The Al Neil Project
October 15 – November 25, 2005
Reading, Music, Performance Art, Screening
About the Program
The Al Neil Project presented four evenings of interdisciplinary work by, and inspired by, Vancouver innovator Al Neil, a seminal force in the multi-disciplinary practices that have flourished on the West Coast. Al Neil's career as a musician, composer, writer, bricoleur, and performance artist spanned 60 years. His influence on Vancouver's artistic communities has been profound and enduring. This project endeavoured to reflect on and celebrate Neil's contribution to the development of avant-garde art practices in Vancouver and his legacy in the community, and included concerts, screenings, readings, and performances.October 15, 2005: The Al Neil Project
A tribute to Al Neil with documentation, performance, readings, and music featuring Kate Hammett-Vaughan and her trio. Vaughan vocalized texts by Neil, accompanied by Ron Samworth on guitar and Coat Cooke on saxophone. Michael Turner read Neil's work along with a screening of archival footage collected by The Al Neil Project and visuals featuring Neil's work produced by Carole Itter and Krista Lomax. Presented at Western Front.
October 21, 2005: Under the Influence: Bringing together writers from the Downtown Eastside
Curated and hosted by Michael Turner, this event featured readings by Maxine Gadd and Kevin Chong. Under the Influence was a series of readings from the Downtown Eastside that looked at Vancouver writers, starting with Malcolm Lowry and Al Neil, writing about alcohol and drug use. The Nova Library consisted of a reading room where all the books were selected by members of Vancouver's drug addicted communities. Presented at The Nova Library, Alice MacKay Room at the Vancouver Public Library, Main Branch.
November 10, 2005: Al Neil Project Concert
New Orchestra Workshop Society and Coastal Jazz and Blues co-present a concert featuring Al Neil's ultimate tribute band with legendary Vancouver improvisers Gregg Simpson on drums, Clyde Reed on bass, and Paul Plimley on piano. They were joined by sampling/electronics artist Giorgio Magnanensi and performance poet Kendrick James. Neil's partner, artist Carole Itter, and Krista Lomax produced images for the event. Presented at the Roundhouse Community Centre.
November 25, 2005: Al Neil History Tribute
An event focusing on Al Neil's history in performance art. Krista Lomax and Carole Itter used visuals and imagery from Neil's oeuvre of performance art, accompanied by electronic music performed by Stefan Smulovitz and Ben Wilson. Presented at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Identifier
2005.1015 ALNPart of the series
LIVE Biennial of Performance Art 2005Programs in this series
Under the Influence: Bringing Together Writers from The Downtown EastsideCollection
grunt gallery Programming ArchiveLocation
Western Front303 E. 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 1S1
Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations
Alice MacKay Room
Vancouver Public Library
350 W. Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 6B1
Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
Roundhouse Community Arts Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 2W3
Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
Vancouver Art Gallery
750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 2H7
Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
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