UNAFFILIATED

UNAFFILIATED 01 is a beach party celebrating DIY Canadiana, offering an island retreat as the city swirls in festive frenzy. June 22 2014, 2-11pm @ Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Island Co-presented by UNAFFILIATED Events & No Visible Means Visual art curated by Julia Dickens and Halloway Jones Participating bands & visual artists: TBA

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UNAFFILIATED 01 - A Guide

Hi there! Well the big day is tomorrow, the sun is with us all weekend and we are all very excited to get down and groove out with all of you. There are a few things to know first. Here is a run down of information about the event, transportation and other details, too much to fit in a post on the event wall.

GETTING THERE

Lets get this one out of the way first. I cannot lie to you, this is going to be tricky. Think of it as overcoming obstacles or challenges with this amazing reward of cool psychedelic beach party with all your buds and beer at the end. There is a pot of gold at the end of this annoying rainbow, and with some patience we will all make it to the island and have the best day of summer 2014 (so far). 

In case you have never been to Toronto Island before, the main way to get there is to take the ferry at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, located at the bottom of Bay Street and Queen's Quay. It is next to a Westin Hotel. Walk past the hot dog stands down the path and you will get there. The ferry is 7 dollars, and includes return. 

In order to get to the ferry you can take the subway to Union Station after which point it is a short walk down Bay street to get to the water. I believe the buses on Bay street also run down to the water. The absolute best way to get to the ferry is with a bike, but be warned that there is heavy construction on Queen's Quay so travelling west to east is next to impossible. Take a street like King or Front until you hit Bay and then head south.

Alright so you have arrived at the water! You have overcome the first challenge, and if this were a video game the 'defeat the big boss' part of that challenge is having to go under the Gardiner Expressway (a thing that scares me to this day, even though I've made more Island trips than I can count). Great! Now all you have to do is buy a ticket and get on the boat. Well, get in line everybody. This weekend is the weekend of the Dragon Boat Races, and the lineups for tickets are gong to be long. This is unavoidable. Just be patient.

Ok now you have your ticket, what next? Multiple ferries go to 3 locations on Toronto Island, and you will have to get on one. Although logic would dictate that Centre Island is the best choice (it's closest to Gibraltar, don't challenge me on this I've totally timed it), it will be overflowing with teeming masses and screaming babies so do not get on that boat. The one you want to take is Hanlan's. You could also get on the Wards boat, and if you have a bike this is a nice option. It's about a 10-15 minute bike ride and it's a very pretty one. Hanlan's to Gibraltar is about 5 or so minutes on your bike. So, your choice really. Either way, here is a map of the island with a little star for where the show/Artscape is.

There are also alternate ways to get to the Island. Water taxis will be running back and forth. Their phone number is 416-203-8294 but they will likely be swamped if you call to try to book one. They are also more expensive than the ferry.There is also a boat that runs from the waterfront at the bottom of York St near Sobeys and drops everyone off at the Marina on Centre. The schedule can be found here (runs pretty frequently!) It is the same price as the regular city ferry, but can only take up to 6 bicycles at a time. These are your options! Other options include renting a canoe from somewhere, slapping together some scraps to make a Huckleberry Finn style raft, jumping on the back of a giant bird (or dragon?), making friends with a sea captain, finding a magic genie. But short of all these things, it's just going to take some patience. If you are coming later, the crowds will have dissipated by then. 

GETTING OFF THE ISLAND

Our party is aiming to end around 11 pm. The final Hanlan's ferry leaves at 11:15, while the final ferries for Ward's and Centre are at 11:45. Centre Island should be safe to board at that point (all the stroller families will be long gone). There are no sleepovers, no camping out, no late night ferry boat after this point. It's good if you have a bike to get there on time, otherwise if you are going on foot it's best to leave for Centre with at least 20-25 minutes to get there. I've made it in less, but I walk fast.

BRING CASH

There are no ATMs at Gibraltar, so come with lots o cash. First of all, to pay your cover. Ten dollars please! Ten dollars is a STEAL for this show. After that point, the other things you can spend your money on are food, merch and delicious alcoholic drinks! We will be serving beers and mixed drinks and since this event is licensed there is no drinking of your own alcohol in licensed areas. This will be monitored and there is hired security so don't be sneaky please. All profits from bar go directly back to participating artists and bands so know that you are supporting them with your purchase of bud light lime (kidding, we don't have bud light lime I WISH). You also cannot bring drinks that you've purchased to the beach. Sorry, them's the breaks! 

The Island Cafe will be catering the event, with cool treats like bbq hot dogs and pulled pork wraps and some other really delicious stuff. You should eat it! Price range for food is around 5 - 10 dollars, depending on what you get. 

Lastly, of course bands will be selling merch and very special to this event there will also be some merch / multiples from the visual artists as well! Support your emerging arts community! It's the right thing to do.

BE NICE AND HAVE FUN

I think this is a no brainer. Respect the space! Respect the artworks! Respect the bands! Everyone has been working super hard to make this the best day ever. Have a great time! Bands beers butts babes what's not to like? I would really really appreciate it if people were dancing also. At least for Man Made Hill's set. In fact, I challenge you not to dance to Randy's groovy freak jams, they're basically the sonic equivalent of a cuddle puddle with all your best friends on acid but instead of cuddling you are shaking your butt and doing high kicks off picnic tables while covered in glitter and metallic face paint. 

That's it everyone! I love you! See you tomorrow!!

ALSO a big giant thanks to Artscape and our friends at Weird Canada, without which none of this would be possible. 

-Julia

PS Bring Sunscreen idiots. Don't get cancer. Drink water also. Bug spray may also be a good idea, there's some mosquitoes this year :(

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The art at Unaffiliated 01 showcases visual works as though viewed through lysergic sunglasses: the oscillating, shape shifting, iridescent and pulsating rhythm of the psychedelic. Nothing static exists, from abstract video projections, to kaleidoscopic and kinetic sculptures, integrated performance and colourful wallpaper installations that pop out like a magic eye or rest on island waves. Freak flags flying on the beach, monster blood dripping toxic ooze, a ocean coral shrine, metallic palm trees reflecting technicolour summer dreams, it's an astral projection to the beach resort at the end of the universe.

-Julia Dickens, visual arts curator for UNAFFILIATED 01

Here is a sneak peak at some of the artists exhibiting works on sunday.

NICHOLAS SILVANI

Nick Silvani completed his degree at the University of Guelph in the Studio Art program in 2012 and was selected for the Specialized Studio Practice program. He primarily focuses his work in the drawing based medium but has recently been exploring projection and installation work. After some brief exploring in British Columbia and Montreal he is back living and working in his hometown of Guelph, ON.

JENN KITAGAWA

Jenn Kitagawa is a designer and artist living and working out of Toronto, ON. She paints, draws, sews and designs posters, album covers and zines. Using both digital and traditional mediums, her work explores the simplicity and intricacy of the relationship between shape, color and typography. Themes of optical illusion, nausea inducing patterns, joy of the eyes and causing viewers to pause and decode a secret message are a few ideas Jenn enjoys experimenting with. 

http://jennkitagawa.com/

HEATHER RAPPARD

Heather Rappard uses a variety of digital and analog techniques to create synesthetic video pieces inspired by sound, memory, and perspective. Educated at NSCAD University and now based out of Toronto, her work has been shown in galleries and festivals all over Canada.

http://www.heatherrappard.com/

ZUZU KNEW 

Zuzu Knew is an interdisciplinary artist based in Montreal who follows her cravings to create wondermints. She often combines pastry, creature infinity and prism vision to make living cartoons; drawings, analogue projections, street art, costumes, and cake. Psychic Candy Hover Lands portrays an environment in the flux of its naturally sweet and sour landscape where at first glance cute and upon a closer look foreboding elements balance each other out. Recently a window installation at Monastiraki, Le Petit Monastère in Montreal, this incarnation will be more of a shrine with added layers of costumed character interaction and overhead projections. Zu recently went to Greece for the Koumaria Residency, launched the film Smile Stealers with collaborators and does projections and styling for the band Syngja. She is part of an ongoing documentary about her and her sister and their great grandmother

http://livingcartoon.tumblr.com/

ALICIA NAUTA

Alicia Nauta is a graduate from Printmaking at OCAD University. She established the OCAD University Zine Library and co-established the Library at Xpace Cultural Centre, including a zine Library, mix tape library and curated library. She currently works as a Programmer at Xpace Cultural Centre. All her work is part of Alicia’s Klassic Kool Shoppe: consisting of collage, screenprinting, installation, wallpaper, bookworks, and a growing collection of found oddities for a future museum. She is member of Punchclock, a Toronto print studio. Her work has been exhibited at the AGO, the Drake Hotel, Art Metropole, and Narwhal Art Projects, as well as installed permanently at Double Double Land, Likely General and a really cool baby's room.

http://klassickoolshoppe.blogspot.com

AMELIA EHRHARDT

Amelia Ehrhardt is a contemporary dance artist based in Toronto working in creation, interpretation, and curation. Her choreographic work has been presented at Double Double Land, the Deleon White Gallery, Extermination Music Night, and A Month of Sundays. As an interpreter, Amelia has worked with Susie Burpee, Carol Anderson, Zeesy Powers, Julia Sasso, and other choreographers and visual artists. Amelia is a 2008 graduate of the Dance Performance Studies program at George Brown Dance and holds an Honours BA in Dance Studies from York University.

Amelia is on the Creative Team/AKA is a Lover at theToronto Dance Community Love-In, the Administrative Director of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter, and is the curator and founder ofFlowchart: a Series of Performance.

http://ameliaehrhardt.com/

CHERYL HANN

Cheryl Hann is a videographer/animator living and working in Halifax, NS. Unaffiliated will mark Cheryl's second appearance in a curated show, having been commissioned by Pop Montreal in 2012 to create an original Auroratone film to accompany Grimes' Genesis. Most of her previous video work was done for her television show Picnicface (now canceled - LOL). She is also a comedian. That's most of what she is, I think. She is also very confused about which person she should use to address herself in a bio. Hi, guys.

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ZACHT AUTOMAAT is the Canterburian caravan of Carl Didur and Michael McLean, two instrumental travelers on a neverending trip. Hitch a ride with this electrische duo and open your mental gate into the garden of middle earthly delights.

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PETRA GLYNT's goosebump-inducing voice could boom through opera halls, underground venues, protest rallies, or wherever else she sets up camp. Her Technicolor power bangers transform into righteous rave-ups with thunder drums and third-eye-warping electronics.

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SPECIAL COSTELLO write psychedelic droning, sweat and glitter-soaked glam rock ballads. They will echo through you for days.

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BABY CAGES use dark hooks and distorted drum machine to keep you so preoccupied with swaying you barely notice you’ve waded into a pool of your own feelings. They’ve laced the pool with bleach. Sorry...

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OLD & WEIRD are three best friends crafting jangly pop out of fun sonic shapes peppered with memorably clever lyrics. They’d leave your bedroom floor covered in glue sticks and bits of construction paper and you wouldn’t mind at all.

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Man Made Hill is the extraterrestrial funk machine of your most fiendish dreams and devilish nightmares. Pump up the volume, drop the mirror ball in the dungeon, and get down with your rad self.

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We've announced our official lineup! Let's run through our musicians!

CRAIG CURRIE is Halifax’s unofficial poet laureate. He is a massively prolific songwriter and noise connoisseur. You should see him before he loses his mind and becomes a critically acclaimed adult contemporary artist.

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for VISUAL ARTISTS

From Julia Dickens:

"We are seeking visual artists to aid in transforming and activating the space to create a psychedelic beach party! WE ARE LOOKING FOR: - works that are site-specific and that enhance the environment of the space - installation and sculptural work, video projection and interesting performance pieces - works that are fun and celebratory, psyched out, groovy, ethereal, beach dreams, underwater monster raves, bikini parties on acid, wild teens run amok! Space aliens in Hawaii! Bigfoot takes a Florida vacation! Volcanic eruptions of glitter, iridescent fabric and candy! Prom queens in a K-Hole, face melting, third eye opening, Wet Hot American Summer kind of art! Astral project me to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe! (you get the picture)  - also consider the transition from daytime to night! Indoor or outdoor? This party is a mostly daytime jam, but it will transcend into the night: how is your piece going to change with the rise and fall of the sun? Think about it.  There will be three main ZONES to work with: indoor space (the two large event rooms), garden /outdoor picnic table area (the south lawn), and beach zone. Ideally we would like artists to imagine their projects as existing in or made to fit in one of those spaces.  WHAT WE REQUIRE:  - approximately 3 - 5 examples of related work (or previous works that you could see re-imagined in this space) a CV  - statement of intent: explain your project to us! Feel free to use examples from previous works in order to illustrate how you plan on executing your project (its ok if you are taking a leap from your previous work, but you should be able to articulate your vision clearly, otherwise we will not know what you are talking about!) Also feel free to tell us why: what is the idea behind the project, why do you want to make it, etc. This does not need to be complicated, just be clear and articulate (and please keep this around 300-500 words). - tell us which zone you would like to see your work placed in! This could be subject to change if we see your work better placed somewhere else, but it helps that you are working on a piece that fits in with the site. There will be a maximum of 10 artists selected for this event. Artist fees will be determined by the overall success of the event. We can guarantee free admission to the event, guest list and other perks TBD. We are dedicated to providing financial compensation for this event but cannot guarantee a set amount at this time.  DEADLINE IS MAY 10th at MIDNIGHT. Artists will be notified if they are selected by MAY 15th. The visual art for this event is curated by Julia Dickens under the supervision of Halloway Jones.”

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Artscape Gibraltar Point

Never been to Artscape Gibraltar Point? Take a virtual tour through their flickr account!