VOTER TURNDOWN...

by Erkuden Sakai, Company Secretary:

The Misanthrope Specialty Co. cordially invites the public to the opening reception for the Home and Away (and In-Between) group show. Friday November 4th, in the Cream Tangerine Gallery Café at the Great Hall.

(show logo by Gillian Wilson )

The process of selecting which pieces to submit to the show turned out to be a surprisingly contentious one , as the Company, brimming with the seething cocktail of it's constituents' multifarious objectives, principles and opinions found itself mired in the pitfalls of democracy.

("Saint Joseph" by the members of the Company)

With nearly half the Company opposed to a public exhibition in the first place, and the narrow majority divided among itself, votes were deadlocked on a number of possible submissions. Indeed, of the dozens of proposed submissions, it now seems almost miraculous that four pieces managed to garner enough votes to make it into the show. But this is just the sort of internal conflict that the Misanthrope Specialty Co. lives for.

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Home and Away (and In-Bewteen) runs from December 3 to the 13th, and features work by Lizz Aston, Fiona Bailey, Amy Borkwood, Leah Buckareff, Marta Chudolinska, Heather Fagan, Meags Fitzgerald, Sara Guindon, Genevieve Jodouin, Serena McCarroll and Tyler Brett, Laure McGregor, jen Spinner, Gillian Wilson and others.

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HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS...

by Erkuden Sakai, Company Secretary:
It's no secret that the Company prefers to exhibit its work at its invitational Clubhouse events. Its membership is largely comprised of secretive and exlusionists curmudgeons, loathe to have just anybody come sully their work with their dirty eyeballs and platitudes.

(photo by Lydia Caulpepper)

This week, however, the Company voted, by squeakingly narrow margin, in favour of airing some of it's dirty linens in public.

It isn't easy to turn down Tara Bursey -- Toronto's ubiquitous liaison between the ofttimes parallel worlds of Art vs. craft. She is curating the upcoming "Home and Away (and In-Between)" group show as part of City of Craft 2009's installation programming, and has invited the Misanthrope Specialty Co. to participate.

("This Town Will One Day Drink Us Dry"
by the Misanthrope Specialty Co.)

Although the Company has not yet voted on which pieces it will be submitting to the show, it's a safe bet that atleast a couple of small motel stationary drawings will be worked in, as per Ms. Bursey's request.

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In other news, the first batch of rushes for the Company's yet untitled film in progress are back from the processing lab.

(A scanned sampling the first 16mm footage shot by the Company)

After weeks of waiting with bated breath, the members of the Misanthrope Specialty Co. finally huddled in a darkened Bunker to evaluate the budding fruits of their labour. The results were promising.

It is with renewed vigor that the men and women of now hit the streets to shoot more scenes for what Cotton confidently predicts will be "an instant classic."

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JOUAL DE VIVRE...

by Heywood McGillicuddy, Chairman:
Yes, my friends, the rumours you've heard wispered on the streets of la métropole are perfectly true. The Misanthrope Specialty Co. has infact wormed its sticky way into the Belgo building.

(photo by Erkuden Sakana)

The Company now counts Maison Kasini among it's bedfellows. And though it's far too early to divulge plans for the future, the fair citizens of Montéal can in the meantime find an assortment of our message cards and open run prints on the shelves of Kasini's ArtShop.

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POUTINE ANGST...

by Erkuden Sakai, Company Secretary:
Montréal is a wonderful place to eat terrible foods. Always on the Company agenda when in Montréal are poutine and smoked meat sandwiches.

(photo by Reverend Aitor)

If one's whirlwind weekend doesn't allow time for both, then one can be easily be consoled with the best of both worlds with La Banqise's "poutine obelix." It's poutine with sheds of smoked meat mixed right in. There is no shortage of opinion as to who makes the best poutine in town, but Company consensus leans towards La Banquise. It's open 24 hours.

If sampling these two signature dishes separately, however, be forewarned that , though widely available, not all smoked meat is created equal.

Shwartz's is the unequivocal institution for those seeking the legendary sandwich. They also offer a delectable smoked duck which has to be ordered in advance. Still, lining up in the cold for a table only to be rushed though one's meal by impatient servers isn't for everyone. While we wholeheartedly recommend their goods, you'll most likely find us across the street, at the Main, where seating is usually plentiful, the smoked meat usually comparable, and one is afforded the time to chat and doodle on the place mats. Like their more celebrated neighbour, they smoke their own.

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And let's not forget the bagels. Many cities lay claim to have the better bagel, but the Company has traveled all over and unanimously agrees that New York has nothing on Montréal when it comes to the hand-formed buttery rings of boiled-then-baked dough.

(The mush-mouthed St. Viateur Bagel has got to be one of the greatest
mascots of all time (photo by Cottonwood Fields))

Tradition dictates that the members stop on the way out of town, each picking up a dozen St. Viateur bagels to take home. These prized bags of bread are subsequently frozen and carefully consumed in the hopes of tiding oneself over until the next opportunity to get to Montréal.

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EXPOZINE OURSELVES IN PUBLIC...

by Heywood McGillicuddy, Chairman:
Bonjour Montréal, the Company assures you that it will be present once again at Expozine.

* * *

Naturally, our own Reverend Aitor will be there hocking his Unflattering Portraits on both sides of the language barrier

(photo by Reverend Aitor)

UNFLATTERING EXPOZINE
Samedi le 14 Novembre, 2009
1:pm - availablé
2:pm - availablé
3:pm - le lunch
4:pm - Laura
5:pm - availablé

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MOTION [PICTURE] SICKNESS...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
Principal shooting has finally begun in earnest on the next Misanthrope Specialty Co. production.

Heywood and Cotton shoot their contributions to what will
eventually be spliced intothe Company's next film
(photos by Reverend Aitor, D.D.)

The members' excitement was palpable as they all took advantage of the unseasonably warm weekend in their respective attempts to get a few scenes under their belts. Adding to their current giddiness is the novelty of working in 16mm; a privilege few in the Company had known before.

The Montréal contingent gets in on the action
(photo by Heywood McGillicuddy)

As is usually the case, this work in progress remains untitled. A fitting moniker will be voted on once editing is complete [hopefully] early-ish in the new year.

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Speaking of being in pictures, the always awkward Reverend Aitor found himself on the other side of the camera some time ago, as the subject of a short profile by Aaron Vincent Elkaim and Jason Quinton.

(Aitor smokes and fidgets through a short documentary
about his Unflattering Portraits)

The piece, shot last winter, was long unavailable due to the hacking of Mr.Elkaim's website the cyber-thug known to his victims as rudeboy. It is now up and running once more.

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MUERTO RICO...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

(photo by Mayte Mendia)

Because family obligations and general holiday malaise have always precluded a Company Christmas party, the Misanthrope Specialty Co. prefers to conduct its annual internal festivities on one holiday all it's members subscribe to: Dia de los Muertos.

A fresh batch of message cards, inspired by the ocasion
(photo by Erkuden Sakana)

And although production was a little lax at this week's congregation due to the fact that the festivities fell on a Sunday this year, the members did manage to buckle down long enough to work on their yearly collaboration of Day of the Dead-related art.

"Calaveras 2" by Heywood McGillicuddy and T-Bone

As a result, the Company is pleased to offer its "Calaveras 2" art print via our Etsy store at the celebratory price of $4.99. But don't delay, as prices are subject to be jacked up to the more reasonable $9.99 come Sunday November 8.

Epistolary subscribers: fret not. You will all be receiving your complimentary print along with this month's mail-out.

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