Art

Band of the Month: Hecks

- Greg

Happy Friday Readers.
Today’s Band of the Month is Hecks. This Toronto two-piece, sonic assault rhythm section storms in and out faster than you can hit the play button. Their first album, ‘When They Ruled the Earth’, suitably characterizes their prehistoric-animal sized sound of thrashing bass and drums from start to finish. Every life changing weekend embodies the energy and intention of a bowel-jolting pterodactyl scream….and so does Hecks.
Take a taste below!

Band of the Month by Greg O’Toole

Band of the Month: Formalists

- Greg

Good day readers!
Today’s Band of the Month is Formalists. Bridging the gaps between classical, folk, and progressive contemporary, this Thornhill born and raised quartet has been captivating crowds with a soul tickling combination of charming lyrics and a welcoming instrumental neurosis. Formalists are part of a small collection of deserving bands recommended and supported by The Bevdale Mansion, a local Toronto group that provides a venue and exposure to help great bands thrive.

Catch Formalists Saturday, Feb 9 at The Annex Live as they celebrate the release of their double EP ‘Congratulations To Those Who Move Onwards and Excel’ and ‘In Support of a Healthy Structure’.
Here’s a taste of Formalist goodness…..

Band of the Month by Greg O’Toole

A Look at Happiness Through Design

- Adam Clare

The Design Exchange in Toronto has invited Stefan Sagmeister to explore what happiness is all about. The artist has done some great album artwork and is now exploring how to bring happiness via stats and images. It looks like a good show!

In the spirit of design week, join us at the DX for Stefan Sagmeister: The Happy Show. Running until March 3rd, the site-specific exhibition has “hijacked” the DX and converted it into a happy place complete with bright yellow walls upon which Sagmeister’s very own maxims for happiness have been personally handwritten. From the restrooms to the elevators, no surface has remained untouched. Grab a friend or two, celebrate design and be happy!

If you’re in Toronto and want to know about happiness head on down to the Design Exchange to check it out.

Stealth Hoodie Protects Your Privacy

- Adam Clare


Around the world there is an increase in surveillance of individuals by private and public organizations. Artist Adam Harvey has devised a way to help people get some privacy back from electronic surveillance through his fashion line Stealth Wear.

If you’re in London you can see the artwork at Primitive Art Gallery.

In the spirit of fooling cameras – and messing with surveillance – Harvey has now come out in a set of hoodies and scarves that block thermal radiation from the infrared scanners drones use. Wearing the fabric would make that part of the body look black to a drone, so the image would appear like disembodied legs. He also designed a pouch for cell phones that shields them from trackers by blocking the radio signals the phone emits. For those airport X-ray machines, he has a shirt with a printed design that blocks the radiation from one’s heart.

More info and photos here.

Toronto Uses Billboard Tax to Fund Arts

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

many years ago, local Toronto artist and activist Devon Ostrom started Beautiful City to get more funding for the arts in Toronto and since then the project has grown to be quite large. This week they saw their dream realized and now Toronto is using a new tax on billboards (which are a visual blight) to fund more outdoor arts in the city.

Under Crawford’s plan, another $17 million would be phased in gradually over the next four years until Toronto reaches its oft-stated goal of increasing its per capita spending on the arts from $18.30 to $25.

All this represents a dream come true for a spirited and resourceful group of young artists who have kept up the pressure for years for a billboard tax that could be used to solve woeful underfunding from the cash-strapped city, which had fallen behind other major cities in its investment in the arts.

Read more at The Star.

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