Members

253469 is an interdisciplinary art space that is not ruled by commerce, academia, politics or common sense.
The main space is open some Saturdays and the window gallery is available for viewing almost all of the time with new installations, sculpture, video and performance. There are film and performance screenings in the main space on a more or less monthly basis. Main space exhibitions are in the spring and fall.

Aaron Pollard and Stephen Lawson

“Besides doomed divines, other theatrical spirits conjured up include East Village performance artist Jack Smith, the late Charles Ludlam (founder of NYC's Ridiculous Theatre), even Canada's own Tanya Mars. At its best, camp exposes the questionable nature of gender, class, and race, while also creating empathy for its subjects. This is very much the territory that Lawson and Pollard travel…”

7a*11d formed in January 1997 out of a collective interest in Toronto''s burgeoning performance art activity. By August 1997, 13 foudning artists produced the first annual 7a*11d International Festival of Performance Art, featuring approximately 60 artists from Canada, the US, and Australia. 1998's 2nd International Festival of Performance Art was a two-part festival (in August and October), again with over 50 artists from Canada, the US, and Europe.

The absolut theatre company was founded in 1997 and became a registered non-for profit society ( S- 46597) on September 8 2003.

The mandate of the absolut theatre company is:
a) To write, workshop and/or produce original Canadian scripts.
b) To create: educational, political, bizarre environmental theatre in various key locations throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond, so
that we may highlight our Canadian identity.
c) To provide skills and opportunities to women and youth within the industry.

Afshin Matlabi is a multidisciplinary artist. He holds a B.F.A. from U.B.C. Vancouver, a M.F.A. from Concordia U. Montreal, and a B.Eng. from Ryerson Poly. U. Toronto. He has presented his works across Canada in solo and group exhibitions and currently teaches at Vanier College and Concordia University in Montreal. He explores issues concerning gender and sexuality, crosscultural phenomena, and humor. He lives in Montreal.