stir@ the blackwood

STIR

On Thursday March 19, 2009 the Blackwood Gallery at University of Toronto Mississauga will present a one-time live mixing performance in collaboration with University of Toronto's Celebration of the Arts and Artszone.

STIR is a multi-media mash-up by Sampradaya Dance Creations (Sinthiya Sivasithamparam, Nandini Krishna) in partnership with Toronto-based artist Faisal Anwar and the DJ collective Quadrasonic (Boris Castellanos, Alvaro Castellanos and Ulysses Castellanos). STIR is a project created through a series of collaborative and improvisational workshops directed by the contributing artists.

Mashups are a form of remixing, using varied sources of sound and video, both found and captured, combined in a dynamic way to produce a multi-visionary and multi-layered work.

7 - 8pm: PRE-STIR - Reception and performances by Sheridan and UofT Art & Art History Program students located in the Atrium CCT Building, University of Toronto Mississauga
8 - 9pm: STIR, MiST Theatre, CCT Building, University of Toronto Mississauga

A free bus leaves the Gladstone Hotel at 6:30pm, returns at 10pm

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Sampradaya Dance Creations
Lata Pada is the Artistic Director and founder of Sampradaya Dance Creations, which is at the forefront of South Asian dance in Canada. It is a dynamic Canadian dance company, internationally recognized for forging new paradigms in Canada's dance landscape. Lata Prada has garnered international acclaim and most recently the Order of Canada for her excellence in bharatanatyam, a traditional form of South Indian dance. Pada is the creative force behind the company which has carved out a unique niche for its work that spans a stunning range of solo and ensemble choreography. Sampradaya's wide range of activities includes local performances, international touring, cross-cultural partnerships, and extensive education and outreach activities. Performing for STIR are Sinthiya Sivasithamparam and Nandini Krishna.

Quadrasonic
The musical contribution for the workshop and festival will be created by Quadrasonic, a collaborative DJ crew that creates a visceral experience of movement and projected images. Founded by Alvaro Castellanos, Quadrasonic describes itself as producing "a way of transforming the art of deejaying." This innovative act takes shape as four DJs simultaneously work on eight turntables, an idea that transforms turntable ingenuity into an art form. Although soulful house music is the lingua franca of the men at the decks, their music sets incorporate everything from salsa to funk to old-school disco. Originally from El Salvador, three brothers are at the core of Quadrasonic: Ulysses, Alvaro and Boris Castellanos.

Faisal Anwar
Faisal Anwar is a digital media artist living in Toronto with diverse backgrounds in theatre, film, media, interactive art and graphic design. He is currently the director of an interactive art and design studio call DGDIP and is working as a new media director at Mammalian Diving Reflex. Anwar's art practice explores fictional, sociopolitical and edutainment narratives. Anwar is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre's Habitat-LAB, Interactive Arts and Entertainment Program 2004 and received his Bachelors in graphic design from the National College of Arts Pakistan 1996. He is one of the pioneers of The Puppeteers theatre group in Pakistan and has worked on many performances addressing social awareness in Pakistan. Faisal currently volunteers on the Programming Committee of SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Centre) and teaches part time at Centennial College.

Support generously provided by Ontario Arts Council, The Trillium Foundation and Artszone, University of Toronto.

For more information, call (905)828-3789 or visit www.blackwoodgallery.ca

Blackwood Gallery
University of Toronto Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Rd. N.
Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6