What’s happening on the Pier?

Food: First Taste, First Impressions

From the collection of Anita MacLean nee Vilumsons There are thousands of stories and reminiscences in the Pier 21 collection, and many touch on the tastes left behind and the new experiences in Canada. Food is a necessity of life, and an important connection to place, family and society. It is a universal symbol of culture, of welcome, of memory. Who doesn’t remember their first taste of something new, something unusual? For immigrants, now and in the past, this is a huge part of the story. The things left behind, the items smuggled in, the search for the familiar – all continue to play a huge role in the journey.

Visit Pier 21’s special display to discover these stories and more. View archival images featuring food and listen to immigrant oral histories about tastes in Canada and from their homeland. Food: First Taste, First Impressions is on view alongside Food for Health and Hungry Planet in the Ralph and Rose Chiodo Harbourside Gallery until September 6.

Test your Senses every Sunday in July

See if your senses are up to speed with exciting activities inspired by Pier 21’s temporary exhibitions Food for Health and Hungry Planet on display now in the Ralph and Rose Chiodo Harbourside Gallery. Each Sunday afternoon from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., you’re invited to take part in a special “Sensory Tour” where you’ll learn about grains and spices from around the world through activities sure to simulate all your senses!

Activities are free of charge and for the whole family. Museum admission does apply for entry to Exhibition Hall and the Harbourside Gallery.

Call for Newcomer Artists
Participate in Nocturne at Pier 21

Pier 21 is looking for artists to create live on-site within exhibitions in the Ralph and Rose Chiodo Harbourside Gallery as well as other spaces on the ground floor, on the evening of Saturday, October 16 from 6:00 p.m. to Midnight as part of the 3rd annual Nocturne Art at Night Festival. Our aim is to promote the artistic work of artists who are newcomers to Canada, as well as promote diversity, multiculturalism, and provide an avenue for expression. If you are interested, please download the PDF application form and send your completed form to Tanya Bouchard, Chief Curator, tbouchard@pier21.ca.

Even if you’re not an artist, you are still welcome to join us the evening of Nocturne. Pier 21 will be open late and free of charge on October 16, as part of Nocturne Festival. Pier 21 will feature new Canadian artists inspired by the themes of immigration, diversity and multiculturalism. We invite you to also take in our featured Community Presents partnership exhibitions.

Nocturne: Art at Night is a festival bringing art and energy to the streets of Halifax between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on Saturday, October 16th, 2010. The completely free, third annual event showcases and celebrates the exciting arts scene in Halifax. The Nocturne program, map, and walking tours guide residents and visitors alike to a variety of exhibitions in galleries and public spaces throughout the city. The signature event, designed and planned by volunteers within the community, is an opportunity for everyone to experience the art of Halifax – in a whole new light.

Hungry Planet: May 15 until September 6

The Hungry Planet exhibition, hosted by Pier 21 and produced by the Montreal Science Centre, will allow visitors to discover the extent to which food and the sharing of food are integral parts of culture.

This exhibition exposes the human condition and provides an opportunity to reflect on the great issues that challenge our planet: nutrition, famine, drought, poverty, power and globalization. A photographic exhibition, it features the eating habits of 25 families from 21 countries around the globe and is based on the book titled Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, written by Faith D’Aluisio with photos by Peter Menzel.

Food for Health: May 15 until September 6

Pier 21 will also host Food for Health, a bilingual exhibition from the Canada Agriculture Museum, which looks at concerns and questions many Canadians have about the role food plays in ensuring good health.

Food for Health combines hands-on interactive components, multimedia technology, historical artifacts and graphics to showcase Canadian initiatives designed to ensure that our food is as safe as possible. Food for Health can also be viewed online at www.foodforhealth.ca.

Food for Health is presented by the Canada Agriculture Museum and by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, in partnership with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Health Canada and the Canadian Partnership of Consumer Food Safety Education.

Special educational and public programming including workshops, events and family fun weekends will accompany both summer exhibitions. Both exhibitions will be on display in the Ralph and Rose Chiodo Harbourside Gallery.