For Curtains Up by Samantha Wexler
This week kicks off a series of events affiliated with Under Pressure and Fresh Paint Gallery. First there is the Beaux Dégâts event on Wednesday August 7th at 7pm at Foufounes Électriques ($5 cover charge). Beaux Dégâts is an event where six teams will battle for glory. Each team is given a large piece of plywood and a theme and they have to come up with the best image for that theme in two hours. Votes are cast by guests at the event who put their empty beer cans into the trash of the team that they want to win. The team with the most empty beer cans at the end wins!
The next event – Women & Hip Hop Culture Conference is on Thursday August 8 6:30pm at Fresh Paint Gallery (221 St Catherine East, $2 cover). This conference will address the different issues surrounding women and being a woman in the hip hop and graffiti culture. Through a series of panelists of women who are filmmakers, graffiti writers and artists along with a mediator these women will explore whether women are really and truly feel 100% integrated into the culture and if they do how did they manage this integration and how can other women do the same.
The third event is the 18th annual Under Pressure International Graffiti Convention that will run from August 10-11 on the walls near les Foufounes Électriques. Every year graffiti artists from around the world come to Montreal to participate in this event. Each year just days before the event the walls that were used the previous year are painted black so that they are a blank canvas for the artists. This adds to the ephemeral quality of the work which is not meant to last. Akin to the spirit of a mandala created by buddhist monks these tags, throw-ups and pieces are meant to be enjoyed in the moment and change over time, the paint peels, other people tag over the work or add to it. This year promises to be the best and most epic year to date with only he best writers being invited! If you are a graff aficionado or are simply interested in seeing some art work being created live – do not miss this event! There will also be merchandise on sale to commemorate the event. Both Under Pressure and Fresh Paint are independent entities that rely in volunteers and donations to keep running. It is made accessible by the people and for the people.
