Recent events!

Kaie Kellough at his fantastic book launch , with guest appearance by horn player Jason "Blackbird" Selman, and a collaborative performance with jazz singer girlfriend Kim Zombik (left, bottom image).

Thanks everyone!

We love this writeup! Thanks Frommers

Frommer's Montreal Day by Day

By Andre Legaspi

"Play the role of Alice as you enter a rabbit hole that's half antique store/half art gallery.
Check out the bizarre art (most by Canadian artists) on the walls, and the peculiar bric-a-brac strewn about the floor of this avant-garde wonderland."

...we couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Frommers Best Shopping Montreal

Monastiraki is proud to be in partnership with esse arts & opinions magazine!


Visit their website to fill out the Reader Survey - you can have a chance at winning the really great (if we do say so ourselves!) mail-art artists book we created as a part of this partnership.
www.esse.ca

Join us for Kaie Kellough's release of his 2nd book of poems, Maple Leaf Rag, recently publishd by Arbeiter Ring Press (Winnipeg). Quoting from his website "Maple Leaf Rag is a dynamic, jazz-infused riff on Canadian culture...a dictated dub replete with references to African Canadian and African American culture (current and dated), Canadian history and politics..."


The evening begins at 7pm sharp, with wine & sonic ambiance provided by dj Andy Williams.

This event is gratis gratuit free, & the beautiful book is 14.95.

Kaie's website: http://www.kaie.ca/kaie-books.html
Arbeiter Ring Press: http://arbeiterring.com/books/detail/maple-leaf-rag

OCTOBER 1996 - 2010

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of October the cat. Otherwise known as Dr. Octopus, DocOc, Toby, Toblerony, the Tobinator and Tobes, he was a beautiful soul who brightened our store and home. October loved early morning conversation, plastic bags and chicken almost as much as people, hanging out during store hours, openings and concerts, always with a keen nose for a sandwich tucked in someone’s bag. Long time resident of Andy Brown’s Conundrum Towers before moving to Monastiraki, we feel so grateful to have spent the last year and a half of October’s life with him. He was a friend of many, and we miss him very much.

BOB SCOTT AT MONASTIRAKI

WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS INCREDIBLE SHOW . Please join us ....

























CORKLORE : Sculpture sur liège par BOB SCOTT

Vernissage Vendredi le 7 Mai 19:00-22:00
Exposition d’oeuvres d’art 7-31 Mai 2010

L’exposition CORKLORE, présenté par Bob Scott à la Galerie Monastiraki mettra en vedette de flamboyantes sculptures sur liège de créatures à la fois grotesque et fantastique. Émanant de divers univers folklorique, un Griffon, une Cocatrix, un Krampus et une Licorne décapité feront partie d’un amalgame de créature surréaliste!

Une planche à roulette au design exclusif réalisé par Bob Scott pour Valoiz Boardz, de Montréal, sera aussi de l’exposition.

Utilisant des bouchons de liège et autres objets recyclé, l’art de Bob Scott, centré sur le folklore entourant l’Halloween et la culture Tiki, lui ont value une réputation d’artiste à la fois contemporain et innovateur. Relocalisé depuis une dizaine d’année à Vancouver, il a participé à plusieurs expositions solos et en collectifs à travers l’Amérique du nord. Bob Scott revient maintenant en terre natal le temps d’y présenter une première exposition à Montréal, dédié au pionnier des effets spéciaux, Ray Harryhausen.

Visitez www.bobscottartwork.ca pour en savoir plus sur l’art et les expositions passé de cet artiste.


CORKLORE : Cork Carvings by BOB SCOTT

Opening Friday May, 7th, 7-10pm
Exhibit runs May 7-31, 2010

Bob Scott’s CORKLORE exhibit at Galerie Monastiraki will feature vibrant, complex cork carvings of grotesque and fantastical creatures from a wide variety of global folklore. Among others, these will include carvings of a Griffin, a Cockatrice, Krampus, and a decapitated unicorn unlike any you’ve seen before!

Cementcles, a signed limited edition skatedeck designed by Bob Scott for Montreal’s Valoiz Boardz, will also be on hand.

Using recycled wine corks and found objects, Bob Scott’s focus on Halloween Folk Art and Tiki Cork Carvings has earned him a reputation as a truly innovative contemporary artist. After relocating to Vancouver a decade ago and participating in solo and group art shows across North America, Bob Scott will return to his hometown for his first ever solo show in Montreal, dedicated to influential special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen.

View a list of past shows and photo galleries of Bob Scott’s work at www.bobscottartwork.ca

The Lady over at http://www.ladyandthesweatshop.com/
wrote a nice little review of our shop and of Nathan Browns work !
check it out !


http://www.ladyandthesweatshop.com/2010/04/beautiful-junk-museum.html

http://www.ladyandthesweatshop.com/2010/04/west-lives-east.html

The fantastic work of Nathan Brown and Lisa Czech

Nathan Brown


























and Lisa Czech!






























...truthfully though - you should come see the work for yourself, as the pictures do no justice to the colours and details in the work of both artists.

Unlikely Treasures - Doc on collecting on CBC

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/passionateeyeshowcase/2010/unlikelytreasures/index.html

Billy (that's me) will have a spot in this upcoming CBC doc. check it out !

NATHAN BROWN & LISA CZECH

we are very proud to present work by two exciting young artists, nathan brown & lisa czech.
though their practices are very different, they both tend to scorch retinas with detail, colour and hard hitting imagery. come feast your eyes !

vernissage friday april 2 from 7pm -10 pm

show runs all month until may 2 !

http://lisaczech.blogspot.com/
http://nathanalexisbrown.blogspot.com/

Monastiraki Media Shout-Out Part 3

Tamy from www.tourisme-montreal.org gave us a nice article with plenty of fun pics !

http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/what-to-do/a-boutique-to-discover-monastiraki/
is the link !

(look for my correction in the comment box !)

Monastiraki Media Shout-Out Part 2

the fabulously nice Christine Long of CTV news saw the mirror spot and kindly zipped over with her camera man Josh
We're paired up with Bon Jovi so scoot along to the 2:53 mark for the goods on us !
http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090107/montreal_whats_on_090107/20091106/?hub=MontrealHome

Monastiraki Media Shout-Out Part 1

The Montreal Mirror included Monastiraki in the 'art-on-the-cheap' section of it's City Living decor guide.
Thanks !

http://www.montrealmirror.com/2010/031810/cityliving4.html

Marc Gagnon - Spring Collection

MARC GAGNON - SPRING COLLECTION

MARCH 12 -28

VERNISSAGE FRIDAY MARCH 12, 5:30 - 10PM

come by and witness new work by montreal artist and musician (of Pipo Fiasco fame)

Marc Gagnon, new drawings and paintings.

http://www.myspace.com/pipofiasco1

Perro Verlag Presents: The Foul Girl Relaxes Booklaunch and Concert

Perro Verlag Press Presents:
The Foul Girl Relaxes
A Songbook by Barry Doupe and James Whitman

performances by:

Matt Shane Solo Project
Marigold Santos
James Whitman

Booklaunch and Concert
7pm
Friday Mar. 5
at Monastiraki
5478 St. Laurent

http://www.perroverlag.com/
http://monastiraki.blogspot.com/

NUIT BLANCHE : TYLER AMID THE TREASURES

we'll be rocking until 2 am this coming saturday night for nuit blanche.
tyler rauman will be music making at 11 pm surrounded by his wonderful visual art exhibit.
all the while craft and drawing supplies will be available for those who need a doodle break in a night filled with activity.

saturday feb. 27, 2010
8pm-2am

TYLER RAUMAN - TRANSMOGRIFICATION

Tyler Rauman, known for his detailed and otherworldly gigposters featuring hypnotic patterning, papercraft ghosts and lush geometric structures, presents new works bound to spellbind the visually acute viewer.

Come by for an eye-treat and a drink with friends.

Friday, February 5th,2010 at 7pm - 10pm

CREATIVE KIDS WE KNOW

we had the pleasure of hosting a bunch of kids and their folks for an artshow/craft day last sunday, with kids art on the walls and tables full of foam stickies and crayons and cookies we woke up early to bake ! we will do this again !

2009 HIGHLIGHTS

… and what year it was! As many of you know, Monastiraki has been undergoing quite a facelift. It truly began a couple of years ago, with the hard work of Jen and Billy clearing out the front 3rd of the store for what is now the Gallery.

This work picked up again in the past year, with a steady distillation of ideas and things (so many things!) – so that we can now proudly say we are a magical curio shop, art gallery, and community hub. We still carry strange and wonderful objets trouvés, and now an ever-changing selection of art - most of which is made by local artists we know and love. Our fun vernissages were testaments to the calibre of work and the supportive people in this community.
Summertime saw several amazing music shows as a part of our new Sunday afternoon micro-concert series; and children and adults attended workshops where they walked away with craft and art projects to be proud of.

Thank you to all of our supporters – we appreciate your return visits, conversations and warm smiles. Our community is essential in making us what we are.

Stay with us through 2010, as we continue to fine-tune our project that is Monastiraki.
Billy & Emilie

2009 HIGHLIGHTS con't

HOLIDAY ART SHOW & SALE !

we're hosting a holiday art show and sale featuring the work of several artists priced under a hundred for your gift buying pleasure. artists include :

matthew reichman
amy lockhart
marc bell
seripop
walter scott
r.suicide
jeremy shantz
mike shantz
rick trembles
skull studio
bree'ree
thea pratt
carl ruttan
g.hall
amy drover
bernie mireault
matt forsythe
kiarra albina
guy boutin
james whitman
maria theresa hincapie
maxalie martel-racicot
popolo press
emilie o'brien
billy mavreas
and many more !!

we'll also be selling off assorted odds and ends at must-go prices !!
stuff 'em stockings !!!


friday december 11 2009
between 7 and 10 pm !!

SMART DESIGN MART : we are there !

Under Glass Eye

In the window of Monastiraki, a living installation performance lightshow will unfold !
The artists have this to say :

Watch the weather channel from the glass eye of the storm.
A living wind-ow dis-play on the dial between sublime and ridiculous.
With your hosts, Zuzu Knew, Tendermorsels, The Common Chant and MMK.
Walk by and fill your mind's eye.

Thursday, November 26th
Display show time: 8:30pm-12am

check out this youtube clip of the performance !

EXPOZINE 2009

of course, we'll be at Expozine with new prints and assorted paper oddities. Drop by to the printed matter event of Montreal !

expozine

James Kochalka - Little Paintings

Galerie Monastiraki
is pleased to present
an exhibition of new works by international comic artist
James Kochalka

Little Paintings
November 6 - December 4, 2009

Vernissage and live music performance :
Friday November 6, 2009
7-10 pm



James Kochalka, of Burlington VT has a large cult following for his idiosyncratic comics and graphic novels as well as for his quirky, dynamic music. His comics have been nominated for multiple prestigious awards, winning the Ignatz four times and the Harvey once. His paintings and drawings have been exhibited around the world. His books include American Elf, Monkey Vs. Robot, and the children's series Johnny Boo. Also a rock and roll star, his most recent album, Digital Elf, was recorded in the 8bit music style using a GameBoy Advance. He will be performing songs from the album at the exhibit.

This is an exhibit of very little paintings... all are 2 x 2 inches in size... of cats and aliens and strange little creatures. It's the tender kind of cute, never the cloying kind. There's a depth of humanity to the creatures. Cute, but with soul.

"The reason I paint small, inexpensive paintings is because I believe very strongly that everyone needs real art in their homes. Most of my buyers are young people without a lot of money, and this is the very start of their art collections. I'm proud of that."

Limited edition silkscreen prints will also be available..