Arts & Letters

Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot From Episode 7 "Metamorphosis" of Self Portrait INTERVIEW — A complicated portrait of William Kentridge plays out in this 9-part series presented by MUBI Words by Derek Manderson | Interview by Michael Zarathus-Cook ISSUE 15 | IN FOCUS From one of the art world’s most inimitable figures, MUBI ’s Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot offers a compelling glimpse into the psyche and studio space of William Kentridge. A mesmerising dance of creative ideation, the nine-part series is the direct result of pairing a prolific, political artist with the isolated rumination of the COVID pandemic. Packed with fleeting vignettes, collaborative performances, and historical narratives of greed and apartheid in Johannesburg, Kentridge imparts more aimless contemplations than self-portraits. And really, that is the point. The series is produced in Kentridge’s typical style; charcoal etchings and paintings swirl together with animations, projections, and impressive camera work to achieve a surreal blend of reality. The striking images are matched with intimate sound design, featuring the sweeping winds of empty landscapes, the crowded bustle of the streets, and ASMR-inducing foley work of charcoal scratching, paper fluttering, and paint splashing. In each episode, Kentridge marries a piece of artistic practice or theory with musings about identity, the world, and, most importantly, the studio. Indeed, a critical step in dissecting Kentridge’s work is understanding the chaos of the studio and its many parallels to his personal context growing up as a child of anti-apartheid Jewish South African barristers. From Episode 1 "A Natural History of the Studio" of Self Portrait So why the coffee pot? For Kentridge, it is a sort of stand-in for what he feels is an impossibly difficult task, a likeness that is altogether devoid of meaning and yet filled with it. As he wryly remarks in the second episode, “whether the drawing looks like me or doesn’t look like me is not really the heart of it… I should have bought one of those books on how to draw the human face. Then I wouldn’t have to hide behind a coffee pot.” From Episode 8 "Oh To Believe in Another World" of Self Portrait But there isn’t very much hiding from Kentridge in this series─it’s quite the opposite. In frequently recurring static shots, Kentridge enters the scene as a double of himself, appearing on either side of a table like a set of twins. He uses this doubleness to engage in rigorous debate and self-analysis, whereupon he frequently pokes at and disagrees with his other persona. It is a clever device for illuminating the challenge of painting a truly representational self-portrait in all its scattered contradictions, especially when the claustrophobic isolation of the pandemic amplifies internal doubt. The doubling also allows Kentridge to play both philosopher and critic; in response to his own string of postulations about the nature of memory and what is concretely knowable about the past, he responds to himself, “these are nonquestions.” In the final episode, Kentridge orders himself to cut out scenes that have very little purpose, to which he declares: “Sometimes what is not needed is essential. If everything is in position and logical, then we aren’t showing the studio.” Then comes the blunt response from his alter ego: “That is a very easy and, if I might say, feeble excuse.” From Episode 3 "Vanishing Points" of Self Portrait His self-reproach is a sly defence against outward critique, certainly developed from a lengthy career in the art world. In a particularly revealing confessional, Kentridge admits that much of how he sees himself is filtered through the public perception of his work. It is no wonder then, that he finds it so difficult to separate his own thoughts from how they might be received. "The Moment Has Gone" Drawing by William Kentridge While his deflection is convincing enough to encourage my engagement with the fragmentary mess of the studio, I am inclined to agree with Kentridge’s critical persona at times. The lengthy series is not without pacing troubles, where searching for the point is a provocative yet demanding task. More importantly, as much as Kentridge attempts to obfuscate such a critique, the lines between self-portrait and self-indulgence are sometimes blurred. He seems to revel in the introspective tête-à-tête, clouding his genuinely stimulating meditations with an excess of navel-gazing. Regardless of these gripes, Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot is an insightful picture of the manifold connections, influences, and paradoxes that weave into the fabric of the self. If anything, its many unanswered questions will sufficiently and existentially complicate things for me the next time I try to take a selfie in “portrait mode.” CANNOPY x William Kentridge

Visual Arts SPACES MATERIALS STUDIO SESSIONS Spaces 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity 13.12 | Mt | Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” 14.44 | Sp | Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art 13.23 | Ss | Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” 14.42 | Ss | What is a Studio? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity 13.12 | Mt | Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” 14.44 | Sp | Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art 13.23 | Ss | Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” 14.42 | Ss | What is a Studio? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity 13.12 | Mt | Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” 14.44 | Sp | Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art 13.23 | Ss | Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” 14.42 | Ss | What is a Studio? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity 13.12 | Mt | Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” 14.44 | Sp | Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art 13.23 | Ss | Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” 14.42 | Ss | What is a Studio? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity 13.12 | Mt | Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” 14.44 | Sp | Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art 13.23 | Ss | Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” 14.42 | Ss | What is a Studio? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in 14.27 | Sp | MOCA Fall 2024 These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment Spaces A MOCA Retrospective Read More INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity Angela Davis: Seize the Time Read More An Exhibit Fit for a Larger-Than-Life Activist Cynthia Noble Read More Executive Director of Art ontheMart Monetta White and the MoAD Read More Our artists and institutions are expected to stand up and speak out towards injustice." A MAMbo Restrospective Read More How an innovative concept traded curatorial neutrality for a cohesive and socially responsible exhibit Mikhail Baryshnikov Read More How can something as active as dance be contained in a still? Miriam Cahn Read More Swiss artist makes her North American debut at Toronto's Power Plant In One Ear, and Out the Other Read More Separating tall tales from truth in the case of van Gogh’s ill-fated ear A Close-Up On Costumes Read More Enter the Showstoppers! exhibit, and meet the costumiers of New York City Warbling Read More INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art Hella Feminist Read More The Oakland Museum of California Delivers a Defiant Feminist Narrative Climate Activists vs. A Gallery Near You Read More “If you do something that can get ignored, it gets ignored” Kunsthalle Marcel Duchamp Read More Welcome to the “smallest museum in the world” at The Forestay Museum of Art Oseredok Read More How the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre has been preserving the country’s collective memory since 1944 Gordon Shadrach Read More An exploration of the semiotics of clothing, gaze, and black expression. Ralph Remington Read More Meet the Cultural Director of the San Francisco Arts Commision SOMArts: Maria Jenson Read More Meet the Creative and Executive Director of San Francisco's SOMArts A MOCA Retrospective: In Conversation with Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Read More These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment Hayao Miyazaki Read More Designing the Hayao Miyazaki exhibit at The Academy Museum. Street Wise Arts Read More When Art Goes Up, Walls Come Down Kent Monkman At The ROM Read More How the celebrated artist appropriates Western styles of portraiture for new perspectives on Indigenous identity Gray Area Foundation: Barry Threw Read More "Art history is also a history of technology development." Soul of Ukraine: Immersive Shevchenko Read More How Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted Valeriy Kostyuk to take action through art David Korins Read More IVG Creative Director Xiaoyu Weng at the AGO Read More A Fresh Perspective for Toronto'sTightly Knit Art Community Transgressions : A Ceramics Exhibit Read More On the Border Between Artistic Bravery and Bravado Boulevard Arts: Elizabeth L. Reede Read More "There's a little bit of something for everyone." Kate Lorenz Read More Executive Director of Hyde Park Art Center BUMP Festival 2022 Read More How a Mural Festival is Transforming Calgary's Concrete Jungle Greater Toronto Art 2021 Read More MoCA's take on contemporary art Welcome to the Museum of Bad Art Read More Getting rejected by this gallery just might be a good thing Between Pheasants Contemporary Read More Fowl play is encouraged in this unique gallery experience Michelle Mansour Read More Executive Director of Root Division Materials Materials Upcycling: Harford House Read More Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” CERAMICS: Raluca Buzura Read More From kindling to kiln, how ceramics become wearable art installations BODY: Cassils Read More INTERVIEW — “What better way to push for trans presence and historical archives than to burn images of trans people into the eyes of cis beholders?” FLOWERS: Rebecca Louise Law Read More How floral sculptures open the door to the “third place” Maya Hughes Read More Pottery as a Mix of Clay, Monotony, and Spontaneity. COLLAGE: Hanoch Piven Read More “To see is to forget the name of the thing one sees.” TEXTILES: Laura Rokas Read More How can galleries make more space for less conventional media? StudioSessions Studio Sessions Facetime: Kachelle Knowles Read More INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” Phantom Details: Agata Wierzbicka Read More “If you want to create and you have such a strenuous need, it won't matter to you if you have a large or small studio” Quinn Rockliff Read More Self-Portraiture and Healing Victoria Kagalovska Read More Before the Invasion Delali Cofie Read More Towards a new visual perspective on the global African diaspora Oksana Drachkovska Read More From Bunny Rabbits to Bomb Shelters, an Illustrator Turns Activist Is the studio a public place? Read More INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in Cloistral #2: Iryna Maksymova Read More The Ukrainian artist contrasting the hyper-masculine imagery of the war with harmonious female figures Bruno Walpoth Read More My works are more a portrait of myself than the model Tony Taylor Read More Toronto artist with a unique take on portraiture Norris Yim: Nameless Read More Hiding in plain (and colourful) sight Bernadett Timko Read More Oil, Wood, and Linens by the Countryside FACETIME: Kachelle Knowles Read More NASSAU | “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” Bree Stallings Read More Artist; Community Leader Kezna Dalz Read More Botticelli meets Black Girl Joy Collins Obijiaku Read More An emerging portraitist in search of new postures and perspectives on the African continent Kristy Gordon Read More Toronto vs. New York: From a Painter's Perspective Lan Florence Yee Read More Destabilising Chinatown Narratives with Text and Embroidery Is the studio a public place? Read More William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter, answers Anna Zvyagintseva Read More "How can I even make art now?" Floyd Kuptana-Urban Hunter Read More Celebrating the life of an Indigenous Artist Julian Montague’s Top 10 Books on Design Read More Welcome to our inter-issue series inviting artists to curate top-ten lists Ilene Sova Read More A Toronto Artist Traces Family and Memory in Latest Exhibit Zaria Forman Read More Painting the Climate Crisis into Each Precious Detail

Community Casey and Diana A theatrical exercise in compassion that represents the very best of Stratford 2023 smART x Stratford Pt.1: "King Lear" Paul Gross delivers a Lear of a lifetime The Sound of Ukraine Composer Tymur Polianskyi sets two immersive exhibits to live Ukrainian music Dark Music Days Music Festival Opportunities for Embodied, Cross-Disciplinary Performance The TSO hosts Saariaho, Crow, and Shostakovich A satisfying, if unsurprising, tour of two giants of the symphonic genre. Yo-Yo Ma Celebrates 100 Years of the TSO All North-American program sets the tone for the TSO’s future smART x Stratford Pt.2: Monty Python’s Spamalot An absurdly funny, absurdly fun, tsunami of laughs Curran’s Tosca is an unashamed feast An original COC production sticks the landing Convergent Divergency TDT ends it's season with explosive juxtapositions Salome in Therapy Atom Egoyan and the COC deliver a Dance of the Seven Veils fit for our times Sheku Kanneh-Mason Brings His Elgar to the Toronto Symphony The celebrated cellist delivers some KANNEH-MAGIC Yuja Wang & the TSO Wang returns to Toronto for a lights out performance of Rachmaninoff’s No.3 Cécile McClorin Salvant Salvant soars for RCM’s “Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage” Weyes Blood’s Holy Flux Tour Natalie Mering glows in Toronto with "And in the Darkness" Le nozze di Figaro at the COC A dose of good humour to rescue this "folle journée" of lust and jealousy National Ballet’s "MADDADDAM" It may not entirely reinvent the wheel, but it certainly ruptures conventions

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Performing Arts ENSEMBLE HUBS & HUDDLES ELLINGTON Ensemble Ensemble Hubs & Huddles Hubs & Huddles The Tranzac: A Case Study in Third Places Read More Artistic hubs are in danger of becoming either profit-engineered businesses─or disappearing entirely. Ralph Remington Read More Meet the Cultural Director of the San Francisco Arts Commision 4CO Films Read More Actor Clint Butler steps behind the camera for socially responsible storytelling SOMArts: Maria Jenson Read More Meet the Creative and Executive Director of San Francisco's SOMArts Rimini Protokoll’s Remote X Read More A uniquely interactive theatre experience reveals the unholy alliance of tech and social engineering TODOS Productions Read More New Canadian perspectives on cultural convergence in cinema Ellington Ellington Max Richter’s In A Landscape Read More On the Richter scale, this latest album goes to the max Samara Joy Read More Ascending to a new height in her artistry, jazz music’s premiere savant is ready to learn new things The Mundane Minimalism of Max Richter’s In A Landscape Read More On the Richter scale, this latest album goes to the max Emmet Cohen: FOREVER MODERN Read More Renowned Jazz pianist takes the pandemic in stride Samara Joy's "Portrait" Read More "I think that there’s definitely an aspect of society, or maybe of this generation in particular, that craves nostalgia." Julian Lage Read More On Layers, View with a Room, the gritty warmth of his guitar sound

Visual Arts STUDIO SESSIONS SPACES MATERIALS STUDIO SESSIONS STUDIO SESSIONS Facetime: Kachelle Knowles INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” Is the studio a public place? William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter, answers Bree Stallings Artist; Community Leader Bruno Walpoth My works are more a portrait of myself than the model Victoria Kagalovska Before the Invasion Julian Montague’s Top 10 Books on Design Welcome to our inter-issue series inviting artists to curate top-ten lists Kristy Gordon Toronto vs. New York: From a Painter's Perspective Bernadett Timko Oil, Wood, and Linens by the Countryside Is the studio a public place? INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in Phantom Details: Agata Wierzbicka “If you want to create and you have such a strenuous need, it won't matter to you if you have a large or small studio” Anna Zvyagintseva "How can I even make art now?" Kezna Dalz Botticelli meets Black Girl Joy Tony Taylor Toronto artist with a unique take on portraiture Delali Cofie Towards a new visual perspective on the global African diaspora Ilene Sova A Toronto Artist Traces Family and Memory in Latest Exhibit Lan Florence Yee Destabilising Chinatown Narratives with Text and Embroidery FACETIME: Kachelle Knowles NASSAU | “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” Cloistral #2: Iryna Maksymova The Ukrainian artist contrasting the hyper-masculine imagery of the war with harmonious female figures Quinn Rockliff Self-Portraiture and Healing Floyd Kuptana-Urban Hunter Celebrating the life of an Indigenous Artist Collins Obijiaku An emerging portraitist in search of new postures and perspectives on the African continent Norris Yim: Nameless Hiding in plain (and colourful) sight Oksana Drachkovska From Bunny Rabbits to Bomb Shelters, an Illustrator Turns Activist Zaria Forman Painting the Climate Crisis into Each Precious Detail SPACES SPACES A MOCA Retrospective INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity Transgressions : A Ceramics Exhibit On the Border Between Artistic Bravery and Bravado Hayao Miyazaki Designing the Hayao Miyazaki exhibit at The Academy Museum. Climate Activists vs. A Gallery Near You “If you do something that can get ignored, it gets ignored” Monetta White and the MoAD Our artists and institutions are expected to stand up and speak out towards injustice." BUMP Festival 2022 How a Mural Festival is Transforming Calgary's Concrete Jungle Gray Area Foundation: Barry Threw "Art history is also a history of technology development." Gordon Shadrach An exploration of the semiotics of clothing, gaze, and black expression. Miriam Cahn Swiss artist makes her North American debut at Toronto's Power Plant Between Pheasants Contemporary Fowl play is encouraged in this unique gallery experience Xiaoyu Weng at the AGO A Fresh Perspective for Toronto'sTightly Knit Art Community Warbling INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art Angela Davis: Seize the Time An Exhibit Fit for a Larger-Than-Life Activist Boulevard Arts: Elizabeth L. Reede "There's a little bit of something for everyone." Street Wise Arts When Art Goes Up, Walls Come Down Kunsthalle Marcel Duchamp Welcome to the “smallest museum in the world” at The Forestay Museum of Art A MAMbo Restrospective How an innovative concept traded curatorial neutrality for a cohesive and socially responsible exhibit Greater Toronto Art 2021 MoCA's take on contemporary art Soul of Ukraine: Immersive Shevchenko How Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted Valeriy Kostyuk to take action through art Ralph Remington Meet the Cultural Director of the San Francisco Arts Commision In One Ear, and Out the Other Separating tall tales from truth in the case of van Gogh’s ill-fated ear Michelle Mansour Executive Director of Root Division A MOCA Retrospective: In Conversation with Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas These artists are spotlighting what it means to challenge the current cultural moment Hella Feminist The Oakland Museum of California Delivers a Defiant Feminist Narrative Cynthia Noble Executive Director of Art ontheMart Kate Lorenz Executive Director of Hyde Park Art Center Kent Monkman At The ROM How the celebrated artist appropriates Western styles of portraiture for new perspectives on Indigenous identity Oseredok How the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre has been preserving the country’s collective memory since 1944 Mikhail Baryshnikov How can something as active as dance be contained in a still? Welcome to the Museum of Bad Art Getting rejected by this gallery just might be a good thing David Korins IVG Creative Director SOMArts: Maria Jenson Meet the Creative and Executive Director of San Francisco's SOMArts A Close-Up On Costumes Enter the Showstoppers! exhibit, and meet the costumiers of New York City IN FOCUS IN FOCUS Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot INTERVIEW — A complicated portrait of William Kentridge plays out in this 9-part series presented by MUBI Chet Tilokani “My role also has a caveat of staying out of the way of the story as much as possible.” In Focus: Xavier Dolan The celebrated Canadian film director makes his TV debut with The Night Logan Woke Up Wayne Burns’s Top 10 Canadian Films INTERVIEW — With the recent releases of fastLOVE and Longing, the Canadian actor looks back on the films that helped shape his appetite for cinema ON THE SET: Women Talking Actor Sheila McCarthy on the Oscar-nominated film’s work culture The Flying Sailor “Imagine the story of the sailor’s flight as a subjective, visceral, slow-motion ballet” Pablo Larraín’s "Maria" “Maria follows in the footpath of its thematic predecessors─but backwards, in heels, and with great music” Meet the Producers: Alice, Darling “We wanted to show that things don’t have to be physical for it to be bad enough to leave” The Last of Us: Natasha Mumba “Everybody’s working from a place of desperation” MATERIALS MATERIALS Upcycling: Harford House Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” TEXTILES: Laura Rokas How can galleries make more space for less conventional media? COLLAGE: Hanoch Piven “To see is to forget the name of the thing one sees.” BODY: Cassils INTERVIEW — “What better way to push for trans presence and historical archives than to burn images of trans people into the eyes of cis beholders?” CERAMICS: Raluca Buzura From kindling to kiln, how ceramics become wearable art installations Maya Hughes Pottery as a Mix of Clay, Monotony, and Spontaneity. FLOWERS: Rebecca Louise Law How floral sculptures open the door to the “third place”

Soundstage IN FOCUS IN MOTION FOURTH WALL 14.15 | If | Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot INTERVIEW — A complicated portrait of William Kentridge plays out in this 9-part series presented by MUBI 14.22 | 4w | NAC Indigenous Theatre INTERVIEW — Artistic Director Kevin Loring weighs in on performative land acknowledgements 13.11 | If | DECA: Wayne Burns INTERVIEW — With the recent releases of fastLOVE and Longing, the Canadian actor looks back on the films that helped shape his appetite for cinema 12.47 | Oriah Wiersma What does support for independent Canadian contemporary dance really look like? 14.20 | Im | Toronto Dance Theatre “If the people can’t come to you—perhaps because they don’t know you exist—then it’s imperative that you go to the people.” 14.43 | If | Maria “Maria follows in the footpath of its thematic predecessors─but backwards, in heels, and with great music” smART x Stratford Pt.3: Casey and Diana A theatrical exercise in compassion that represents the very best of Stratford 2023 Chet Tilokani “My role also has a caveat of staying out of the way of the story as much as possible.” ON THE SET: Women Talking Actor Sheila McCarthy on the Oscar-nominated film’s work culture Meet the Producers: Alice, Darling “We wanted to show that things don’t have to be physical for it to be bad enough to leave” Toby Olié How the British puppeteer is redefining the creative potential of the art form. On the Opening of Little Island PigPen Ayodele Casel LeTitle An Emerging Dance Community in Seoul Soulpepper Theatre Celebrates 25 Years 2022/23 Season Puts Canadian Women Front and Center on Toronto’s Premier Stage. Is Ballet Racist? Throughout the years, ballet has evolved—but how much exactly? Antoine Hunter’s Urban Jazz Dance Company “We are the music that we see” Fehinti Balogun In conversation with the actor, playwright, poet, and the creator of Can I Live? In Focus: Xavier Dolan The celebrated Canadian film director makes his TV debut with The Night Logan Woke Up Ashley Wheater Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet Magical Bones Celebrating Black Magic Guillaume Côté Guillaume Côté X Lighthouse Immersive smART x Stratford Pt.1: "King Lear" Paul Gross delivers a Lear of a lifetime The Flying Sailor “Imagine the story of the sailor’s flight as a subjective, visceral, slow-motion ballet” smART x Stratford Pt.2: Monty Python’s Spamalot An absurdly funny, absurdly fun, tsunami of laughs Seven Podcasts for the Dancer in You Seven Dance Podcasts You Need to Tune Into In Focus In Focus INTERVIEW — A complicated portrait of William Kentridge plays out in this 9-part series presented by MUBI Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot Read More Actor Sheila McCarthy on the Oscar-nominated film’s work culture ON THE SET: Women Talking Read More “Everybody’s working from a place of desperation” The Last of Us: Natasha Mumba Read More INTERVIEW — With the recent releases of fastLOVE and Longing, the Canadian actor looks back on the films that helped shape his appetite for cinema Wayne Burns’s Top 10 Canadian Films Read More “We wanted to show that things don’t have to be physical for it to be bad enough to leave” Meet the Producers: Alice, Darling Read More “Maria follows in the footpath of its thematic predecessors─but backwards, in heels, and with great music” Pablo Larraín’s "Maria" Read More The celebrated Canadian film director makes his TV debut with The Night Logan Woke Up In Focus: Xavier Dolan Read More “My role also has a caveat of staying out of the way of the story as much as possible.” Chet Tilokani Read More “Imagine the story of the sailor’s flight as a subjective, visceral, slow-motion ballet” The Flying Sailor Read More In Motion In Motion Oriah Wiersma Read More What does support for independent Canadian contemporary dance really look like? Antoine Hunter’s Urban Jazz Dance Company Read More “We are the music that we see” Mother Sorrow: A Work in Progress Read More From blueprints to footprints on stage, a contemporary dance project unfolds Toronto Dance Theatre Read More “If the people can’t come to you—perhaps because they don’t know you exist—then it’s imperative that you go to the people.” Ashley Wheater Read More Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet Immersive Dance Experiments Read More Meet Three Companies Leading the Immersive Dance Revolution LeTitle Read More An Emerging Dance Community in Seoul Presenting Touch Read More Guillaume Côté X Lighthouse Immersive Ragamala Dance Company Read More How a mother-daughter duo is bringing classical South Indian Dance to the global stage Is Ballet Racist? Read More Throughout the years, ballet has evolved—but how much exactly? 7 Podcasts for the Dancer in You Read More Seven Dance Podcasts You Need to Tune Into Fourth Wall Fourth Wall Indigenous Theatre at the NAC Turns 5 Read More INTERVIEW — Artistic Director Kevin Loring weighs in on performative land acknowledgements Soulpepper Theatre Celebrates 25 Years Read More 2022/23 Season Puts Canadian Women Front and Center on Toronto’s Premier Stage. smART x Stratford Pt.2: Monty Python’s Spamalot Read More An absurdly funny, absurdly fun, tsunami of laughs Casey and Diana Read More A theatrical exercise in compassion that represents the very best of Stratford 2023 Fehinti Balogun Presents Can I Live? Read More In conversation with the actor, playwright, poet, and the creator of Can I Live? A Walk With Amal Read More Meet “Little” Amal, the 3.5 metre puppet and beating heart of The Walk. Puppet Master: Toby Olié Read More How the British puppeteer is redefining the creative potential of the art form. Magical Bones Read More Celebrating Black Magic On the Opening of Little Island Read More PigPen Ayodele Casel smART x Stratford Pt.1: "King Lear" Read More Paul Gross delivers a Lear of a lifetime

LIGHTHOUSE IMMERSIVE Lighthouse Immersive creates, produces and distributes innovative digital immersive art experiences through its experiential entertainment multiplex digital art galleries, aiming to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms. Lighthouse Immersive offers versatile spaces for creators to present their work while engaging audiences in unique art experiences that encourage dialogue and inspire new artistic creations. Lighthouse Immersive has produced the world premiere of Immersive Van Gogh, Immersive Frida Kahlo and Immersive Klimt: Revolution to more than 21 North American cities. Recognized as the leader in immersive art experiences, Lighthouse Immersive custom-designs each of their venues, named Lighthouse ArtSpace, to distinctly envelop the various architectural settings they inhabit, it operates galleries in a range of historic venues including refurbished industrial and retail spaces. Since 2021, the company has opened, or is opening, 21 new galleries in North American cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Boston and Denver, and is currently expanding into additional markets. To date, Lighthouse Immersive has sold over 5 million tickets to Immersive Van Gogh across North America, with Artnet calling it “one of the largest coordinated art phenomena of all time.” Exhibits THE FIRST "GOLDEN AGE" Part four of ten part series on the history of Disney THE ROAD TO SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Part three of ten part series on the history of Disney SILLY SYMPHONIES AND SERIOUS DREAMS Part two of ten part series on the history of Disney THE STORY OF MICKEY MOUSE Part one of ten part series on the history of Disney DISNEY ANIMATION Be Immersed In Your Favourite Moments from the Greatest Disney films IMMERSIVE KING TUT smART Magazine Presents a Student Resource Guide for the Exhibit FRIDAMANIA Kahlo teaches us about opening up, standing out, and embracing reality IMMERSIVE KLIMT A visit to the new Lighthouse Immersive Exhibit FRAN GOGH Lighthouse Immersive Arrives in SF ROBERT LEPAGE A conversation with the director, actor, playwright, on The Library at Night. LOOKING FOR THE DANCE How can something as active as dance be contained in a still? IN ONE EAR, OUT THE OTHER Separating tall tales from truth in the case of van Gogh’s ill-fated ear Meet The Team AMY WALSH Yoga at the Exhibit, Two Years Strong THE ITALIAN TEAM Leaders of the Immersive Revolution PUBLICITY FOR IVG Phil Lobel and Dale Boyer LHI CHICAGO A conversation with Irina Shabshis and Maria Shclover IVG PRODUCER COREY ROSS Founder of Starvox Entertainment & co-founder of Lighthouse Immersive BLUMENTHAL ARTS Introducing the CEO of Charlotte’s Blumenthal Performing Arts Artists JUN YANG Lighthouse Immersive launches Artist in Residence program “It was unique dealing directly with the public as you need to feel very comfortable and confident with yourself.” Meet Kelsey Sewell I am the lead Project Coordinator on Lighthouse Immersive’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program across all North American venues. The AiR program is an additional immersive component to the artistic experience at Lighthouse Artscape venues presenting the Immersive Van Gogh, Immersive Klimt Revolution, and Frida: Immersive Dream exhibits. The program is designed to include and invigorate local arts and culture in each city, highlighting and promoting local artists alongside the globally celebrated artists presented by Lighthouse Immersive. The flexibility of the residency invites the artist to interpret each exhibit’s theme through their own local and personal lenses. The artists paint live at the exhibit and so it’s just incredible seeing attendees engage with artists and vice versa. I think it’s a great opportunity to put the spotlight on local arts communities and offers opportunities for artists to express themselves in a completely devoted way that isn’t always available to them. The AiR program presents artists with the chance to interact with hundreds of exhibit attendees daily, sharing their creative process, and selling their artwork at the retail space. To find more information, and to submit an application, visit Lighthouse Immersive’s AiR page. Craig Blackmoore | Detroit Penelope Spyratos | Las Vegas Tessa LeBaron | Cleveland Paola Reyes Melendez | San Francisco Xtna d’Luna | Denver Nina Stewart | Denver Kate O’Donnell | Minneapolis Destiny Bailey | Las Vegas Jonathan Justo Avila | Las Vegas Jackelin Aguirre | Las Vegas Margaret Vergara | Minneapolis Nick Lee | Cleveland Pablo Gonzalez | Las Vegas Noor Adwan | Minneapolis Macfly Fresh Print | Charlotte Colleen Hennessy | Denver Ava Lambert | Minneapolis Erik Schlobohm | Denver Kellsie Moore | Denver Kasey Kania | Cleveland Nico Amortegui | Charlotte Jiggy Puzzles | New York Podcast Print Find more in-depth coverage of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra across Issues 8, 9, 10, and 11. ARTICLES Lighthouse Immersive Goes Global Following meteoric rise in North America, the Canadian company embarks on its international immersive journey Tony Taylor Toronto artist with a unique take on portraiture Fridamania Open Your Eyes to the Humanity, Audacity, and Mexicanity Lan Florence Yee Destabilising Chinatown Narratives with Text and Embroidery Boulevard Arts: Elizabeth L. Reede "There's a little bit of something for everyone." Immersive Klimt Revolution A visit to the new Lighthouse Immersive Exhibit IVG Producer Corey Ross Founder of Starvox Entertainment; co-founder of Lighthouse Immersive A Very Fine Art Showcasing the female perspective within the tattoo industry. The Italian Team Leaders of the Immersive Revolution Presenting Touch Guillaume Côté X Lighthouse Immersive Mikhail Baryshnikov How can something as active as dance be contained in a still?

Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Subscribe to CANNOPY Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot ISSUE 15 | IN FOCUS INTERVIEW — A complicated portrait of William Kentridge plays out in this 9-part series presented by MUBI Read More Profile: Michael Kiwanuka’s Small Changes ISSUE 14 | ALT.ITUDE Without being overly verbose, Kiwanuka walks the line between being a narrative storyteller and purveyor of proverbs Read More Indigenous Theatre at the NAC Turns 5 ISSUE 14 | OTTAWA | FOURTH WALL INTERVIEW — Artistic Director Kevin Loring weighs in on performative land acknowledgements Read More Warbling ISSUE 14 | LONDON | SPACES INTERVIEW — Robyn Graham clears space for quiet art Read More King Cruff ISSUE 14 | LONDON | HOMEGROWN On his latest EP WHAT HAVE I ‘DON, Bob Marley’s grandson lays the foundation for his own reggae sound Read More Is the studio a public place? ISSUE 14 | STUDIO SESSIONS INTERVIEW — William Kentridge, the eminent South African painter and star of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot, weighs in Read More The Staying Power of John Adams ISSUE 14 | LOS ANGELES | ENSEMBLE INTERVIEW — The composer reflects on "Frenzy", "City Noir", and why contemporary music is beginning to atrophy Read More Legends, Myths and Lavender ISSUE 13 | ENSEMBLE What happens in Debussy, and in Moccio’s music, is not a direct mimetic relationship of sounds to images but an open mesh of possibilities Read More A MOCA Retrospective ISSUE 14 | TORONTO | SPACES INTERVIEW — As a trio of fall exhibits wrap up, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas reflects on the powers of hybridity Read More Top 10 Classical Albums of 2024 ENSEMBLE Listen along with a free 30-day subscription to the world's largest catalogue of classical recordings Read More Iron & Wine’s "Light Verse" ISSUE 13 | NASHVILLE | ALT.ITUDE INTERVIEW — Sam Beam’s latest release is a colourful contrapposto of gloomy joy Read More Max Richter’s In A Landscape ISSUE 14 | OXFORDSHIRE | ENSEMBLE On the Richter scale, this latest album goes to the max Read More Samara Joy's "Portrait" ISSUE 14 | THE BRONX | ELLINGTON "I think that there’s definitely an aspect of society, or maybe of this generation in particular, that craves nostalgia." Read More Pablo Larraín’s "Maria" ISSUE 14 | IN FOCUS “Maria follows in the footpath of its thematic predecessors─but backwards, in heels, and with great music” Read More Profile: Sarah Kinsley’s Escaper ISSUE 14 | ALT.ITUDE “To have chosen to work with a female producer simply because she was a woman would have risked the integrity of the project.” Read More Upcycling: Harford House ISSUE 13 | MATERIALS Carina Harford on the “luxury of immediacy” Read More Wayne Burns’s Top 10 Canadian Films ISSUE 13 | TORONTO | IN FOCUS INTERVIEW — With the recent releases of fastLOVE and Longing, the Canadian actor looks back on the films that helped shape his appetite for cinema Read More Oriah Wiersma ISSUE 12 | IN MOTION What does support for independent Canadian contemporary dance really look like? Read More Return to the Rat Park ISSUE 12 | TORONTO | ARTS & LETTERS Emerging research at the University of Toronto strengthens the link between social isolation and increased vulnerability to addiction Read More The Tranzac: A Case Study in Third Places ISSUE 14 | TORONTO | HUBS & HUDDLES Artistic hubs are in danger of becoming either profit-engineered businesses─or disappearing entirely. Read More BODY: Cassils ISSUE 14 | LOS ANGELES | MATERIALS INTERVIEW — “What better way to push for trans presence and historical archives than to burn images of trans people into the eyes of cis beholders?” Read More Lang Lang in France ISSUE 13 | ENSEMBLE The superstar Chinese pianist uncovers a garden of Gallic delights Read More Phosphorescent Blues ISSUE 13 | NASHVILLE | ALT.ITUDE “If you don’t know him, try. If you don’t like him, that’s ok too.” Read More Manami Kakudo’s Contact ISSUE 13 | TOKYO | ALT.ITUDE “How would my younger self feel listening to this?” Read More Facetime: Kachelle Knowles ISSUE 13 | NASSAU | STUDIO SESSIONS INTERVIEW — “Living in a nation that relies on tourism has convinced people that looking ‘less Black’ is more tolerable.” Read More Bruce Liu’s Year with Tchaikovsky ISSUE 14 | MONTREAL | ENSEMBLE INTERVIEW — Music intended for amateur pianists finds expert hands in this latest recording of The Seasons Read More Toronto Dance Theatre ISSUE 14 | TORONTO | IN MOTION “If the people can’t come to you—perhaps because they don’t know you exist—then it’s imperative that you go to the people.” Read More Phantom Details: Agata Wierzbicka ISSUE 14 | WARSAW | STUDIO SESSIONS “If you want to create and you have such a strenuous need, it won't matter to you if you have a large or small studio” Read More

Stephan Moccio’s Legends, Myths and Lavender Stephan Moccio - Miraval Studios What happens in Debussy, and in Moccio’s music, is not a direct mimetic relationship of sounds to images but an open mesh of possibilities Words by Jane Forner | Illustration by Stephan Moccio ISSUE 13 | ENSEMBLE When we think about legends and myths, we think about the timeless, about stories told and retold endlessly till they eventually become uprooted from linear chronology to achieve a universality that transcends time and place. The latest album from Canadian pianist, songwriter, producer, and composer Stephan Moccio meditates on humanity’s stories and inner worlds, in just under an hour of contemplative and emotionally earnest solo piano writing. Roman historian Sallustius wrote that “o ne may call the world a myth, in which bodies and things are visible, but souls and minds hidden.” Legends, Myth and Lavender invites a deep interiority that seeks to probe those hidden realms, evoking “classical, cinematic and modern images of the human condition.” You are “ forced to turn inward and to listen to yourself,” Moccio lays out, in a “Making the Album” video filmed at the Studio Miraval in Provence, France (storied for its location for Pink Floyd recordings in the 1970s as much as for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s wedding a decade ago). Moccio notes that he hopes the album helps people “find a sense of themselves again as well”; one could speculate easily as to some of the album’s function as a deeply personal passion project. In a lateral move from his significant success as a songwriter and co-producer on some of the biggest pop hits in the past decade (Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball”; several for The Weeknd), the classically-trained musician is reconnecting with a side of his musical identity that has surely shaped his robust career so far, but perhaps was a little undernourished. The opening two tracks, “Home” and “Hollywood” suggest twin poles of rootedness and distance, the latter a nod to Moccio’s adopted Los Angeles home, but are abstract enough—like the rest of the pieces—to function as general symbols. Take a wider look, and we feel the bookends of “Home” and “Polaris”; if journeying into the album spirits you away into the kind of internal reflection Moccio encourages, the North Star comes at the end to offer a guide. Stephan Moccio - Miraval Studios “Home” also introduces us to the two prevailing piano characters heard throughout the album: Moccio is particularly adept at coaxing an intensely warm, rounded sound from the lower end of the piano, a terra firma that offers a soothing stability to return to. Careful, almost pointillistic melodies predominate in the higher reaches, meanwhile, often in steady, unhurried broken-chord figures, a sparseness of melodic material with a fondness for repetition that invites a contemplative precision. The seventeen tracks vary in elusiveness: some hint more directly at a thematic identity—“Lavender Fields”, “Soleil de Provence”, or “A Daydream in Camelot”, for example—but mostly the connections between name and content are purposefully ambiguous. They hint at precisely what Moccio is probing through this contemplative solo musical journey: snapshots of the vagaries of the human condition, now, then, as it ever was. These emerge not as clear-cut narratives but as hazy portraits, filmy fleeting impressions of everything from the natural world to inner emotions. The gently swaying “Communion”, with its lilting meter that almost hints at a dance, and steady phrase structure, suggests nourishing rituals of coming together. Every piece is open; I hear the melancholy in the tinges of dissonance in the chords of “Nineteen Years” resolve, hymn-like; sentimental and bittersweet tones in “If I Didn’t Have You”, and the intangible mists of “Something Almost, But Not Quite” and “The Unveiling”, liquid, mellow melodies coiling around a mysterious interior. There is a delicateness to Moccio’s writing that masks its roiling emotions; “Nightingale”, for instance, alludes not to a charming songbird but to conflicting emotions of secrecy and danger of the night. Stephan Moccio - Miraval Studios It brings to mind the approach in Claude Debussy’s set of 24 piano Préludes , where his elusive titles are hidden as a postscript to each piece, complete with tantalizing ellipses—“(...Brouillards [fog])” or “(...Feuilles mortes [dead leaves])”—refraining from imposing connotations, encouraging a pleasurable uncertainty. The “impressionist” descriptor often popularly attached to the French composer’s work is flimsier than we should accept—music just doesn’t work the same as painting. What happens in Debussy, and in Moccio’s music, is not a direct mimetic relationship of sounds to images but an open mesh of possibilities—to borrow a phrase from Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s theorizing of queer sexualities—that can seem endlessly suggestive, not just of images but of sensations, of memories, odours, of perceived and felt emotions. Though we hear some effects, and the odd soft drumbeat (in the heart-thumping of “The Wanderer”), Moccio notes his decision to deliberately eschew electronic instruments, “because I want to feel the resonance of my hands touching an acoustic, analog instrument.” This is not unusual for a solo piano album, but indicative of the significance he attaches to the peripheral aspects of his composition and recording process; he endows the physical space of the studio and the natural environment in which he embedded himself with immense meaning. It feels odd to be writing about this album in heady warm early summer days: composed and recorded in the latter months of 2023, there is something very wintry about it, where the season signals a retreat inwards; where its coolness comes from ice crystals on thin branches, of dead leaves underfoot, and its warmth from woody interiors, from hearths and fires, not the burning summer sun and the scorched brush of a southern French summer. Similarly, it’s an album that almost feels like it exists only at twilight, in the liminal, crepuscular space between sunset and dark night. But its meditative space can emerge for every season and time, any moment in which we find ourselves in need of a push to “feel more, think less,” as Moccio bids us. Legends is not exactly radically shaking up the world of contemporary piano composition, but neither can its prevailing soothing aura be easily dismissed as light listening. A fondness for repeated patterns and phrases, and a preference for layered but generally uncomplicated melodic structures, sets it in the classical-adjacent, piano-forward scene (think Luke Howard , or Hania Rani , even Max Richter and Ludovico Einaudi). Though sometimes this genre gets relegated to the background—often as an aid to study, focus, or sleep, if you peruse streaming services—Moccio’s playing bids concentration. He draws you not into a world he has fabricated, but one he invites you to (re)construct for yourself. CANNOPY x Stephan Moccio

Alternative ALT.ITUDE ARTS & LETTERS HOMEGROWN 14.29 | At | Sarah Kinsley “To have chosen to work with a female producer simply because she was a woman would have risked the integrity of the project.” 14.38 | At | Michael Kiwanuka Without being overly verbose, Kiwanuka walks the line between being a narrative storyteller and purveyor of proverbs At.3 | Phosphorescent “If you don’t know him, try. If you don’t like him, that’s ok too.” 13.29 | At | Manami Kakudo “How would my younger self feel listening to this?” 13.07 | At | Iron and Wine INTERVIEW — Sam Beam’s latest release is a colourful contrapposto of gloomy joy 14.28 | Hg | King Cruff On his latest EP WHAT HAVE I ‘DON, Bob Marley’s grandson lays the foundation for his own reggae sound 12.45 | How Social Isolation Increases Vulnerability to Addiction Emerging research at the University of Toronto strengthens the link between social isolation and increased vulnerability to addiction elijah woods On what if it was great?, the self-starting singer and producer breaks new creative ground 1, 2, TEAM WITH JENN WASNER On Flock of Dimes, Bon Iver, and Wye Oak’s Every Day Like the Last BOBBY BAZINI’S PEARL The Montréal singer-songwriter’s latest recording is a work-from-home gem with a DIY aesthetic MIKHAIL LAXTON ON MIKHAIL LAXTON The singer-songwriter returns to his roots after finding a new home in Canadian music JENN GRANT’S GOT CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS In her latest album, the Canadian singer-songwriter delivers a deeply collaborative post-pandemic meditation Paris in the Time of Neo-Impressionism What does independent really mean? Jason Mraz The Pop Icon is Here for a Good Time on Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride Bells Larsen and Georgia Harmer “Our friendship is embedded with a shared love of each other’s music” Static Channel The Audio-Visual Collective on Building Immersive Cymatic Landscapes Raw Poetic “Pull from everywhere, because we didn’t belong anywhere” Madison Cunningham The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter on her new album, her family, and touring. YOUTH LAGOON RETURNS After a seven-year hiatus, Trevor Powers touches grass with the revival of his neo-psychedelic project Tegan and Sara Celebrates No.10 20 years in the Industry and More Relevant than Ever Dragonette Returns Twennies Serves up Doses of Nostalgia and Futuristic Danceability Maja Lena A bold new voice in the U.K.’s folk scene embarks on a celestial journey The Weather Station On The Power of Radical Softness Angel Olsen’s Big Time “Why am I so unafraid right now?” Rufus Wainwright’s Folkocracy Returning to his folk roots, the Canadian songmaster finds a new musical family Altitude Alt.itude “To have chosen to work with a female producer simply because she was a woman would have risked the integrity of the project.” Profile: Sarah Kinsley’s Escaper Read More INTERVIEW — Sam Beam’s latest release is a colourful contrapposto of gloomy joy Iron & Wine’s "Light Verse" Read More “Pull from everywhere, because we didn’t belong anywhere” Raw Poetic Read More “Why am I so unafraid right now?” Angel Olsen’s Big Time Read More Without being overly verbose, Kiwanuka walks the line between being a narrative storyteller and purveyor of proverbs Profile: Michael Kiwanuka’s Small Changes Read More On Flock of Dimes, Bon Iver, and Wye Oak’s Every Day Like the Last Jenn Wasner Read More The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter on her new album, her family, and touring. Madison Cunningham’s Manic Elegance Read More The singer-songwriter finds a new creative process to match a compelling narrative Andy Shauf’s Norm Read More “If you don’t know him, try. If you don’t like him, that’s ok too.” Phosphorescent Blues Read More The Pop Icon is Here for a Good Time on Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride Jason Mraz Read More After a seven-year hiatus, Trevor Powers touches grass with the revival of his neo-psychedelic project Youth Lagoon Returns Read More “How would my younger self feel listening to this?” Manami Kakudo’s Contact Read More The Audio-Visual Collective on Building Immersive Cymatic Landscapes Static Channel Read More A bold new voice in the U.K.’s folk scene embarks on a celestial journey Maja Lena Read More Arts & Letters Arts & Letters Return to the Rat Park Read More Emerging research at the University of Toronto strengthens the link between social isolation and increased vulnerability to addiction Paris in the Time of Neo-Impressionism Read More What does independent really mean? A Very Fine Art Read More Showcasing the female perspective within the tattoo industry. Homegrown Homegrown King Cruff Read More On his latest EP WHAT HAVE I ‘DON, Bob Marley’s grandson lays the foundation for his own reggae sound Jenn Grant's Champaign Problems Read More In her latest album, the Canadian singer-songwriter delivers a deeply collaborative post-pandemic meditation In The Garden: The Weather Station Read More On The Power of Radical Softness elijah woods Read More On what if it was great?, the self-starting singer and producer breaks new creative ground Bells Larsen and Georgia Harmer Read More “Our friendship is embedded with a shared love of each other’s music” Rufus Wainwright’s Folkocracy Read More Returning to his folk roots, the Canadian songmaster finds a new musical family Bobby Bazini's Pearl Read More The Montréal singer-songwriter’s latest recording is a work-from-home gem with a DIY aesthetic Tegan and Sara Celebrates No.10 Read More 20 years in the Industry and More Relevant than Ever Mikhail Laxton on Mikhail Laxton Read More The singer-songwriter returns to his roots after finding a new home in Canadian music Dragonette Returns Read More Twennies Serves up Doses of Nostalgia and Futuristic Danceability

Sheku Kanneh-Mason Sheku Kanneh-Mason by Ella Mazur “It’s a great luxury and, to be honest, very addictive.” WORDS BY EMMA SCHMIEDECKE | NOTTINGHAM | PERFORMING ARTS JUN 12, 2023 | ISSUE 11 UPBRINGING sM | Your musical sensibilities seem deeply informed by traditional folk songs. What was your exposure to it growing up? SKM ── My mom’s side of the family is Welsh and that’s where I was exposed to Welsh traditional music, so that’s very important to me. But I’ve always just been interested in discovering music that I don’t know. That led to me listening to a wide range of things. I think there’s something very direct about folk music and more traditional music. There’s nothing artificial or imposed on it that takes away from this direct conversation between you and the music. I think the cello is an instrument that is very vocal and sounds very personal, and so lends itself very well to this kind of music, even though it’s not an instrument that’s traditionally used in a lot of these styles. I will always be interested in lots of different styles and exploring them, and will continue to do that. Of course, my focus on classical music is gonna take up a lot of time and a lot of focus. That’s what I love as well. But there’s space in my mind and in my heart to do lots of other things.

COMPOSER: Fazil Say Fazil Say by Fethi Karaduman On returning back to Bach WORDS BY EMMA SCHMIEDECKE | ISTANBUL | PERFORMING ARTS FEB 27, 2023 | ISSUE 11 Pianist and composer Fazil Say is no stranger to the concert stage or the composition page. Having taken to both at a very young age, he honed his craft through an international circuit of tutors, and undertook work that has flourished into a career spanning nearly thirty years. Born in Turkey in 1970, Say wrote his first sonata at the age of 14 and studied with David Levine at the Musikhochschule “Robert Schumann” in Düsseldorf. He went on to win one of the most prestigious prizes in the United States, the Young Concert Artists Auditions in 1994. He’s since enjoyed an active concertizing career with regular appearances on five continents and with every period and style of music─from Bach to his own compositions. In December 2016, Say was awarded the International Beethoven Prize for Human Rights, Peace, Freedom, Poverty Reduction and Inclusion in Bonn, Germany, and in the autumn of 2017, he was awarded the Music Prize of the City of Duisburg in Germany. His latest recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations — a titanic piece of the piano repertoire — is the topic of his conversation with smART Magazine . Contemplating the legacy of Bach’s masterpiece, and how his role as a...