Urban Planner: June 26, 2009

By Vicky Peters

Urban Planner is Torontoist’s daily guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].

Tropical Far North – Ontario by Chris Young, courtesy of Harbourfront and Boreal Communications.

ART: Harbourfront reveals a stunning look at Canada’s northern forests with a new exhibit “RESPECT: A Photo Odyssey Celebrating Canada’s Boreal Forest,” opening with a public reception tonight (on through October 12). The project’s curator Louise Larivière invited nine leading photojournalists to document the region over a period of nine months beginning last fall. The work culminates with over seventy huge prints made from the resulting photographs. Also opening are several supporting exhibits looking at the culture and peoples of Canada’s northern forests. Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West), 6–10 p.m., FREE.
LECTURE: Six Nations activist Ben Powless recently visited indigenous communities in Peru, following recent struggles there over government-supported corporate land-grabs. Powless speaks tonight at a Ryerson University Social Justice and Democracy forum “Blood and Oil Don’t Mix: A report back from the front lines in Peru.” Recently incarcerated fellow activist Bob Lovelace of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation also speaks on the topic of justice (or lack thereof). Rogers Communication Centre, Room 204 (80 Gould Street), 7 p.m., FREE.
MUSIC: Local electronic-music promoters breakandenter have invited German minimal house pioneer Dan Bell (aka DBX) for a special performance in The Basement. Joining Bell are Toronto duo Metalogic, known for their prolific new sound creations and high-intensity rhythms. Also playing the show are Task, Eric Downer, and Martin Fazekas, with visuals by Wustenarchitekten. The Basement (178 Bathurst Street); 10 p.m.; $15 before 11:30 p.m., $20 after.
ART: The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art launches its summer show with a burst of youthful exhibitionism. “Pulp Fiction” pulls together some of Canada’s leading underground graphic artists and comic-book illustrators for a big splash in the pop-culture pool. Toronto band The D’Urbervilles play the opening reception. Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (952 Queen Street West), 7–11 p.m., FREE.
FILM: Last weekend a small group of ambitious (and crazy?) Toronto filmmakers were whispered a secret theme, handed a surprise element, and allotted twenty-four hours to complete a four-minute opus. The best films from the Third Annual Toronto 24-Hour Film Race will go on to compete against other North American contenders for over forty thousand dollars in Film Race prizes. All of the resulting short films submitted by the Toronto competitors are screening tonight at the Bloor. Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor Street West), 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., $9.