It’s the shoes that stick in Yunuen Perez Vertti’s mind.
Looking back at last year’s inaugural Living Room Art in the Heights event, that image sticks in her mind: seeing the shoes piled all over the deck at the home hosting the night of drop-in public art. It was a visual testament to how many people had turned out for the first-ever event – where Vertti had expected 50 or maybe 100, there were at least 250 people who turned out to enjoy the evening.
“I had no idea what to expect,” she says. “It could really have gone anywhere.”
Vertti had been in Burnaby about a year when she got the idea to start up last year’s event. She reached out to the community and found an enthusiastic response, as performing and visual artists from all disciplines pooled their talents to create an interactive evening of art in a private home.
What she learned, she says, is what she already suspected: “This community is really passionate about community stuff, and they like new events and new opportunities to get together and learn about each other.”
So she and fellow artists have joined forces once again for the second event, this one set for Saturday, Oct. 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. in a private home at 4155 Trinity St.
The night’s program includes offerings from both returning and new artists.
Storyteller Philomena Jordan and harpist Tara Bonham are both back, and this year they’re collaborating on a new work. Filmmakers Ciaran Davis-McGregor and Vertti herself will also be part of the evening, as will photographers Grant Withers, Courtney Tran and Carolyn Sullivan. Several visual artists will also take part: Patricia Haley-Tsui, Dino Pai, Beatrix Schalk, Jo Ann Sheen, Michelle Sound and Bill Thomson, as well as the Gamma Garage group of Pat Sexsmith, Sheila Chowdhury, Wilma Cook and Dianne Yard.
This year, organizers are also including young talent, as students from ArtSpace and Staccato Music Studios will be part of the fun.
And one of the highlights of the night is bound to be the audience participation: there’s a “Selfie Tree,” where people can use old CDs, find their reflection and then use Sharpie markers to draw their own selfies and add them to an installation.
“Selfie is such a thing now. These days, everyone takes a selfie,” Vertti says. “Instead of take a selfie, we’re going to say, make a selfie.”
The evening will also wind up with an open mike session at 8:30 p.m., so anyone wanting to share their own art – whether it’s poetry, singing, dancing or something else – is welcome to do so at that time. People interested in checking it out can drop in anytime between 5 and 9 p.m.
“Just show up,” Vertti says. “You can stay there for 10 minutes, you can stay for the four hours. You can come and go anytime you like.”
As with last year’s event, there’s no charge to attend, and no tickets are needed. The cost of producing the event is being covered by a Neighbourhood Small Grant from the Vancouver Foundation, and local merchants are also donating food and refreshments.
Check out livingroomarttheheights.wordpress.com for all the details.
