This week at Institute Parachute

• Reviewed in Vue Weekly: Jesus, is it OK if I have a girlfriend? at the ARTery.

  Jesus, is it Okay if I Have a Girlfriend? is undoubtedly one of the best shows the ARTery has hosted in its one-and-a-half years of existence. Although, like many other local shows, it contains its share of undifferentiated work, especially in the large north room, the core of the collection is a number of very sharp pieces by Mark Traficiante, Kyle Kowosan and Cassandra Tobin, with solid supporting material from the other artists. Since the ARTery is apparently going to be open Saturdays for lunch, eliminating the unpredictable hours which made seeing some exhibits there difficult, there is essentially no reason why you should not go to see this show.

• We celebrated the opening of Chelsea Boida's Yet again, and again... at The Hydeaway. It is up until the end of May, visible during any hydeaway events (see the website for dates and times).
• Work continues on other Institute Parachute Projects, including the upcoming Portable Festival of Portable Art.

Reviewed: Liz Miller at Harcourt House

Read Adam Waldron-Blain's full review of Liz Miller's Cataclysmic Rescue Mission in Vue Weekly.

As you enter the Harcourt House main gallery, Liz Miller’s Cataclysmic Rescue Mission presents a bold first impression. The space has been a popular target for attempts at this kind of installation, which specifically calls to mind Stephanie Jonsson’s recent show there. Miller is more successful than many in her attempt to transform both the space and her mundane, crafty materials into something beautiful. Miller quite capably makes use of the room, and for once Harcourt House’s underfunded flooring can almost be forgotten. But after this initial success, Cataclysmic Rescue Mission doesn’t seem to know exactly where to go, and the colourful beauty of the installation is ultimately unfulfilled.

Probably the only art review you will read this week that mentions new-rave.