Photos by Rita Leistner

Wandered through a powerful exhibition at the Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf on the Southbank earlier this month. EcoCentrix: Indigenous Arts, Sustainable Acts included the work of more than 40 artists from the Americas, Australia, the Pacific and South Africa. Installed over four floors of the incredible space – which felt a lot like a loft complex one might find in DUMBO, Brooklyn - the exhibit housed a truly breathtaking range of photographs, digital media, sounds, texts and crafted objects. Much of it was interactive, and included an array of live performances and workshops that I was disappointed to have missed (I stumbled upon EcoCentrix on its last day).

What has haunted me since was a devastating installation on the top floor: The REDress Project, created by Winnipeg-based Métis artist Jaime Black. Red dresses were suspended throughout the dark, cavernous space – the effect was chilling and rather terrifying – the room felt filled with ghosts. Black conceived the piece in honour of the more than six hundred Aboriginal women reported missing or murdered in Canada. As much as I was spooked and uncomfortable in the space, the tragedy of these women was overwhelming such that I also wanted to stay with them a bit. 

Less disturbing but equally resonant exhibits included Irma Poma Canchumani’s astonishing gourds, upon which she carves the storyboards for the films she then goes on to produce.

And these gorgeous kites from Guatemala - gigantic bamboo and paper creations made to be flown on the Days of the Dead, in which ancestors are allowed to revisit the world of the living.

I also loved this room, which gives a good sense of how perfect the Bargehouse was as a setting for EcoCentrix; in it are photos and costumes of the Masi Maidens – Rosanna Raymond and Katrina Igglesden – whose performance I wish I had seen.

took hill's advice- nothing beats a good bankrobber flick when you're feeling broke- (a double-header of vincent cassel doesn't hurt either...)

Finally managed to make it to the New Enquiry salon over at Brazenhead - although I only intended to stay for a bit, mainly just to get my book fix & see Michael. However it was quite a party (Brazenhead is tiny, so it doesn't take many people to make the place feel like it's packed).

After exploring a bit - I could stay in there for days just gawping at all the books- I found myself blabbing away about Sherry & Narcotics to this kind soul named Ben- then felt like a complete ass when it turned out to be Benjamin Hale, author of The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore - a book I've heard so much about & have been dying to read, but was waiting for it to come out in paperback (not just for the reduction in price, but the thing is like 600 pages long!!)

Anyway. You never know who you are going to run into at Brazenhead. I even stayed for some of the readings, which were great. And of course, spotted a few treasures (& the just plain titillating)...