From Craig Takeuchi of The Georgia Straight:
Link: CBC’s Vancouver-shot Crash Gallery returns with fun and facts from the world of visual art
What does trying to paint on a canvas suspended above you while being rotated in a circle sound like to you?
Bizarre? Intriguing? Fun? All of the above?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’ll probably want to check out CBC’s Crash Gallery, back for a second season on CBC. Continue reading.
Crash Gallery host Sean O’Neill has a few modest goals for the visual art competition series, which is heading into Season 2 tonight on CBC. “I do think art can transform lives, I do think art can help build a more compassionate, empathetic, humane society. And it’s also fun. It feels good.â€
He has hopes the accessible, high-energy show—airing on primetime on the public broadcaster—can act as a gateway drug to a type of art that doesn’t often benefit from the pop culture embrace given to music or movies, for example.
“It’s really about having fun with art. It’s not about creating masterpieces. It’s not a 30-minute art history lesson,†said the host, whose day job is an associate director with the Art Gallery of Ontario, where, like other art museums, he and his colleagues have had plenty of conversations about how to bring visual art to a broader audience.
The five episodes of Season 2 were shot one a day in Vancouver, where media were invited to participate in a challenge the contestants had also tackled. Lying face up on a rotating platform, a canvas above us, covered in disposable overalls, we began to paint … and attempt to avoid the inevitable splatters. (My hairdresser a few days later: “Were you painting something red?â€)
After our time was up, the judges asked us what our vision was for the painting. Me: “To not get paint in my mouth, oh and the colours and motion of nature.” They then offered their very kind, you’re-not-professional-artists critique which nonetheless had me puffed up for weeks when they compared it to a famous (to people more in the know than me) painting by abstract impressionist Joan Mitchell.
The judges and critiques are new this season, bringing more depth to the conversation around the art without veering into an “eat your vegetables†art history lesson. Also new is that the show flew in artists from around the country rather than sticking with the Vancouver-area base of Season 1. The colourful, frenetic energy remains, helped by the new set that is more gallery, less warehouse.
“I think people are curious about art,†said O’Neill. “I hope people watch the show and the world of visual arts seems a little less intimidating. I hope they think, hey, I can pick up a sketch book, or take an art class, bring my grandchildren to an art museum, or go with friends to one of the late night parties most of the museums are throwing. I hope it helps break down barriers between people and the visual arts. It’s a show for people who are curious.â€
Crash Gallery airs Sundays at 9:30 p.m. on CBC.
From a media release:
It’s a new year with a new business partnership and challenging mining site that puts Claudia and Robin Bunce’s jade mining expertise to the test in an all-new season of JADE FEVER. Over a six-week period, viewers across Canada can catch a double dose of the Bunce’s exciting, high-stake search with weekly back-to-back episodes of JADE FEVER airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. PT beginning March 7 on Discovery. Season 3 of the original Canadian series follows the intense adventures of the Bunce family as they gamble in search of million-dollar boulders of jade in Northern B.C.’s Cassiar Mountains.
With the same dreams and passionate ambitions driving the past two seasons, Season 3 of JADE FEVER gets off to a promising start when the Bunce family builds a new partnership with Peter Niu, eager to mine fresh jade claims near Wolverine camp. But with boulder after boulder ending in failure, the partnership quickly starts to crumble. The adversity continues when Claudia and Robin learn that part of their campsite is sitting on someone else’s claim, scrambling the Bunce family to activate other claims. Hardship after hardship, the mining season appears to be over, until son Justin and his friend, Mike Mee, come up with a strategy to finish the season off strong. With shifts doubled up and work continuing under lights during the dead of night, it’s a desperate race against time to save the jade mining season.
In its Season 2 debut, JADE FEVER reached a total of six million viewers and achieved a 45% increase in total viewers year over year. During its 10 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET premiere airings, Discovery was the #2 entertainment specialty channel among all key adult demographics.
Episode highlights from Season 3 of JADE FEVER:
“Hard Climbâ€
Tuesday, March 7 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
It’s a new year and Claudia Bunce has a new partner for the season, Peter Niu. The partners are finally able to finalize a deal which will allow them to mine a new site near their camp at Wolverine. The new jade camp is located up a long trail to the mountain, making for a bone-jarring climb. Claudia’s patience is tested as, for the first time, she’s in the driver’s seat of a 60-ton rock truck heading up the treacherous trek. And if the journey wasn’t stressful enough, one of the excavators catches fire.
“Breakdowns and Meltdownsâ€
Tuesday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT
The Bunces struggle to lead their crew and equipment across rivers and over boulder-strewn paths to reach their jade camp at Wolverine. On the trip, Claudia has a meltdown while driving the rock truck. Meanwhile, crew member Gary runs out of gas and finds himself stranded in the middle of nowhere.
“Digging Inâ€
Tuesday, March 14 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
The Bunces set up a new mining camp in hopes of impressing their urbanite business partners. At the same time, tempers soar when Claudia and Robin clash with their son Josh while unloading some platforms. Later, the first few days of mining don’t offer much hope for the rest of the season until crew member Guy Marital makes a stunning discovery. Then, Marital struggles to make it into the Wolverine camp with the excavator.
“Cutting Crewâ€
Tuesday, March 14 at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT
The first boulder of the season proves challenging to get back to camp. Once the Bunces and their crew finally get it there, Claudia and her new partners disagree on the best way to cut it. Later, Robin and his newly first aid-trained son Josh clash over camp safety procedures. But when Claudia injures herself, Josh springs into action.
Subscribers can access live streaming of JADE FEVER and catch up Seasons 1 and 2 through the Discovery GO app.
JADE FEVER is produced by Omnifilm Entertainment in association with Discovery Canada. David Gullason is Executive Producer and Series Producer; Executive Producer is Gabriela Schonbach. Bruce Glawson is Executive Producer for Discovery Networks.
From a media release:
CBC premieres six-part docu-series TRUE NORTH CALLING on Friday, February 17 at 8:30 p.m. (9 NT). Produced by Proper Television in association with CBC, the series follows the lives of six resourceful Canadians living across the far North as they share what it takes to survive and thrive in Canada’s toughest terrain.
From The Northwest Territories to the Yukon and Nunavut, TRUE NORTH CALLING follows a group of hardy and determined Canadians who navigate unforgiving terrain, unpredictable weather and unexpected challenges to earn a living and make a life for themselves in the far North.
In Iqaluit, Franco Buscemi’s goal is to run for public office and gain the power he needs to lead his community into the 21st century – while still holding down a day job and hunting daily to provide for his family and community. Whitehorse farmers Kate Mechan and Bart Bounds dream to create a sustainable farm and achieve food security in the North – while raising their two small children off the grid in a tiny yurt. As a struggling tour operator in one of the most remote regions of the North, Kylik Kisoun Taylor has to marry old world traditions with modern day business savvy. This year he has a new idea – a big gamble – that, if it pays off, could change everything. Shawn Buckley, a fourth-generation fisherman in Yellowknife, battles the raw elements to fish through two distinctly different seasons and meet the demand for wild, fresh fish while balancing life as a single parent. And Iqaluit based TV producer Stacey Aglok MacDonaldfights to preserve her culture by making a wild comedy series entirely in the language of Inutituk. Each of these rugged Northerners has the same goals most of us have – to parent
Each of these rugged Northerners has the same goals most of us have – to parent well, and to make ends meet – but they often have to do it in unrelenting sub-zero temperatures. Yet, as hard as it can be to succeed in the North, they find life there deeply rewarding and wouldn’t want to live any other way. TRUE NORTH CALLING is a journey into the unexpected and an intimate look at what it really takes to not only survive – but thrive – in Canada’s farthest reaching regions.
From a media release:
For years, the Montreal-based duo have been a team creating exquisite dining experiences for guests at Hughes’ critically acclaimed restaurant Le Bremner. Digging into their locally sourced sensibilities, Chuck and Danny seek out the freshest and wildest array of flavours from dedicated food producers, artisans and local chefs as they crisscross Canada and experience the RV lifestyle. From bagging seaweed in wet suits to digging for quahogs, harvesting wild rice in a canoe or foraging for juniper on ATV’s, they go to any lengths to get the best local ingredients.
Chuck and Danny’s journey spans Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Prince Edward Island National Park, PEI. With a passionate appreciation for local food, Chuck and Danny’s Road Trip takes an inspired approach to camp style cuisine, served up with the enthusiasm only true adventure-loving chefs can deliver.
Locations and local chefs featured include:
Chuck & Danny’s Road Trip is produced by Force Four Entertainment, in association with Corus Entertainment’s Food Network Canada.
