Group of Seven works to be shown in London
THE LARGEST COLLECTION of the Group of Seven and Tom Thomas’ works is set to open in London at Dulwich Picture Gallery this fall. The act of obtaining all 122 works for the exhibition has been compared to “asking the Louvre for the ‘Mona Lisa’,” according to Ian Desjardin, Dulwich Picture Gallery’s director.
Hailing from the National Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and other public and private collections from North America and Europe, the display celebrates the 200th anniversary of England’s first-ever public art gallery and will be the largest travelling collection of work for the Canadian painters.
The Canadian display will also make its way around Oslo and the Netherlands in early 2012.
—Sofia Hashi
Fashion hits Ottawa runways
OTTAWA IS GEARING up for its biggest fashion week since the inception of the annual event five years ago. The Ottawa Fashion Week is a three-day-long event, expected to draw a crowd of no less than 7,000 fashion fans. Hosted at the Ottawa Convention Centre with Parliament serving as a scenic backdrop, this season’s fashion week will feature some famous international names.
Simon Ekrelius, a well-known Swedish designer who’s had his styles featured in fashion weeks in both Paris and London, is coming to Ottawa. This London-based designer is a favourite of Lady Gaga. Audiences can expect to be impressed with his outrageous outfits.
The styles of Spanish designer Alexis Reyna are also going to be featured on the Ottawa catwalk. Her designs have been creating buzz and her shows are considered more than just a catwalk. Reyna is known to put on an almost theatrical production during her fashion shows.
Canadian designers will also be an asset to this fall’s fashion week. Samuel Dong and David McCaffrey are just two of the famous names set to attend this year’s show. Fall fashion week this year takes place from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1.
—Sofia Hashi
Actor alleges Vancouver police beat him
A U.S. ACTOR and producer is claiming to be the victim of police brutality. Donald Joseph Qualls alleges that he witnessed a fight on Sept. 23 and attempted to break it up. According to Qualls, some time during the fight a Vancouver police officer grabbed him, tackled him to the ground, and handcuffed him.
Qualls then went to his Twitter account to relay the events.
“Just got out of the ER, Was [sic] beaten by a Vancouver police officer for no reason. Got stitches and released,” he tweeted.
“I was held, no calls, no attorney. And I had to pay an $800 ER bill. Free health care, Canada?”
Vancouver police, who claim to have only found out about the event via Twitter, are urging Qualls to contact them.
“Our investigators will be gathering all the information,” said Constable Lindsey Houghton, a spokesperson for the Vancouver police department. “The main things is [for Qualls to make] contact with us.”
—Sofia Hashi
Photographs capture the reality of addiction
AN OTTAWA-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER is looking through a darker lens. Tony Fouhse photographs drug addicts at the intersection of Murray Street and King Edward Avenue in the ByWard Market. Over the past few years, Fouhse has helped crack addict Stephanie enter rehab after she approached him for his help. The photographer then went to Nova Scotia and photographed Stephanie in her new life. His new exhibit displays photos of Stephanie and others at La Petite Mort (306 Cumberland St.) until Sept. 29. Focusing on snapshots of drug abuse and addicts in the Market, Fouhse also attempts to comment on how people tend to think of addicts through his photos. According to the photographer, the key to his art is that rather than looking away from the people he encounters, he sees “creativity, friendship and humanity.”
—Leia Atkinson
