th from 7:30 to 11:00pm at the Bronson Centre (211 Bronson Ave.). Tickets are available for $20 in advance at Compact Music in the Glebe (785 1/2 Bank) or for $25 at the door. Rockalily doesn’t want to leave you stranded – one lucky voyeur and a plus one will get to attend for free simply by sending us your burlesque name by commenting below. The winner will be contacted by email, so be sure to include it!

UPDATE: We have a winner! Rockalily’s Miss Helvetica Bold has declared Rasta Larouge as the winner of the contest. Thanks to all who participated.

Photo Courtesy of tcp909 on flickr

Post by Kaitlin Wainwright

If you are of a certain age, chances are your summer weekends were, at least in part, spent at weddings and wedding receptions. In the last three summers, I’ve attended no fewer than ten weddings in Ottawa, including my own.

But this isn’t entirely about weddings. It’s also about birthday celebrations, graduation parties, fundraisers, company retreats, family picnics, and any other excuse you can think of to round up the troops to have a good time in the last days of this summer or if you’re already planning for next. On any budget.

While Ottawa is pretty far from the epitome of good architecture, it has a number of galleries, museums, restaurants, heritage spaces, and parks. By no means are you restricted to your local Legion if you’re planning an event (although keep in mind that the legion often comes free for fundraisers).

Museums

If you’re looking to splurge, the newly-renovated Canadian Museum of Nature provides flare and function. They offer in-house catering, but also allow clients to choose from local favourites such as Tulips & Maple and Dish. Both the War Museum and the Museum of Civilization offer facility rentals as well, but without the freedom to choose where your food and beverage comes from.

The three national museums have spaces available for groups of up to 600, if you’re willing to fork out some dough.

But, if you’re looking for a more intimate (or alternative) setting, the Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum, offers space for up to 60 people, in either their 80s styled Cold War cafeteria or in the War Cabinet Room. Perfect for office retreats! If airplanes are more your thing, the National Aviation Museum is an open space close to downtown. Finally, don’t discount the libraries, especially the National Library and Archives, which boasts a pretty nice atrium.

Restaurants

The joyous part about holding an event at a restaurant is that you’re guaranteed that they have some idea of what they’re doing in the area of food. If this is the raison d’etre for your party, then I would strong encourage this route. The folks over at Ottawa Foodies have a host of forum topics dedicated to finding a good venue for whatever event you’re planning.

The restaurant is a more finicky category of venue, to be honest, because it depend upon your individual tastes and because there doesn’t seem to be a set rule for restaurants on what to charge and what to provide. I’ve heard horror stories about a restaurant asking a $7 per person cutting fee for a cake that was brought in from outside. So, regardless, make sure that you communicate this sort of thing in advance.

One of my favourite event venues is sadly out of commission, but I know many who would recommend The Courtyard once they’re back up and running. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I attended an anniversary party at Raw Sugar last summer and had the most amazing time. If you’re looking for low-key and eclectic, it should be on your radar. Three others, that are often overlooked (and shouldn’t be) are Urban Element with its long, communal dining table, E18hteen (18 York Street) whose modern decor would be perfect for a cocktail party, and Les Fougeres set in Chelsea amongst stunning gardens.

If you’re just looking for an informal space to meet up with some associates, pubs sometime offer private rooms away from the bustle of the main space. Some, like the Heart and Crown in the market, will offer aroom for free to not-for profits and community groups, while others may ask you to guarentee a certain amount of beer sales.

Galleries and Theatres

The National Gallery of Canada and the National Arts Centre might be two of the most frequented rental spaces in our nation’s capital. Obviously, it means they’re doing something right. The National Gallery has an extensive presentation on their website that will blow your mind, but not necessarily in a good way. The NAC has spaces designed for anywhere from 50 to 1000 guests, with the catering from Le Café. In addition to offering lunch and dinner receptions, the NAC also has brunch receptions on offer, which sounds like a really cool alternative for an event.

If our national cultural centres are outside of your budget, or you want something a bit more low-key, there are a number of smaller galleries and theatres, particularly in the Hintonburg and Westboro neighbourhoods. Cube, Wall Space, and the Great Canadian Theatre Company all offer wonderful open spaces in a variety of price ranges. I think my favourite of these has to be Cube; they’ve done launches, lectures, meetings, receptions and Don Monet, Cube’s creative genius, knows what he’s doing.

Outdoor Spaces

Lastly, Ottawa is a fabulous city, not least because of its abundance of green spaces. You have the Greenbelt, Gatineau Park and a number of beaches and smaller parks, in addition to outdoor historic sites. Most of these lands will grant permits to weddings, whether it’s the City of Gatineau, Ottawa or the NCC (having worked for the latter two, I can attest to some odd requests at times). My favourite of these is Billings Estate. It is a gorgeous location, secluded, relatively inexpensive and a clean palette to work with: Unlike most other museums and heritage spaces, they don’t have serious restrictions on caterers or how the space is used. If you’re not willing to put up with bureaucracy to get your event permit, you can also check out Saunders Farm, who host events from May until September.

Recently recommended to me as well was the Wakefield Mill in Quebec. While I know it’s not in Ottawa, per se, I can’t help but think that a wedding there would be gorgeous and relaxed, or that it would be the perfect space for a girls’ weekend or a reunion of any sort.

Community Centers

Last but not least, if you value function over form community center often offer large spaces on the cheap. The Bronson Center and Saint Bridigit’s both have smaller rooms in their basement that can serve for a poetry reading or burlesque show. There’s always good ol’ Jack Purcell on Elgin, which in the past has hosted large events like Cupcake Camp and the Not Your Grandma’s Craft Sale.

Regardless of what you’re planning for, a birthday party, an anniversary, a graduation shindig, keep your mind open. Ottawa is home to some really great spaces, both traditional and obscure. If you’re still at a loss, look through the archives of Apt613, and see where really cool events have been held in the past.

Any other favourites that you can’t believe I missed? Add them in the comments.

All photos courtesy of fieldtripp on Flickr.

Better know a Neighborhood is Apartment613’s knockoff homage to Stephen Colbert’s famed Better Know a  District. Our goal is simple: find and write about interesting parts of the city. For the first part of this not-so-innovative series, we headed to West Wellington Village (or Hintonburg, we’re never quite sure). For our encore we went to the oasis of hipness nestled on the border of deepest, darkest Vanier.

Fraser Cafe - 7 Springfield Road Katie - I think I’m in love… usually I balk at a two egg breakfast over $4, but this was worth the extra cash. It was nice to hear that the Cafe’s move to a larger space (they now seat 62) has paid off. Definitely on my must brunch list. Ryan - I really miss the grilled cheese sandwich they used to have on the brunch menu. It was freak’in good. Roasted tomatoes and mushrooms (I think). The brunch is amazing grilled cheese or not. The Huevos Rancheros wasn’t my favourite thing though. I’d go for the fish next time. François - To me, the Fraser Cafe remains the primary reason to return to Beechwood again and again. Every week, the brunch menu offers a different smoked fish with bagels. It’s always to die for.

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Dale Smith Gallery -137 Beechwood Avenue & Voix Visuelle - 81 Beechwood Ave Katie - Dale Smith (pictured left) was a great gallery… I saw lots of stuff that I liked, and although the pieces were quite different from each other they had a similar feel. Plus the owner was super nice! It seems like the kind of place you can walk into and start up a conversation about arts. François - Every self-respecting neighborhood needs a good art gallery or two and these lead the way in New Edinburgh. Granted, Voix Visuelle is much different from Dale Smith in that it’s an artist centre more than an art gallery. Until recently, the gallery showcased the work of José Luis Torres,  a piece showcasing the “precarious space configuration that traces the accidental outlines of a spontaneous landscape.” Now, that is art. Ryan - Dale Smith was a cool little spot and the chat with the owner was nice. The gallery will have Jonathan Hobin this fall - a show I am really looking forward to.

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ZaZaZa - 143 Putman Ave Katie - Fried egg, pickle, humus… on a pizza? It’s either genius or just plain eccentric. As soon as I saw the menu I almost regretted having already filled up at the Cafe, until I remembered that I could come back. I think the aptly named Scarry Roomate pie (kraft dinner, hot dogs, cheddar, parmesan) needs to be tasted to be believe. François - Manager Caitlin (pictured left) was super friendly once she figured out that we weren’t spies bent on stealing her idea (boy was she wrong). She’s pretty confident she’s got the best pizza in town…only one way to find out! Ryan - It’s tough to talk about a restaurant where we didn’t eat, but this does seem like it would be worth a trip (and almost had us contemplating a dinner in Beechwood that evening). The price point of the place also seemed reasonable, which is refreshing.

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Studio Four30 - 30 Marier Avenue François - A great discovery that just happened to have a wine and cheese event the afternoon we walked by. It’s a space for professional and amateur photographers alike. They rent their space so if you’re interested in booking check out their website. Katie - I think this picture captures the spirit of Beechwood… a working class neighborhood with a gentrified veneer slowly coming into focus. The picture was taken outside of Studio Four30, a new full service photography studio. Apparently they do a lot of work with modeling agencies… I had no idea there were any in town! Ryan - This place was a bit odd to me, but I guess it’s probably indicative of the type of businesses that can locate here. The rent is likely more reasonable allowing for some innovation.

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The Shrine House - Ask around for the house with the virgins François: Our main goal on this adventure was to find the Vanier Virgin Mary. Mission Accomplished! Katie: This place is crazy! The owners have gone all out to turn their front lawn into a shrine for… we’re not quite sure what. Lots of nativity scenes and baby Jesuses, but also mickey mouse figurines and other toys. I can’t even imagine what they do for xmas. Ryan - I love a good Virgin Mary.

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Neighborhood gossip - Some place on Beechwood François: Seems like the neighbourhood  needs  a bit  of work in some areas. This is beyond gritty. Lazy business owners or what? Anyone know what’s happening with this row of empty businesses? Katie: Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but I heard that the owner was just letting them get run down and won’t rent them out for some reason. Some of the neighbors feel that its holding the development of the the neighborhood back. Ryan - It’s not that the entire street needs to be a shiny marvel of yuppie-dom, but landlords should have some responsibility to keep a standard of up-keep (in fact I assume they do).

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Arturo’s - 49 Beechwood Francois: We ended up at Arturo’s in the middle of the afternoon so the place wasn’t exactly bumpin’ and we did not get to try their food. Apparently they make dynamite paninis and sandwhiches. Their lemonade was the perfect boon for the summer heat. Ryan: if you’re looking for a recommendation the owner’s pick was the “Spicy Arturo.” They’ve got another renovation planned that should give the place less of a take-out-counter feel. Everything is made on-site.

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Epicuria - 419 Mackay Street Katie - Nothing says gentrification like a fancy food store… I accidentally stole a cookie here. They shouldn’t put the sample bowl so near to the other stuff! Ryan - even better is when you can connect with the owner on twitter. Follow Tracey Blackat @epicuriadotca. She might even let you know the specials…

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Isobel’s Cupcake - 117 Beechwood Avenue Francois - Possibly the best cupcake store in the city? I’ve heard that more than once about Isobel’s. After trying out one of their cupcakes, I’ve got to agree. They also sell delicious and original looking cookies and other candies. Katie - A best Cupcake post may be in order… oh wait we already did one. Still, I wonder how Isobel’s would face off against the Flour shoppe or Aunty Loo’s? Ryan: I think this was also one of the first cupcake shops in the city - so they should probably get some first-mover advantage.

Courtesy of Wagboy on flickr

Post by Andrea Grant

Despite this city’s conservative reputation, we at Apt613 know that many of you love the occasional skinny dip and seadoo ride. Heck, we’ve even seen the more riotous ones among you out on the water riding stand-up paddleboards or cruising on inflatable “Capri islands.” But amidst all this wild and wonderful wetness, few of us are aware of the serious risks facing the freshwater fun we hold so dear – specifically, the health of the Ottawa River watershed.

This past Friday, local leaders gathered in Gatineau to discuss just that: the risks facing the Ottawa River watershed and how we can work together to protect it. Government leaders, first nations representatives, and water experts shared information about the challenges they saw facing the watershed, from sewage overflow to wetland destruction to 62 pound Asian Carp invading and destroying local ecosystems. At risk is not only our leisurely loveliness, but also wildlife health, drinking water quality, and our local tourism industries.

Whoa, back up, you say. What’s a watershed? 62 pound carp?! And why wasn’t I invited to the Summit? Chill, dear readers. Apt613 attended the Ottawa River Summit and collected all the tools you need to learn about what’s going on, and how you can get involved, right in this post.

What’s a watershed?

Flashback to Introduction to Geography (minus the hottie sitting two rows in front of you): A watershed, synonymous with “drainage basin,” represents an area in which all water, including surface and groundwater, streams and rivers, drains into a single body of water. The Ottawa River Watershed is gigantic – at 146,300 square kilometers, it’s twice as big as New Brunswick, and is the second largest watershed in Eastern Canada. Since it’s made up of all the smaller streams, tributaries, and groundwater flows that feed into the Ottawa River, the health of the Ottawa River watershed is impacted by many of the activities on land and water within this vast geographical region.

What are the key problems facing the Ottawa River Watershed?

This is bigger than the beach closures we’re all familiar with (although those are definitely very bad). Current environmental challenges to watershed health include disruption of shoreline ecosystems, pollution from agricultural run-off, industrial wastewater pollution, and invasive species (such as the aforementioned awesome and evil Asian carp). There are also social and economic impacts, such as those on our poor local kayakers who have had a shoddy season due to low water flows, and on our fisherman who depend on healthy catches. For a full list of impacts, see the website of the Ottawa Riverkeeper, the non-governmental organization that initiated and organized Friday’s Ottawa River Summit.

What are our local leaders doing, and what happened at the Summit?
One of the most obvious conclusions from the Summit is that we need to change the way we manage our water. Due to the size of the Ottawa River watershed, it is governed by a multitude of jurisdictions, including municipal governments (29 were represented at the Summit), First Nations communities (five were represented), the Quebec and Ontario provincial governments, and the federal government. As a result, there remains real coordination and governance problems for addressing the impacts to the Ottawa River Watershed. Currently, there is no institution dedicated to bringing these governments together to solve common problems. In fact, this Summit – initiated by a non-governmental organization – was the first time these leaders came together to share information and work together on river-related issues. Clearly we need a more formal mechanism for collaboration, to ensure river-related issues don’t fall through inter-jurisdictional cracks.

How can I help?

Hold your elected leaders accountable. Summit lead organizer and Ottawa River Keeper, Meredith Brown, will be summarizing proceedings from the day in a public report.  Take note of the dedication and promises made by your leaders at the Summit, commend them for their participation, and don’t let them let their commitments slip when other issues threaten river health.

You can also take action in your daily life. The Ottawa River Keeper maintains a list of 10 things that we city folk can do to protect our river, and it also has a guide for our rural counterparts. So let’s keep the momentum going, dear readers and seadoo savvies – the river is yours to use, love and protect.

Photo courtesy the Lumière Festival website.

Post by Ashley.

The glory days of summer are winding down. Sweaters, back-to-school signage and cooler evenings abound. So before it disappears completely, be sure to make time for one last summer festival. Easily my favourite event of the summer, I vote you go to the Lumière Festival.

Hosted annually by the Crichton Cultural Community Centre, Lumière is a celebration of both visual and performance art. The shining star of the event will be “The Evening of Light” on September 4th, when New Edinburgh Park will be set alight by displays from visual artists. While you tip-toe through the lanterns, various performance artists (fire spinners! stilt walkers! theatre groups! bands!) will be both stationed in and wandering through the park.

If, for some reason, you’re still reading and have yet to mark the event in your calendar, this will surely win you over: it’s YOUR participation that makes this event so spectacular. People are encouraged to bring their own lanterns, break out last year’s fairy wings and use as much glitter as possible. Since August 13, festival organizers have been hosting “make-your-own-lantern” workshops, and there’s still time to do so! New drop-in sessions for Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings this week were just added.

And still, there’s more. If lanterns and costumes aren’t your thing, surely photography must be. This year the festival is hosting Afterglow, a photo marathon. Each participating photographer will receive a disposable camera with six frames left on it to capture the magic of Lumière. After handing in the camera at the end of the night, there’s only a few days to wait until the Afterglow Vernissage on September 7 in the Corridor Gallery of the CCCC. All photos will be displayed until September 9, and the most creative photographs will be awarded with 12×18″ enlargements.

So let a little more magic into your life and get out to Lumière this weekend!

Photo courtesy of jane in ottawa in the Apartment613 Flickr pool.

Lots of news this week! Everyone knows Ottawa was outed as a terrorist target last week so let’s not dwell on that.

It appears like the city of Ottawa and its surroundings are serious about making cycling safer and more convenient. Not only is the city polling cyclists, the National Capital Commission (NCC), the City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau recently announced they have agreed to combine efforts to improve cycling infrastructure and services throughout Ottawa, Gatineau and Canada’s Capital Region.Lots of interesting meetings and potential measures. I’m looking forward to seeing what concrete measures are put in place.

Several mayoral candidates were out and about and participating in a number of pride events this weekend. While Alex Cullen seemed to be enjoying himself, he’s on record as seriously considering his position in the mayoral race. Money woes have made it hard for Mr. Cullen to launch a solid campaign. Cullen hopes to raise $100,000 plus in an early September fundraiser to keep his campaign alive.

Art news 1: The city of Ottawa recently enlisted established artists like David Cation in its war on graffiti, spending $50,000 so artists can supervise young people painting large murals throughout the city. Head of Crime Prevention Ottawa, Nancy Worsfold, believes “murals have a proven track record of graffiti prevention.” Aside from preventing graffiti, the project hopes to engage at-risk youth and ultimately beautify the community.

Art news 2: The deputy director and chief curator of the National Gallery of Canada, David Franklin, is leaving to become director of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The man must love a good challenge: he’ll be taking on the task of managing a $350-million renovation and expansion of the museum. No news on a potential replacement for Mr. Franklin at the NGC.

Inferno. Courtesy of the artist.

I’m sitting in the studio of multi-media artist Edwin Janzen in the Visual Arts Department at the University of Ottawa. Currently completing a Master’s in Fine Arts degree, Janzen has invited me into his workspace to talk about his thesis exhibition, Guys in Caves, currently on view at the Diefenbunker.

Surrounded by piles of video and audio equipment (and resisting the urge to play with the remote-control helicopter sitting in the corner), we spend some time talking about the Diefenbunker as an exhibition space and the militarization of art, language, and culture - from the Cold War to present day.

D: Thanks for having me here, Edwin. First off, I’d love to know how you landed the Diefenbunker as a site for your show, Guys in Caves. How did that come about?

E: It was a fortuitous string of events. I was TAing for a museum studies course where the professor invited local curators and directors of various institutions to come and give talks to the students. One of the speakers was Alexandra Badzak, who used to be the director at the Diefenbunker and now she’s director of the Ottawa Art Gallery. I asked her whether the Diefenbunker might be available to have an art show and she came for a studio visit, was intrigued by the work, and agreed to hold it there. The work has since changed a lot since what I had initially showed her, but many of the themes are still the same.

D: For someone who hasn’t seen your work how would you describe it?

E: In terms of the media that I’m using - it’s all over the place. There are video and audio components, an olfactory component, neon signage and plastic signage (door-name plates). There are four installations in this exhibition that cross over these different media.

D: What are some of the major themes running through your work?

E: Thematically, I am interested in the idea of society in a defensive posture. The Diefenbunker dates from the Cold War when society was in a defensive posture - at all levels, in all sectors - and after the fall of the Berlin wall there was a period where everybody was wondering how the world was going to shape up. After 9/11 we seem to be back in this defensive mind set with identifying enemies everywhere, militarizing the language, and militarizing the world. I think the Diefenbunker is a good place to begin to get into topics like that.

D: How does the Diefenbunker function as a site to exhibit your installations?

Gauntlet. Courtesy of the artist.

E: The Diefenbunker is a complicated space and it evokes all kinds of emotional responses. The exhibition is called Guys in Caves - right off the bat you have the gendered element of militarism, the bunker as a site of war… The Diefenbunker is a cave, in a way, and during the Cold War we were prepared to allow ourselves to be chased down into a cave and that led me to think of the cave as a metaphor for the human mind and for the mind in a defensive posture. As a result I’ve created this descent into the underworld. You could make cultural links too - Dante’s Inferno, the myth of Orpheus. I’m sure every culture has it’s own myth of descent into the underworld where you go into the dark place and are hemmed in by thousands of tons of rock and you confront something and emerge transformed from it. So I’m mixing that with the descent into the human mind. The Diefenbunker is a great space because as you go deeper and deeper into the earth you come to some pretty remarkable places.

D: Could you talk a little bit about one of the installations, Inferno?

E: It’s located in a room on the 300-level located in the department of Health and Welfare in a small room with a desk, chair, and ashtray. Suspended from the ceiling is a red neon sign that says Inferno. When you walk into the space it’s already a bit of a hellish, baleful room and there’s the olfactory component - the smell of stale cigarette butts and whiskey. I’m hoping the neon signage and cigarette/whiskey smells will evoke a kind of macho office culture of the fifties and sixties - when men were men. One could draw all sorts of conclusions out of it but when it comes down to it people have to go in there and experience it for themselves.

Come to the grand opening of the show on Tuesday, August 31 from 5-8pm. Guys in Caves runs from August 13–September 30 at the Diefenbunker (3911 Carp Road).