HAITI | Photo Essay

We came across Voices of Haiti, a beautiful photo essay by Jeremy Cowart depicting the people of Haiti. Moved by the January earthquake in Haiti that killed 230,000 and left 1.6 million homeless, Jeremy traveled to Port-Au-Prince and simply asked people, “What do you have to say about all this?”.

The result is a collection of powerful photographs which, in contrast to the images we normally see in the media, capture the hope and strength in Haiti, amidst the poverty and destruction.

Ak Lanmo Nap Venk Tout Bagay! | Love Conquers All!

This photo essay comes at a time of a cholera epidemic and politically instability following elections in Haiti. The prints are availabe for purchase, with 100% of proceeds going to Safewater Nexus, a non-profit that will donate tents to 700,000 people.

As a side note, another great non-profit close to our hearts is All Hands Volunteers (formerly Hands On Disaster Response), an organization in Haiti where two Skewed contributors have personally volunteered. Harry Fellows, a fellow volunteer and photographer has put together a beautiful photography book of Haitian portraits here. The book is available for purchase with all proceeds going to All Hands. To donate directly to the cause, please visit www.hands.org/donate.

TIS THE SEASON | Film, Theatre and Crafts

The Arts Club Theatre Company’s It’s a Wonderful Life, runs until Jan. 2 but check it out this week and beat the holiday rush. Based on the classic Christmas film, this story promises to be a real tear-jerker.

The European Union Film Festival is in full swing. The festival runs until Dec. 9, 2010. Enjoy the chance to be transported to Europe for the day.

And speaking of all things European, make sure to check out the Vancouver Christmas Market. This year a traditional German Christmas Market comes to Vancouver for the first time. Lots of food and merchadise to browse, from wooden carvings to nutcrackers. If this doesn’t get you into the Christmas spirit, nothing else will. And make sure to order the hot spiced wine… your welcome.

‘Tis the season for craft fairs. From Dec. 9 – 12, The One of a Kind Show will be on at the New Vancouver Convention Centre. Focusing on homegrown talent, the craft show brings innovative artists, craftspeople, and designers together sharing their unique creations. Check out the vast selection and on-site perks for “a personal shopping experience like no other.”

If that doesn’t settle your search for handmade gifts, shop online at Poppytalk Handmade’s Holiday Market, curated by the Canadian design blog, Poppytalk.

CARL WAGNER | Food Photography

Just when you thought you had seen it all in food photography, Carl Wagner takes it to another level. He uses everyday food items to build miniature landscapes in his London studio.

The images are a delicious; his 25 years of experience in the field result in sharp images that are rich in colour and texture.

Click HERE to read the rest of the article. By the end of it, you will feel inspired… and a little hungry.

LARRY. | Loves Compass[ION]

In support of the Covenant House in Vancouver, ION Magazine & larry. have teamed up, putting together a night marked by local talents, music, art, gifts and donations. Join them on December 5, 2010, at Guilt & Co (Water St. at Carrall St. in Gastown), and help support this great cause.

“Covenant House offers aid for youth aged 13-24 who are living on the streets of our own city. Each day young people come to them damaged from abuses of the past, desperately needing love and guidance. In a time of giving, most people think of children and families, but youth of this particular demographic often get overlooked.

Last year ION raised enough donated new clothes and funds to provide full outfits to 53 males and 24 females that were staying at the Covenant House Rights of Passage and the At Risk program. This year, we hope to surpass those numbers and outfit even more kids with new, warm clothes.”

For more info, click here.

FREE ART IN YOUR POCKET | Poolga

We’ve mentioned Poolga before as a site we like. Now they’ve launched an iPod/iPhone app, reminding us just how easy they’ve been making awesome artwork accessible – especially for your electronic companions.

The free app, Poolga Collection #1, curated by Luis Mendo, features 15 artists and their work adapted for the iPhone screen. The app is fresh and dynamic, as well as simple and very easy to use, definitely one of my favorite latest downloads.

EMMYS | UBC Journalism

The students of the UBC Graduate School of Journalism can now add the prestigious title of Emmy Award winners to their resumes.

A few weeks ago, they won in the Outstanding Investigative Journalism category. In the process, they beat out heavy hitters like 60 Minutes, 48 Hours and Nightline.

Their documentary, Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, offers a fascinating view on electronic waste and its effects on health, and raises concerns associated with security and sustainability.

The students made headlines when they purchased discarded hard drives in Ghana for $40 (Cdn) that contained sensitive information about multimillion-dollar contracts between Northrop Grumman, one of the largest military contractors in the U.S., and the Pentagon, Air Marshall Service and Department of Homeland Security.

View the documentary HERE.
The full press release can be found HERE.

YOUTUBE PLAY | Winners

The YouTube Play: A Biennial of Creative Video contest was held last month, with the intention of finding the most creative and innovative videos from all over the world and making them available to YouTube’s wide audience.

With more than 23,000 short video entries submitted, the difficult task was narrowing them down to a final list of 25, which included two Canadian entries.

I Met the Walrus, an entry from Toronto, adds animation to a John Lennon interview from 1969.

The top 25 entries, hand-picked by an international jury, were revealed and exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York on October 21, 2010. They will also be shown at the Guggenheim Museums in Bilbao, Venice and Berlin, as well as being featured on YouTube.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF OUR FAVOURITES

MURAL LOCATOR | An Online Database

This is awesome!

Mural Locator is a simple to use web tool for helping people locate murals around the world.

Archiving images and locations of public art wall murals, the site is easy to navigate and is perfect for a little visual break on the net. Search for works and locations through the main map or just browse through randomly. I’m betting this would be a great guide for a ‘public art’ themed walk around a new city or on a trip.

Have info and photos of murals? Submit them to the site.

Via Notcot.org