PLAYING DOCTOR: Indie Books Get Medical with Artists Shannon Gerard and stef lenk

SHANNON GERARD – Boobs & Dinks; Early Detection Kits with Hung no.3; Lonely Tylenol
STEF LENK – The Haircut (Chapter 3 in ongoing graphic novel)

Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
Tuesday, August 7, 2007. Doors at 8PM. FREE.

Pages Books and Magazines and the Gladstone Hotel present a This Is Not a Reading Series double book event: PLAYING DOCTOR with artists SHANNON GERARD and STEF LENK. Gerard’s multi-media presentation, featuring models in crocheted strap-ons, guides the audience through a self-examination of their bathing suit areas! lenk’s
life-sized game of Operation has participants digging for anatomical treasures. Those daring enough to play will find clues to both the already completed chapters of lenk’s graphic novel and future chapters to come. Damian Rogers and Emily Schultz co-host and interview the authors!

HUNG NO.3; LONELY TYLENOL chronicles a cancer scare Shannon Gerard had last year when her partner found a lima bean sized lump in his testicle. The book combines a poetic narrative with “gorgeously moving illustrations”(Torontoist) to ask questions about love, hope and the full capacity of the human heart. Lonely Tylenol is presented with Gerard’s BOOBS & DINKS Early Detection Kits – crocheted breasts and testicles containing small lumps that can be found by following instructions provided in accompanying booklets. The softness and humour of these BOOBS & DINKS aims to eliminate some of the fear surrounding the monthly self-exam of one’s own precious privates. Five dollars from each purchase will be donated to Cottage Dreams—a cancer recovery initiative in the Muskokas (cottagedreams.org).

SHANNON GERARD is a dorky bibliophile who makes print-based artist’s books about loss, faith and other melancholy things. She teaches courses in print media and indie publishing at the Ontario College of Art and Design and draws pictures for love and money (shannongerard.org).

THE HAIRCUT is the third chapter in a “silent” graphic novel entitled The Details that is loosely based on main anatomical systems of the human body. Part I, entitled Carnival, reincarnates the heart/circulatory system as a gambol through a bizarre theme park; Part II The Alteration, re-interprets skin as a dress needing some significant
adjustments. The Haircut veers even further into the bizarre, where the same central character attempts to immunize her freshly planted cutting against the perennial dangers of a foreboding community garden.

STEF LENK draws, reads, and is enamored with all manner of oddities and unmentionables. She drinks tea, weeps with little effort about any number of things, enjoys ice cream and has no pets. In her “grown-up” time she does freelance design and book production (steflenk.com).

Media Contact:
Chris Reed (TINARS co-ordinator) tinars@pagesbooks.ca 416 598 1447
Shannon Gerard shannon@shannongerard.org 416 593 5306
stef lenk stef@steflenk.com 416 832 2889