THREE TO SEE: Cadence Weapon, wâpos public art and a Vivek Shraya lecture

0
277

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Article content

Eye to Eye: Former Edmonton poet laureate Cadence Weapon has just released a tense, heartbreaking new video for his single Eye to Eye, the fresh single from his upcoming album Parallel World (April 30). Directed by Scott Pilgrim, the claustrophobia-inducing film sees a constant circular pan as the rapper muses about being lucky to make it home, how racial profiling and getting gunned down is a thing he has to think about, how the skin forces him to live with a “double consciousness,” smiling on the outside, full of pain within: “I was inspired by the writing of Desmond Cole as well as W. E. B. Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness — how I perceive myself and how I’m seen by others as a black man and the conflict between those two perceptions.” It’s one of the most penetrating pieces of art he’s ever made, dizzying, haunting, fury-inducing and definitely a must-see update on the poet-musician whose words run on sequential banners hanging down Jasper Avenue and Rice Howard Way. Man, this is a good song.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Details: on Cadence Weapon’s YouTube channel, no charge

Hop to wâpos: The next phase of Downtown Spark is Jason Carter and Bridget Ryan’s giant-sized wâpos — northern Cree for rabbit, good to walk through day or night as you enjoy 104 Street being full of all sorts of music and food Saturday and Sunday. If you don’t know this park well, there’s also a permanent bronze beaver worth seeking out — but the bunnies are a definite bonus to the neighbourhood!

wâpos is part of Downtown Spark.
wâpos is part of Downtown Spark. Photo by David Bloom /Postmedia

Details: Through April 3 at Beaver Hills House Park (104 Street and Jasper Avenue), no charge

Next Time There’s a Pandemic: Award-winning writer/performer Vivek Shraya is presenting the 15th annual Canadian Literature Centre Kreisel Lecture Monday night, reflecting on how she might have approached the 2020 lockdown and COVID-19 differently, how we may all have done better. Register in advance at www.ualberta.ca/canadian-literature-centre, this one looks good.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Details: 7 p.m. Monday at www.ualberta.ca, pay what you can

fgriwkowsky@postmedia.com

@fisheyefoto

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.