October 31» 121/9 • FREE

www.peak.sfu.ca f Watching The Lost Boys on mute since 1965

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Thel

.drug

addict's -. *

reading
list

and other literary suggestions
arts: page \6 -17

7 IATSU spurs SFSS into action

7 Sweatshops to be voted on

ITS
The drug addict's reading list
Kimberly Brown
The Peak

bathed Lady Liberty in a warm, red glow that
lasted until authorities clued in and dismantled
the exhibit.
The Nova Library will be on display during
"My art is based on site-specific work," Winregular library hours on the main floor of the kler said in an interview. "So I try to intervene
Vancouver Public Library's Central Branch (350into the city — work with their symbols, my
impression of the city, and the people — and to
West Georgia Street), until November 30.
involve their ideas into the art piece."
"Maybe we need to condemn addicted people
So when Winkler was asked two years ago by
to make ourselves [feel] better," suggests artist the curator of the Grunt Gallery, Glen Alteen,
Hans Winkler. Born and raised in the Bavaria to do a Vancouver-based project, he readily acregion of Germany, Winkler is responsible for cepted. After an extensive scouring of the city on
the creation of the Nova Library, a collection foot, he became very interested in the dichotof books chosen by drug users and ex-addicts omy between the city's beautiful surrounding \
of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Produced landscape, and the image and surroundings of \
by the Grunt Gallery, this interactive exhibit is the Downtown Eastside.
a collection of approximately 500 books that
Wandering through the area, he often noticed
"represents the spirit, ideas, and creativity" of "many drug users sitting and reading."
that unique population.
He often discussed the concept of the Nova
The name Nova Library was inspired by the Library with the people he saw. "They just
book Nova Express by William S. Burroughs — got the idea immediately and they liked it,"
renowned author, drug user, and beatnik—just Winkler said.
one of the books included in the interesting,
"It became a very democratic and public interand surprising, collection. The project attempts vention for the public library," he explained.
to narrow the gap between "us" and "them." It
As democratic as it may have begun, when art
shows that we are all living beings with minds met bureaucratic institution, things ceased to
capable of containing thoughts, and thoughts run as smoothly. Winkler had to downsize his
that may not be so different from each other.
ideas: accept a smaller number of books to be
Winkler's interactive art has been responsible on display, and a smaller space than was anticifor bringing many regional social issues to light. pated. He explains that he was refused the right
Between 1988 and 2000, Winkler and an associ- and the funds to do construction in the space he
ate operated under the name R T. T. Red (Paint initially desired, and was unable to hang banThe Town Red), creating many pieces in public nersfromthe cement roof as he had planned.
space. Some of their "social sculptures" include
He was quite reluctant to follow that unbreakself-producing a newspaper in Istanbul earlier able rule of never posting or painting anything
this year with 15 young Turkish artists, focused on the cement pillars. If he'd hoped that the
on walking and working in public space. The word "Nova" painted in bold black letters on
paper was intended to open the eyes of the read- the central pillar would go unnoticed, it wasn't
ers to help them discover the aesthetic value of to be.
everyday life.
Despite complications, both parties ended up
In 2002, Winkler created his sinking gondola pleased with the outcome. "It was part of the
project in Venice, Italy, that mimicked the reality project," said Winkler. "Two worlds are getting
of the permanently sinking city. Winkler was also into a conversation, a dialogue . . . and by the
responsible for a piece in which red film footage end of the process I got a wide, interesting, and
was projected onto the Statue of Liberty. This beautiful selection."

Alice Munro: A strong, genuine,
and gentle voice
Mary Glasgow Brown
The Peak

with a long skirt of animal print patches and a
matching scarf around her neck, Munro stood
slightly bent at the podium to read her story.
Canadian author Alice Munro brought the stoMunro spoke with a strong, genuine, and
ries of her ancestors back to life for a sold-out gentle voice. She introduced the main chargroup of listeners at the Stanley Theatre on acter as one of her great grandfathers, of ScotSunday, October 23. As the Readers and Writ- tish descent, and briefed the audience on her
ers Festival Closing Performance, Munro read a ancestors' voyage to North America. Gathered
yet-unpublished story from what she is saying from old letters and family papers, the story was
— unconvincingly—will be her last book.
built out of the matter-of-fact grief after a young
"Munro is one of the Festival's all-time great- family's husband and father dies of cholera in
est guests," said a smiling Alma Lee, retiring the 1800s. The dead man's brother gathers the
festival director of 18 years, as she introduced family to bring them from Illinois up to Ontario.
the accomplished author. Munro was presented However, the eldest son decides the family
with the Order of the Forest Award for her ought to stay put, cooking up a plan to turn the
involvement in a modern movement towards ox and cart back homeward.
books printed only on forest-friendly paper.
The crowd frequently let out a good chuckle,
Since Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Love- as when Munro recounted humourous snipship, Marriage, all of Munro's books have been pets such as a young baby left in the stableboy's
printed this way.
bed by two mischievous young girls, with a note
The crowd, composed mainly of senior pinned to it reading "a gift for you from one of
women who gathered to listen, reflected Munro your sweethearts."
herself. Soft grey-white hair, a sharp sense of
I have only just started reading Munro's short
fashion, and a quick sense of humour were stories, but what I really appreciate is their
shared by many members of the audience along validation and wonder of the simple stories we
with the Governor-General award-winning au- encounter each day. Every person we meet each
thor herself. With her gently spiked hair parted day has a tale to tell; Munro finds these stories
with a black ribbon, and wearing a black blouse and offers them a place to belong.

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October 31, 2005

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