Renowned New York artist/filmmaker/photographer, Julian Schnabel, is making a big splash in the Toronto art world. Julian Schnabel: Art and Film, his upcoming exhibition at the AGO, will showcase about 60 pieces including paintings, sculptures and photography. Cinematic themes and personalities are common subject matters in Schnabel’s work and this exhibit highlights his longstanding relationship between art and film.

Well known for his eccentric personality, Schnabel first garnered international status in the early 80s with his large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates and by the mid-80s he had become a prominent force in the Neo-expressionism movement. Sizeable canvases filled with bold strokes and vibrant colours often typify his paintings.

Having received some harsh reviews from the critics over the years - the rich and famous worship him – Schnabel’s works of art sell for millions and his exhibitions often sellout. At his recent AGO premiere the 58-year-old artist spoke candidly about this criticism, “You don’t always get the ball back in your court.” He cites a reference from The Godfather where Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone crime family, gets shot five times and doesn’t die. Schnabel adds, “I say, if you get five bullets in you and you’re still standing, you got to be worth something.”

Starring Eddie Marsan, Martin Compston, Gemma Arterton
Directed by J. Blakeson
98 minutes
Opens August 13, 2010

*** stars out of five

Two cons (Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston), kidnap the daughter (Gemma Arterton) of a well-to-do family. The straight forward ransom scheme begins to quickly unravel due to a web of lies and double-crossings during the negotiations for a large “pay out.”

Why See It?

The Mariposa Folk Festival celebrated it 50th Anniversary (July 9-11) in the picturesque town of Orillia with great style. The milestone lineup included such Canadian legends who have graced the Mariposa stages over the years - Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson, Murray McLauchlan, Gordon Lightfoot - and many new and exciting performers on 16 stages.

Here are some of the highlights:









The beautiful songstress, Sylvia Tyson, was a festival favourite.













Gordon Lightfoot, the elder statesman of the folk movement, was the festival finale on the Mainstage.













Magoo, a children’s performer, delighted both young and old with his storytelling and playing on the Sunshine Stage.












Jim Cuddy and Greg Keeler from Blue Rodeo were voted as the “people’s choice” to play at the festival.












Murray McLauchlan, one of the pillars of Mariposa (he designed the Logo) entertained the crowds with his wonderful lyrics and music.














Matt Anderson, Chris Smither, Rich Fines, Craig Werth played folk guitar together on the Bohemian Embassy Stage.

The Toronto Jazz Festival (June 24 – July 4) kicked off in Toronto along with the G20 this year. Despite a shaky start due to the protesting close to some venues, jazz enthusiasts came out to support the music and the performers. This year’s lineup was extensive and included soul queen Betty LaVette, world visionary Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett and many more.

Here are a handful of the acts that performed during the week on the Mainstage at Nathan Phillip’s Square:







The soulful voice of Toronto singer Shakura S’Aida, along with her blues band, was a big crowd pleaser.













Bassist Stanley Clark with special guest from Japan, Hiromi on piano, wowed the festival audience with their electrifying technical skills and jazz fusion.











African singer Angelique Kidjo and her band showcased Afro-beats and Nu-Jazz stylings which had the audience dancing in the aisles.












Guitarist John Scofield, accompanied by his New Orleans gospel band, delivered a stellar performance.

If you have ever regretted or God forbid, hated your early childhood years and blamed your mommy or daddy for the way you turned out, then the soon-to-be-released feature documentary Babies, which premiered recently at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, is must-see therapeutic viewing.

Without a word of narration and a show me, don’t tell me film-making approach, we witness the early personality development of four infants from four diverse cultures:Tokyo, San Francisco, Mongolia and Namibia.

This enchanting and fascinating film experience mirrors the innocence of childhood and the important role of mothers and family pets in teaching us lessons in living and loving. Rich or poor, young or old, we are all just folks with one primary need. All together now, “All you need is love, all you need is love, all you need is love … love is all you need … yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Opens May 7, 2010 at Cumberland 4, Grande-Yonge