We at FringeHog like to think of ourselves as curators of edgy ideas. So I wish I could think of something profoundly futuristic to say about “Fast Film” - maybe something about how the collage of images is a metaphor for the transmogrification of 20th century culture, a statement about the rapidity of technological and social change refracted through the lens oftheartisticzeitgeist. But I can’t. Instead, I have to say that this extraordinary film is simply a wicked cool piece of visual poetry.

From director Virgil Widrich’s website: “In 14 minutes, “Fast Film” provides a tour de force through film history, from its silent beginnings to present-day Hollywood. The filmmakers printed out some 65,000 individual images from 300 films, folded them into paper objects, arranged them in complex tableaux, and then brought them to life with an animation camera.”

Mahalo to Ben Hammersley for the heads up.

Call it fate, destiny, kismet.

It’s not often I fall in love at first sight, but it happened when I stumbled upon a Granville Island art gallery last week in Vancouver, BC. One look and he literally took my breath away. Seated casually on a chair, head turned away from me - I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Mind you, this was no ordinary guy.

Made of stainless steel recycled machine parts, the object of my affection is the creation of Cory Fuhr, a self-taught Canadian artist who is developing a cult following with his provocative sculptures.

“The Dancer”

“Evolution”

And my personal favorite: an author who “Couldn’t Sleep”.

All are breathtakingly beautiful expressions that explore the boundaries between humanity and technology. Working out of a converted barn originally built by his grandfather, Fuhr’s sculptures may have a modest beginning but many have found their way into prestigious art collections as well as films and television.

Walking around the pint-sized gallery, it’s obvious about the only thing more visually arresting than the sculptures is the artist himself. With his rock-star good looks Cory Fuhr looks more like a GQ cover model than a Canadian farm boy. And to top it off, he talk like neither:

“Anthropomorphic transmogrifications have fascinated and inspired my work through my life. The conflict of engineered forms and untouched landscapes challenges humanity to reconcile our organic form with the monstrous artifice of our creations. Through my work I explore a possibility of acceptance or reconciliation.”

Make that two things that take my breath away.

I’ve been told I have a bad habit of asking inappropriately personal questions, particularly of people I’ve just met. It’s true - from cab drivers to airplane seatmates, I practically interrogate new acquaintances (and old ones alike) because I have a fascination with hearing people’s stories - where are you fromWhat’s important to youWhat experiences have shaped who you are and how you see the world?

Which is why I’m utterly fascinated by 6 billion others, a project by renowned French photographer Yann Althrus-Bertrand that is one of the most poignant portraits of humankind I’ve ever seen. “6 billion others” draws a portrait of contemporarylife by asking questions about universal values:What is happinessWhat do we fear?What’s the meaning of life?

To answer these questions, six directors set off in 2003 across the world to interview the inhabitants of the planet. To date the project hasvisited 65 countries and conducted 6000 interviews. There are over 450 hours of translated and subtitled video portraits available for public viewing. Each full frame shot creates a sense of intimacy with the interviewee that is absolutely mesmerizing.

The project is a both a demographer’s and an artist’s dream:looking beyond the statistics about world population, “6 billion others” offers a unique view of who our neighbors really are.