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visual a r t s by Karen Henry Private Investigations W e are continually under surveillance in t h e public d o m a i n : by institutional c a m e r a s in banks o r malls, by t o u r i s t s o r t h e casual w a t c h e r . Private Investigations, plays o n t h e idea o f t h e " p r i v a t e e y e " w h o investigates secretly, l o o k i n g f o r clues, i n c r i m i n a t i n g e v i d e n c e . In this e x h i b i t i o n , it is t h e artists w h o a r e l o o k i n g , d o c u m e n t i n g t h o s e places w h e r e t h e p u b l i c and p r i v a t e r e a l m s i n t e r s e c t in t h e u r b a n e n v i r o n m e n t : w i n d o w s , dressing r o o m s , the street. In t h e u r b a n e n v i r o n m e n t w e learn t o v i e w selectively, t o avert o u r eyes f r o m p e r s o n a l displays, t o avoid eye c o n t a c t . T h r o u g h o u t history, w o m e n have a h i s t o r y o f k e e p i n g t h e i r eyes d o w n c a s t a n d , instead, being t h e o b j e c t o f t h e g a z e . T h e tables a r e t u r n e d by t h r e e w o m e n artists w h o p o i n t t h e i r c a m e r a s t o w a r d w h a t might be c o n s i d e r e d t h e edges o f d e c o r u m , s e c r e t l y r e c o r d i n g t h e things a r o u n d t h e m . T h o u g h t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g c l a n d e s tine a b o u t t h e i r l o o k i n g , t h e i r subjects r e m a i n banal, t e n d i n g t o frustrate desire. M e r r y A l p e r n carries a hidden v i d e o c a m e r a in a specially a d a p t e d p u r s e . She is i n t e r e s t e d in t h e p h e n o m e n o n o f s h o p p i n g as a p a s t i m e in the city, particularly f o r w o m e n . R e c o g n i z i n g in herself this d e s i r e t o p e r u s e objects and p e o p l e , she has m a d e it t h e subject o f this w o r k , capt u r i n g fleeting glimpses o f this s e l f - a b s o r b e d p r a c t i c e and printing t h e m in glossy c i b a c h r o m e s that reflect t h e shiny surfaces o f d o w n town. Jennifer Bolande's surfaces, o n t h e o t h e r hand, are a l m o s t a b s o r b e n t . She p h o t o g r a p h s t h e city at night, f o c u s s i n g o n a r c h i t e c t u r a l detail that is c l o a k i n g by a d e n s e , l u x u r i o u s blackness.The photographs capture a "live c a l m " w h i c h , w h i l e m o s t l y u n i n habited, is s a t u r a t e d w i t h past activities and i m p e n d i n g m o v e m e n t , like t h e s m o k i n g ashtray in a m u r d e r mystery. NORTH V A N C O U V E "He RECREATION COMMISSION Centennial Theatre May 28, 2000 THE 12TH A N N U A L Sunday, Tickets 984-4484 Reserved seating only IN A C T O N An exciting stage revue! F r o m preschoolers to adults, ballet to t a p -- it's a fun-filled evening o f entertainment featuring P e r f o r m i n g A r t s students f r o m the N o r t h V a n c o u v e r Recreation C o m m i s s i o n .