PIQUE poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

The second edition of PIQUE, a new forward-thinking artist-driven music and multimedia arts event series produced by Debaser, offers up music, art, comedy and drag in its hybrid in-person/online program.

The multi-level building-wide arts event and digital program takes place September 11th, 2021 in-person in and around the Arts Court and Ottawa Art Gallery buildings, and online at thisispique.com.

PIQUE’s second edition will be a hybrid event featuring live in-person outdoor performances, indoor screenings and installations, a skill-sharing workshop, and a virtual program of audio-visual works available on-demand. PIQUE is produced by Debaser, Ottawa’s leading independent and underground music presenter.

PIQUE poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

PIQUE is experimental in form and content. Its second edition features:

Live performance by Polaris Prize-winning rapper and producer BACKXWASH with original set design by Méchant Vaporwave

An immersive audio/visual play by Vancouver-based experimental artist/composer Debby Friday featuring AI deepfake tool Holly+ (developed by musician and researcher Holly Herndon)

Live performance by Toronto spitfire “rapper supermom” and scene builder Sydanie, curated by Shaya Ishaq

Live performance by Toronto-based RnB and electronic pop artist Quinton Barnes with visuals by Justin Atkins

A site-specific performance by drag artist, pop star and “retired cartoon” Frosty Valentine with her animatronic back-up singers, live dancers, and projections

A playful immersive audio installation exploring childhood diary entries by local artist and composer Yolande Laroche

Virtual video performances by innovative artists New Chance, La Neve, Abdu Ali and Amanda Lowe, which will be screened in Club SAW at the in-person event

Photos courtesy of Debaser

Live performances by local artists Jules Filmhouse, Lady Charles, and Randy Schmucker

Photos courtesy of Debaser

Pass the Vibes logo

“Infinite Vibes”, an intro to DJing workshop, curated by Shaya Ishaq and facilitated by QTBIPOC-centring artist collective Pass the Vibes

Guest curation by interdisciplinary artist, designer, writer and world-builder Shaya Ishaq. Her solo exhibition, Library of Infinities, is currently on display at the SAW Gallery.

Pique is produced in partnership with SAW, Ottawa Art Gallery, Firegrove Studio, Ottawa Fringe, Artengine, DAÏMÔN, Digital Arts Resource Centre, CKCU FM, CHUO FM, Apt 613 and Also Cool Mag and is supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, City of Ottawa, Ottawa Community Foundation, SOCAN Foundation, and FACTOR.

Tickets are pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $30-$50, and are on sale now on Eventbrite

For more information contact: Rachel Weldon at hello@debaser.ca

Check out PIQUE’s fall edition schedule below