Arts Scene

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Deep Roots preview

From Sept. 26-28, some of North America’s best roots musicians, singers and songwriters will gather in Wolfville for the Deep Roots Music festival. For its fifth edition, Deep Roots will feature the likes of 2007 Grammy nominee Peter Case, Ari Hest, Ellen McIlwaine, Duane Andrews and Matt Andersen.

In Nova Scotia for the first time, the amazing Hot Club of Cowtown brings its high-energy blend of Texas swing and European jazz. World-renowned Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Celso Machado, celebrated American singer-songwriters Peter Case and Ari Hest, legendary singer-slide guitarist Ellen McIlwaine, multiple award-winning guitarist Duane Andrews, Quebecois folk ensemble Genticorum, and New-Brunswick’s roots-blues trio Hot Toddy are among the 25 acts that will join festival favourites Matt Andersen and The Hupman Brothers as part of the memorable concerts that Deep Roots audiences have come to expect.

Visit Deep Roots’ website at www.deeprootsmusic.ca and the festival’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com for new announcements, ticket information and to consult the detailed festival schedule.

Benefit set

The Acadia Dance Collective is recovering from the disastrous Grand-Pre warehouse fire last month. This large fundraising event aims to recuperate some of the losses that resulted.

Unfortunately, the collective lost everything - upwards of $7-10,000 worth of equipment. This fundraiser is scheduled for Sunday, July 13 at Willow Park in Wolfville from noon to 5 p.m. and will be a family-oriented afternoon of art in the park.

Many local musicians/bands, artists, dancers and performers are lined up to perform and give mini-lessons in their respective disciplines. There will also be a silent auction, BBQ and bake sale.



Acadians at Acadia

Memory, Space, Heritage is the new summer exhibition about to open at the Acadia University Art Gallery in Wolfville.

A new exhibition that showcases recent work by artists whose work reflects the Grand-Pré National Historic Site opens on Friday. This locale serves a vital role in the history of Acadians and of Canada.

Works in the exhibit demonstrate, says curator Laurie Dalton, how this site continues to permeate one’s own identity, how memory, space and heritage are linked inextricably and how visual art is vital in this relationship.

The exhibition is organized by the Acadia gallery, in collaboration with La Société Promotion Grand-Pré. It will be on view until Sept. 5. The exhibition opens to the public July 4 at 7 p.m.

In conjunction with Wolfville Mud Creek Days and Acadian Days, art-making activities will be offered in the gallery Saturday, July 26 from 1-4 p.m.

See Day Lewis

Fundy Summer Films screens double Oscar winner There Will Be Blood, an unflinching examination of an exceptionally evil man.

Daniel Day Lewis plays this character, which travels with his son to California to discover, drill and make money from oil. He is ruthless with anyone who gets in his way.

Inspired by Upton Sinclair's novel, Oil, the film will screen at the Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville Sunday, July 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets ($8) are available 30 minutes before screening. www.fundyfilm.ca or 542-5157.

New at Harvest

Some 15 new works by artist Marcelle Belliveau will be featured in an exhibition that opened last Friday at Harvest Gallery in Wolfville. “EHH 081”: Mapping the Meaning Curve is a show of mixed media paintings on drafting film that explore memory and the art of forgetting.

Belliveau’s new works highlight the idea that in the shaping of who we are, what we forget can be just as important as what we remember. These 15 pieces act as markers in her exploration of repetition, recollection and response.

Belliveau taught in the environmental planning and communication design departments at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design for six years before returning to la Baie four years ago. Since her return, she has been actively involved in the local art community as current president of the Conseil des Arts de la Baie, a founding member of la Manivelle printshop and a partner in Galerie Saule.

“Much of my work reflects the difficulties I have faced in trying to live within and without the Acadian culture,” she says. “Language plays a key role, not only in my continuing struggles with personal identity, but also as an evolving reminder of broader cultural loss.”

Period music

There will be a Musique Royale event Monday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. at St John's Anglican Church in Port Williams. Performing will be Rejouissance, a Halifax-based ensemble specializing in 17th and 18th century music.

Réjouissance was founded in 1995 by Halifax musicians Karen Langille and Ivor Rothwell, both long-time members of Symphony Nova Scotia. The ensemble specializes in the performance of 17th and 18th century music on period instruments, in historically informed style. Additional members include: Celeste Jankowski (violin); Max Kasper (bass); Shawn Whynot (harpsichord).

The name "Réjouissance," used by 18th century composers as a title for certain especially delightful pieces, means rejoicing or merrymaking, sensibilities the ensemble strives to instill in their performances. Often, the musicians perform in 18th century costume and by candlelight.

Réjouissance draws most of its repertoire from the vast collections of European instrumental music: from early 17th century Italian composers such as Uccellini and Fontana to great 18th century German masters like Bach, Handel and Telemann. Musical offerings include sonatas, early instrumental dances and early song settings, occasionally enhanced with the addition of a crumhorn.

Tickets are $15 for adults or $5 for students. Contact Diana at 542-5300 or Colleen at 582-1736 for tickets.

To get to St. John's, take exit 11 from Hwy. 101 and head north to the corner of Hwy. 358 and Church St. in Port Williams. www.musiqueroyale.com

Coming up

July 2

Erica McBurney concert, Aylesford United Church

July 3

Concert Pereau Baptist church, 7:30 p.m.

Until July 14

Rachel Reeve exhibit, Designer Café, Kentville

Send arts items to: welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca