Instant Coffee presents Light Bar, a full-spectrum light bar installation and venue for light therapy, light lectures, light shows, light reading and light rock. Instant Coffee’s Light Bar is an ongoing art project that investigates the potential and power of light. The artists come to this idea through necessity; living in Vancouver, where the rain can seem endless, the negative effects of the lack of sunlight on individual psyches and the large social milieu feel at times paramount. The use of light as a therapy or as a remedy for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is commonly and effectively used by individuals, but for Light Bar, Instant Coffee puts it to the test in small or large group situations.
Instant Coffee is a service oriented artist collective based in Toronto and Vancouver. Through formal installations and event-based activities, it builds a public place to practice, where ideas, materials and actions can be explored outside of the isolated studio and in a manner that renegotiates traditional exhibition structures, but is still supported by them.
Instant Coffee’s most consistent members are Cecilia Berkovic, Jinhan Ko, Kelly Lycan, Jenifer Papararo, Kate Monro, and Khan Lee.
Select Schedule of Events
Friday, February 12 – 11pm: Opening night celebration with the premier performance of Christine, a Vancouver synth pop band with Julian Paul Carnrite and Kevin Ron Schmidt. Christine uses computers to make their music and likes it when you dance. With guest djs Natalie Purschwitz and Jeremy Mendes.
Saturday, February 13: Slide Show: Aaron Carpenter, Christine D’Onofrio, Owen Kidd, Shannon Oksanen, Alex Pensato, Philippe Pasquier, Judy Radul, Sylvain Sailly and Sydney Vermont. Instant Coffee invites ten artists to show slides of their work or as work; old school analogue or not; vacation pics may be included. With guest djs Rodney Graham and Jeremy Shaw.
Thursday, February 18 – 8pm: Light Lecture: Raymond W. LAM, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at UBC and Director of the Mood Disorders Centre at UBC Hospital, lectures on light, its relationship to SAD and Non-SAD Conditions www.UBCsad.ca, followed by an Instant Coffee light show.
Friday, February 19 – 8pm: Book Launch: Lateral Learning by Vantage Art Projects, an exhibition-in-print project Vol.1 guest curated by Paul Butler with essays by Dr. Jeanne Randolph and Mark Clintberg.
Saturday, February 20: Rooftop Special: hosted by Lucas Granito, Daniel HELLMANN AND Kelvin Beaudette. Inspired by the sunny daytime parties at WMC in Miami, Sonar in Spain Picnik Electronique in Montreal and their events last summer, Rooftop Special aims to recreate a place like summer in the Light Bar. To complement the space they will be playing classic Chicago house and lots of modern dance music.
Saturday, February 27 – 9pm: Karaoke and Authenticity: Seattle curator Eric Fredericksen will host a night of karaoke interwoven with an illustrated lecture. Malcolm McLaren recently wrote, “Today there are two words that sum up the culture: ‘authenticity’ is one, and the other … ‘karaoke’! With Vancouver’s karaoke experts, Weekend Leisure. Lecture at 9pm
Monday, March 8: Light Compositions: Didier Petit (cello), Viviane Houle (voice) and Stefan Smulovitz (viola & laptop) come together for a rare performance hosted by Tom Cone, 9pm
Friday, March 12 – 9pm: Woo Magazine launch.
Saturday, March 13 – 10pm: Van Bands: Kick Evrything and Call the City play loud.
Wednesday, March 17 – 10pm: Slickerslacker is Fiona Bowie and Jim Peers (guitar, vox, knobs and tubes, buttons, various utensils and sliders)
Thursday, March 18 – 8pm: Danish Artist Ditte Lyngkær Pedersen will host a screening event based on her video works and give a short presentation on the artists-run exhibition space rum46 in Århus, Denmark.
Friday, March 19: Cam Dales of the ice cream social playing 50’s and 60’s hits.
House DJs: Julian Paul Carnrite, Peter Gazendam, Lazers Bomb, Mittens & Gloves, Jeremy Mendes, Stephen Murray, Jenifer Papararo, and Natalie Purshwitz.
Guest bartenders: Vivian Bessette, Marianne Bos, Tom Cone, Owen Kidd, Philippe Pasquier, Judy Radul, Kathleen Ritter, Tiny Josh Schmidt, Stuart Sproule and more...
See www.instantcoffee.org for a growing list of events, and for other information contact us@instantcoffee.org.
