Willo Perron creates worlds of light and colour, immersive scenescapes that evoke vivid sensory realms.
Ayesha Habib
How False Memories Shape Personal Identity
As more time passes, each memory becomes a recollection of a recollection, distorting with every iteration like a game of telephone.
A Future for Memory: MOA Exhibition Considers Life After Disaster
How does a singular, destructive event bleed across time? How does it change our relationship to the objects and natural world around us?
The Sound of Identity with Desiire
Desiire emulates the complexity of identity through sound.
Reggae Singer Lyndon John X on History and Music
The singer and Juno Award-winner sifts through history to tell stories about African culture as well as his lived experiences.
Soul Singer Clerel on Culture and Music
Clerel’s musical journey has been a process of self discovery.
Introducing SLM, Montreal’s Rising Hip-Hop Artist
Inspired by the icons fronting the vanguard of female hip-hop, from Nicki Minaj to Missy Elliott, SLM is aiming high.
Montreal Rapper Lou Phelps on Being Extra Extra
Comparing himself to an early version of Common, Phelps sees himself belonging to the modern rebirth of neo-soul music.
Toronto Rapper Haviah Mighty on Black Identity and Music
Haviah Mighty’s music radiates with a sense of overwhelming fortitude, ready to burst through her songs at the seams, from the power of her delivery to her lyrical depth.
Inaction at the Richmond Art Gallery Addresses Violence Against Marginalized Bodies
The work by the Canadian choreographer and artist was originally created in the aftermath of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016, but the message is still relevant today.
The Global Sound of Montreal Artist Töme
A fusion of Afrobeats, R&B, and dance-influenced sounds, Töme’s style defies genre as much as it embraces it.
Toronto Rapper TOBi on the Purpose of Music
There’s a dual purpose to the Toronto rapper’s songs: one born out of necessity and one born out of healing.
Toronto R&B Singer Malachi on Being a Versatile Artist
If Malachi could be summarized in a single word, it would be “versatile.” The Toronto singer approaches music like a sport and with a singular focus: to be the best.
The Rise of Quebec Rapper Zach Zoya
The Quebec rapper’s lyrics twist and turn from rapid bars to melodic rhythms, delivered with signature precision and style.
Finding Healing Through Music With Stephen Voyce
Stephen Voyce’s relationship to music is one born of loss and healing.
Montreal Songstress Dominique Fils-Aimé on the Colours of Music
Dominique Fils-Aimé sees music in primary colours: the blues are blue like silent nights, jazz is red like the violence of revolution, and soul is yellow like the sun and healing.
8 BIPOC Beauty Brands to Support
For the beauty space specifically, opting for businesses owned and/or operated by BIPOC is one step toward shifting the social narrative to culture keepers.
New Albums Our Editors Are Listening to
A curated list of new album releases, handpicked just for you.
An Athleisure Line Inspired by Vancouver’s Mountains
Founder Tavia Bonetti turned to the natural terrain and childhood memories of her hometown to guide the brand’s latest collection.
Lessons From an Immortal Jellyfish
This tiny jellyfish managed to sidestep death and achieve what so many centuries of human culture have romanticized: immortality.
The Vancouver Art Gallery Envisions a New Future
Where do we go from here? reflects on the tumult of 2020 and, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, considers the VAG’s own role as a collecting and exhibition institution.
Toronto Songstress Savannah Ré on the Strength of Vulnerability
Her lyrics, which often touch on the complexities and contradictions of love and relationships, prod at the messiness of being human.
Canada Goose Teams Up with OVO for a Limited-Release Capsule Collection
Toronto-born fashion icons Canada Goose and October’s Very Own (OVO) are celebrating their anniversary with a capsule collection dedicated to the Canadian terrain.
5 Hair-Repair Treatments for Winter Air
Here, we recommend five hair-repair treatments for an extra dose of TLC during the winter months.
Blues Meets Rap Meets Something New with TOBi
TOBi’s musicality is a harmonious blend of soul, R&B, and rap; he seamlessly shifts between rapping and singing with a stylistic fluidity.
Jennifer Abbott’s Lamentation for a Dying Planet
Jennifer Abbott’s new documentary The Magnitude of All Things dissects the grief of climate change.
Riopelle at the MMFA
A new exhibition pays homage to the multi-faceted artist.
Nobis x Serge Ibaka: the Toronto Raptor Drops his First Winter Capsule
Bridging the basketball player’s personal streetwear-influenced style with Nobis’ technical components, the capsule promotes an ethos of “functional beauty.”
David Shrigley and Maison Ruinart Transforms an Esteemed Champagne into Art
To immerse himself in the world of Ruinart’s wine, Shrigley spent time wandering the vineyards and cellars of Champagne, observing the methods and idiosyncrasies of labourers in the fields, and—importantly—drinking some champagne.
How Women Are Dominating Tofino’s Surf Scene
It’s not just the mere existence of plenty of female surfers in Tofino that’s exceptional, it’s that there is a palpable culture of empowered and empowering women encouraging each other to excel in the sport.
Editors’ Playlist: New Songs to Listen to
A curated list of new song releases, handpicked for you.
Where to Find the Best Pasta in Vancouver
Some of the most delectable pasta offerings can be found in Vancouver. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular spots and some hidden gems in the city.
Perfect Strangers: A New Photography Book Documents the Life Before the Pandemic
In our imagination, strangers can become anything and everything; they are perfect by virtue of their unknowability.
Not Just a Label
The online platform is a digital showroom, marketplace, and creative hub for contemporary fashion designers all in one.
Miljours Slow Living Goods
Indulgent in all the right ways, the personification of the Miljours spirit is one that values quality over quantity.
Ramy’s May Calamawy on the Show’s Representations of Muslims and Gender
To many—Muslim viewers in particular—the show is a refreshing departure from typical representations of Islam in the mainstream media.
Vital Voices: Assouline’s Upcoming Publication Celebrates 100 Powerful Women
The tome is as much a piece of art as it is a slice of history.
Petra Collins’ Debut Fashion Collection is Unapologetically Apologetic
Heavily influenced by her personal style and artistic vision, the line translates the dreamy nostalgia of female adolescence into wearable pieces.
What Films to Watch at TIFF This Year (and How to Watch Them)
With a focus on first-rate international cinema and Canadian creativity, TIFF 2020’s lineup “reflects [the] tumult” of the year.”
Violinist and Vocalist Sudan Archives
With each EP release the LA-based self-taught musician puts out, she sidesteps a defining genre, switching up and maturing her sound as if each song were a lesson.
Marie Clements on the Absolute Necessity of Storytelling
A Marie Clements play moves like a poem across the stage, unspooling metaphors in sound and light, movement and dialogue.
Edward Burtynsky Exhibition Reveals the Artistry of Canadian Landscapes
Featuring photographs taken while in isolation during the early days of the pandemic in Grey County, Ontario, Natural Order presents immensely detailed scenes of a thawing Canadian forest.
Fair Trade Fashion Brand Room 502 Launches Collection Inspired by Film
Born out of Theallet and Francoeur’s romance and launched late last year, the Montreal-based luxury design brand is a harmony of fair trade fashion and traditional craftsmanship.
Lexxicon’s New Album Sets Dancehall Beats to Isolation Anxieties
Breaking the mould of structured genre, Lexxicon’s sound—which melds hip-hop and R&B with reggae and dancehall beats—is an amalgamation of his personality and origins.
10 Tea Shops to Visit in Vancouver
From authentic Chinese tea tasting to classic high tea experiences, we’ve rounded up ten of Vancouver’s best and most historic tea shops.
Vancouver Queer Film Festival Goes Virtual for 2020
Screening online from August 13 to 23, the film festival will feature over 60 films from 10 countries, as well as virtual Q&As with filmmakers, panels, parties, and workshops.
A Cold Brew Recipe From Dispatch Coffee
Hot weather calls for cold coffee.
15 New Songs to Add to Your Summer 2020 Playlist
Here, we’ve compiled a summertime playlist of new releases to dance to, cry to, sip to, and escape to.
Crown Lands’ New Music Video Offers Tribute to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn, Girls, and Two-Spirits
“The missing are our matriarchs, our queens, our kin, our givers of life. We owe them answers.”
The MMFA’s Latest Exhibition Turns to the Post-Impressionist Days of Paris
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ latest exhibition takes a Midnight in Paris-esque turn to la belle époque.
A Guide to Styling Curly Hair
It can often feel like our curls have a mind of their own: coils, flyaways, and frizz each have a unique temperament answerable only to the moon. Navigating the unpredictability of curly hair’s twists and turns requires a healthy dose of patience—and the right products.
How to Honour Indigenous Culture Beyond National Indigenous Peoples Day
While National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day of celebration, the effort to learn and respect the complex cultures of Canada’s Indigenous communities can extend far beyond a single day.
Celebrate National Vermouth Day With These Cocktail Recipes From Ampersand Distilling Co.
In celebration of National Vermouth Day (June 19), Ampersand Distilling Co. has released a second limited-edition run of its Imperative Dry Vermouth, made in collaboration with Victoria winery Rathjen Cellars.
The MMFA Spotlights Contemporary Indigenous Art for National Indigenous Peoples Day
In the lead-up to National Indigenous Peoples Day, on June 21, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art (MMFA) is spotlighting exemplary Indigenous contemporary art across its online platforms for public viewing.
Toronto Artist Benny Bing’s BLOOM Exhibition Reclaims Narratives of African Beauty
Benny Bing’s paintings are unapologetic statements of colour and composition; the self-taught painter creates work that celebrates the beauty of black bodies in a system of unequal representation.
The Skin We’re In: Desmond Cole on Systemic Racism in Canada
The activist’s book provides tangible evidence of instances of racial oppression, tension, and violence in Canada, which are not one-off exceptions, but rather part of a complex system of laws and tactics rooted in imbalanced power structures.
10 New Music Video Releases to Watch
For a visual perspective to enhance and amplify your music experience, here are 10 recommended new music video releases to watch and listen to.
The New Black Vanguard: Redefining Fashion Photography
“There is no question that representation is central to power. The real struggle is over the power to control images.”
Q&A: Exploring African Mythic Worlds with Photographer Ayana V. Jackson
“Throughout the world, you will find myth and folklore related to the water. This is nothing other than a testimony to humanity’s respect for their source material. We are all mostly water, after all.”
The Art of Quarantine: Tierney Milne’s Storefront Murals Spread Messages of Hope
Though many creatives have had dips in work, initiatives like Belgian Moon’s #UnderTheSameMoon campaign have made strides in supporting artists by commissioning art projects across Canada with messages of unity.
Bruno Major on Love, Writing, Quarantine, and His New Album To Let a Good Thing Die
The British singer-songwriter’s soft songs are tinged with a careful balance of melancholy, heartache, and nostalgia—a soundtrack for imaginary breakups and forgotten loves.
A 36-Hour Virtual Costa Rica Travel Guide
Visit Costa Rica has put together a weekend guide to travel the country’s culinary offerings, natural landscapes, and culture—all from home.
Why Adult Animation Shows Like Netflix’s Midnight Gospel Are the Perfect Form of Escapism Right Now
In anxiety-ridden times, there’s something comforting about stories that are removed from our reality entirely, yet rooted in human emotion.
Drive-In Art: Socially Distant Van Gogh Art Exhibition Opens in Toronto Next Month
Accommodating up to 14 vehicles per 35-minute time slot, the concept is the first of its kind in the world.
What Post-COVID Travel Should Look Like, According to G Adventures’ Bruce Poon Tip
Bruce Poon Tip, founder of the small-group travel company G Adventures, considers the world of travel post-COVID in a new e-book, Unlearn: The Year the Earth Stood Still, a 24-page “love letter to travellers.”
Exploring Sonic Worlds With Black Atlass’ Dream Awake
The 35-minute experience, best listened to in one sitting alone at night according to Fleming, captures in sound both the depth of intimacy and the fleeting intoxication of young love.
Local Natives Release an Album of Remixes of Their Most Popular Songs
Alternative-folk band Local Natives’ latest album, Violet Street Remixes, is a curation of remixed tracks off of the band’s fourth album, which released this time last year.
Nashulai: Kenya’s First Community-Owned Wildlife Conservancy During COVID-19
As the first conservancy to be governed by the local Maasai community—the pastoralist tribe the Mara is named after—Nashulai is a unique model of wildlife and community conservation.
6 Examples of Creativity in a Quarantined World
Here, we’ve compiled a list of how creators around the world have responded to the COVID-19 crisis through creative expression.
Middle Eastern Streetwear Loveclosely
The Middle East meets West in Loveclosely’s designs, which infuse contemporary styles—influenced by the likes of Drôle de Monsieur and Adidas—with motifs inspired by Middle Eastern art, poetry, and architecture.
How Tiger King Reveals the Excess of American Entertainment
The entire show feels like a caricature of how much of the outside world views America.
Polaris Prize-Winner Haviah Mighty on the Power of Underdogs
Haviah Mighty is power personified. The command that her voice, flow, and performance hold over audiences attests to a confidence as natural as her real name: Mighty.
RAW Artists Canada’s Mask Making Initiative Turns Crisis into Creativity
The organization has turned to the creativity of Canadian artists to help produce personal protective equipment for those working in essential services.
New Album Releases to Add to Your Quarantine Playlist
Let music be your escape with these new album releases, chosen by our editors.
The Art of Solitude
As we’re faced with it, the muddled chaos of our loneliness is disarming at first. But there’s a magic to being comfortably alone.
What Our Editors Are Listening to This Spring
Refine your next playlist with this selection of recent album releases, curated by our editors.
Watch: Toronto Artist STORRY’s Surreal Claymation Music Video
The claymation, painstakingly created over four months, follows a couple as one partner falls into a cycle of consumption and greed while the other is left to pick up the pieces.
The Philosophy of Meme Culture
What can memes tell us about Gen Z, the most socially conscious and digitally connected generation?
Stranger than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition
Spread across eight rooms, the exhibition will hold over 300 pieces, including items from Cave’s personal collection, as well as large scale installations and original atmospheric soundscapes.
BMW Art Journey Recipient Zac Langdon-Pole Talks About the Stars
Zac Langdon-Pole, recipient of the BMW Art Journey, on looking to the stars through different cultural lenses for his art project, Sutures of the Sky, and book, Constellations, which launched at Art Basel Miami Beach.
How Toronto Non-Profit Honey Jam Is Helping Women Navigate the Music Industry
Each year, a group of female-identifying musicians and performers audition to take part in Honey Jam’s programming, which has launched the career of Nelly Furtado in 1997 and more recently, of Polaris Prize winner Haviah Mighty.
The Girotondo Lamp: Illuminating Design
Modern design gets nostalgic with the Girotondo floor lamp, shaped with undulating curves reminiscent of a spinning top in motion.
Shuvinai Ashoona Bridges Reality and Fantasy at the Vancouver Art Gallery
Ashoona seems to have retained what so many adults lose in life: the ability to create from an infinite realm of imagination.
ROM Exhibition Explains how Indian Chintz Changed the World
The chintz created by India from the 1600s was unparalleled to anything else at the time. Indian artisans had not only mastered an immense chemical knowledge in order to apply bright dyes onto cloth, but they also managed to monopolize a global trade of the textile.
Dating in the Digital Age
NUVO Thoughts: If the advent of online dating apps, such as Tinder or Bumble, brought the collective of single smartphone users any excitement at the new expanses of romantic possibility, that sentiment seems to be ebbing. But that doesn’t mean they’ll be deleting these apps any time soon.
A Guide to Spinning, and Where to Spin Across Canada
Fitness trends come and go with the seasons, and spinning—stationary indoor cycling—has steadily been gaining popularity amongst busy professionals, students, and fitness enthusiasts. It’s easy to see why: spinning classes are like gym session–rave hybrids.
Paradise Island: The Atlantis Bahamas
The Atlantis is a resort of epic proportions, offering all the elements necessary to achieve a balance of relaxation and adventure.
16 Canadian Songs to Add to Your New Year’s Eve Playlist
We’ve lined up these newly-released tracks by our favourite Canadian artists to add a little Northern touch to your New Year festivities—no matter what you have planned.
Searching for Mountain Gorillas
In the misty mountains of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, these primates are slowly reclaiming their population—and sustainable tourism is helping.
Serge Ibaka Is the New Face of Canadian Outerwear Brand Nobis
With his distinctly sharp sense of style—even with a broken ankle—Ibaka has been turning all sorts of heads, including Canadian outerwear brand Nobis, who has just named the player as their global ambassador.
Nocino: A Sip of Tradition
Nocino (“no-cheeno”) has a history filled with superstition and tradition.
The Sartorialist Turns a Lens to India’s Street Fashion
Street photographer Scott Schuman’s latest book The Sartorialist: India contains over 300 pages showing a delicate and stylistic side of India. Not the India of National Geographic, but a younger, fashionable India. An India with music festivals, tattoos, and dyed hair.
The Woman with a Velvet Voice, Celeste
If the past had a voice, it would sound like Celeste’s.
The Best Canadian Art Exhibitions of 2019
Here, we’ve assembled five of our favourite art exhibitions held across Canada—classic and contemporary, beautiful and necessary—in 2019, and two exhibitions still on view into the new year.
An Ancient Chinese Art Form Is Revisited by Gongbi Master Ren Zhong
Gongbi painter Ren Zhong’s skill in exactitude is matched by his ability to express emotional intensity.
Inventing Acadia: How Art Reveals the Untold Histories of Louisiana
Inventing Acadia: Painting and Place in Louisiana, currently on view at the New Orleans Museum of Art, is the first exhibition in 40 years to critically investigate 19th-century Louisiana landscape art.
Transits and Returns Explores Indigeneity at the Vancouver Art Gallery
The middle of a journey, where one is suspended in the midst of motion, is the starting point of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s exhibition Transits and Returns.
A Baroque Entrepreneur:
Peter Paul Rubens
Early Rubens, currently on at the Art Gallery of Ontario, commemorates one of the baroque period’s greatest painters at the height of his career.
Through the Lens: On Wildlife Photography with David Yarrow
The Glasgow-born photographer is best known for his striking black and white wildlife and fashion photography and his skill to capture the soul of each subject, be it a tiger, a polar bear, or a Victoria’s Secret model.
The Skin Care Company Cleaning-Up Men’s Grooming
Since 2013, Les Industries Groom has been dedicated to ethical and sustainable personal-care products for men.