Sidewalk Citizen Bakery
The Leavening
residency/exhibition - 2011 (six weeks) - Sidewalk Citizen Bakery
In the summer of 2011, Michal Lavi and Aviv Fried invited Drunken Paw to draw at their bakery, Sidewalk Citizen. This invitation quickly evolved into a six week residency and series of works we titled The Leavening. At the time, Sidewalk Citizen was a small working bakery nestled into Calgary’s SE industrial area, just off of McLeod Trail. Though there was no real storefront, patrons would happily line up in anticipation of their exquisite offerings. This created a warm and bustling environment for us to inhabit as it attracted lovers of baked goods from all over the city. Michal and Aviv established a corner space at the front of the bakery for us to work in. It was right next to the shop’s entrance, allowing us to be in the middle of the action as delighted patrons came and went.
It was a wonderful environment where we could get lost working on our larger scale drawings, taking in the sounds, smells and conversations - all of which influenced the end results of the three drawings. We were generously fed throughout our time there and indulged in many a wondrous treat, leaving the residency somewhat rounder then when we began. It is here that we first met Jim Ellis from the Calgary Institute for the Humanities and Angie Annis of BJ’s Gym, who was working there as a dishwasher at the time. These encounters eventually led to future relationships and further opportunities to create.
The three drawings were then taken with us to Nakusp BC, where we exhibited them at The Museum of Ephemera in our exhibition entitled Egg Drop Soup. Upon our return, the works were framed by master framer Kevin Kanashiro, and exhibited in a solo show, Love Triangle, Evil as all Bejeesus at Hotwax Records in Calgary Alberta. Both our trip to Nakusp and the framed exhibition at Hotwax were supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. These works were subsequently curated by Tammy McGrath for the Epcor Windows at Calgary’s Performing Arts Centre. Two of the pieces were eventually purchased by Michal and Aviv. They were installed at their new locations in Kensington and the Simmons Building here in Calgary. The third found its way into the home of a private collector. Ultimately, our time at the bakery cooked up more than we might have imagined when we first accepted the invitation of our gracious hosts.
Find out about more scone flavours or where to get the best hummous by following Aviv on Twitter.
