Mid-September officially ushers in the start of autumn, with its falling leaves, cooling temperatures and shorter days. The days of summer may be over, but the events continue! From art gallery openings and literary readings to movie nights and youth fests, there are plenty of festivities, celebrations, exhibits, conversations, roundtables and performances to check out throughout the city.
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Place des Arts Gallery Exhibitions
Sept. 9–Oct. 1
Place des Arts, Coquitlam
Visit the Place des Arts Gallery as they unveil three new exhibits for the month of September. Check out Helena Wadsley’s charcoal drawings “Maple, Maple,” featuring drawings of iconic Norwegian maples, showing the ways we ought to appreciate and care for nature. Ken Hughes’ In Other Words is a series of acrylics examining the ways texts can reveal new meanings and expressions, revitalizing the notion of texts as symbols. Finally, Art Feats, showcases the various artworks of the best of Place des Arts’ vibrant and creative community.
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Keith Langergraber: Betrayal at Babylon
Sept. 9–Oct. 23
Burnaby Art Gallery
The Tower of Babel is an ancient myth that tells the story of the origin of different languages. When men wanted to build a tower tall enough to reach the heavens, God “confused their language” and spread them throughout the world. Emily Carr instructor Keith Langergraber’s “Betrayal at Babylon” follows a gang of hunters and prospectors on their journey back to Babel, who, along the way, question the validity of language as a source of knowledge and come to grips with the problematic nature of narrative.
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Collected, Traces, and Still Here
Sept. 14–17, 8–9:30 p.m.
Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver
Catch the Vancouver premiere of Co.ERASGA’s “Collected, Traces, and Still Here,” by award winning dance artist and choreographer Alvin Erasga Tolentino. Using a Southeast Asian fabric, the Malong, and a Buddhist hand gesture, the Mudras, seven dancers from Canada and the Philippines will use their bodies as a canvas to evoke traditional indigenous Asian practices, shedding light on the past, memory and identity. Tolentino pays homage to his Asian roots, showing how ancient practices remain relevant today.
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Facing the Anthropocene
Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Vancouver
www.sfu.ca/sfuwoodwards/events
Scientists from the Anthropocene Working Group have argued that since the end of the Second World War, earth has entered into a new epoch of its history called the Anthropocene. With the advent of nuclear power, increased industrial production and environmental waste, and the population boom, humans are having a profound impact on the planet’s well-being, immeasurably changing the face of the planet. At SFU Goldcorp, environmental activist Ian Angus will launch his new book, Facing the Anthropocene, and discuss what the age of humans is doing to the planet and what that means to civilization and future generations.
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Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Sept 16, 5:30–10 p.m.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver
www.vancouverchinesegarden.com
The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important Chinese festival honouring family and togetherness and worshipping the first full moon in the fall equinox. In Vancouver, you can eat moon cakes, gaze at the moon through telescopes, listen to stories about Chang’e, the Moon Goddess, and much more at the Classical Chinese Garden on Sept. 16. This family friendly festival will entertain adults and children alike with Chinese lore, lunar arts and crafts, live music, martial arts demonstrations and more. Space is limited; tickets are available on their website.
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Star Trek celebrates 50 years on the air.| Photo by Gage Skidmore.
Sci-Fi Fall ft. Star Trek
Various dates in September & October
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Vancouver
Fifty years ago on Sept. 8, 1966, the first episode of the best sci-fi franchise ever to grace television aired: Star Trek. This cultural phenomenon has influenced many facets of our society, from technology to medicine, culture and language and, of course, space exploration. In Vancouver, Trekkies and sci-fi aficionados alike can converge at H.R. MacMillan to mix and mingle with each other celebrating the quinquagenary of Star Trek. On Sept. 15, catch a double bill of the second and fourth Trek movies. On Sept. 17, bring the family to play with interactive sci-fi figures, props and spaceships. And on Sept. 22, watch the fifth Trek movie with gentlemen hecklers. For more details, visit the Space Centre’s website.
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Country Celebration
Sept. 17–18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Campbell Valley Regional Park, Township of Langley
www.metrovancouver.org/countrycelebration
Is city life too hectic? Dragging you down? Well, why not come on down to Langley’s Campbell Valley Regional Park and celebrate all things country with food, live music and entertainment, activities and demonstrations. Navigate a straw bale maze, paint and fire up your own Raku pottery, eat some old country style pierogis and check out the many exhibits showcasing the best that country life has to offer.
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A Field Guide to Lies with Daniel Levitin
Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Frederic Wood Theatre, University of British Columbia
The Vancouver Writers Fest presents an evening with McGill professor Daniel Levitin featuring his latest work, A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age. With the proliferation of media in the online world, how can one sort out the truth from the distortions, pseudo-facts and outright lies? Join Levitin, and journalist and lecturer Kathryn Gretsinger, as he walks attendees through this veritable minefield, showing us how to recognize faulty reasoning and reveal accessible ways to think critically about the information we see and hear.
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LiterASIAN 2016
Sept. 21–25
Various venues in Vancouver
The Asian Canadian Writers Society is putting on LiterASIAN 2016, a five day conference celebrating and honouring Asian Canadian Writing. This year’s theme examines history and memory: examining the ways the past is recorded and how the deeds of earlier generations are illuminated. There will be book launches, author readings, writing workshops and cultural panels featuring writing luminaries such as Joy Kogawa, Paul Yee, Edwin Lee and Judy Hanazawa.
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Through My Eyes: The Syrian Conflict Through the Eyes of a Young Syrian Photographer
Sept. 29–30, 7–11 p.m.
Visual Space Gallery, Vancouver
The Visual Space Gallery will be hosting the photographs of 18 year old Syrian refugee Abdulazez Dukhan, which depict the devastation and suffering happening in Syria as a result of the Syrian Civil War. Amidst the shattered dreams and destruction, Dukhan wants his photographs to highlight the hope and beauty of the Syrian people and bring voice to the struggles and hardships in a time of crisis. On opening night on Sept. 29, Dukhan will have an interactive conversation via Skype with audience members here. American photographer Jeremy Oversier will also be present with his photos of displaced Syrian refugees at the al Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan.
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Burnaby International Folk Dancing
Tuesdays, 7–9:30 p.m.
Charles Rummel Community Centre, Burnaby
Ever wanted to try and learn folk dancing? Then why not come on down to Burnaby’s Charles Rummel Community Centre and join the Folk Dancing Group! Meeting every Tuesday evening from September to June, the dancers teach and perform dancing styles from various cultures throughout the world. They will host a free open house on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. No partner or prior experience is necessary; beginners are welcome.
