So, if you saw the film Project Grizzly by director Peter Lynch then you really must check out Grizzly Proof, a conceptual art show inspired by the film and by the very human and lovable Troy Hurtubise. Human vs. nature was explored by all the artists in different mediums at the Flux Factory; which was a great space for this event, as long as you don’t mind trekking out to Queens.

Once you enter the room your eyes are pulled in so many directions as you try to decide what to look at first. There was the huggable fuzzy bear sleeping bag in the middle of the floor (”Bear Hugg” by Lisa Dillin) which you can actually snuggle up and zip yourself into. Then I was drawn to the loopy and fun “Hairy Blob with Arrows” by Fabienne Lasserre. And, how could I forget Paul Burn’s “Bear Cave” which was a humongous cave to peek into. I climbed into it’s secret little hidden interior to watch Burn’s and Stuyvesant’s “Grizzly Quest” video. I swear that cave was like a clown car, multitudes of people kept entering and exiting all night.

Some of the most notable projects were the simplistic, yet poignant and precise “Log” by Dominique Blais and the multimedium “What it Takes to Fold a Giant Bear” by Ian Montgomery which took the traditional artform of origami to a quirky postmodern and oversized level and it was spiced up with video documentation at super speeds.

Audience favorite of the evening (also got my vote!) was the interactive metal “Foosball Table” by Chris Hackett (metal work) and Eleanor Lovinsky (handcrafted figurines of little bears and little Troys). The crowd errupted around this piece of art as MANY games of foosball went on and on into the night.

The artists did not take themselves too seriously, which successfully added a level of playful intimacy and captured the truth of the film. Grizzly Proof was curated by Jean Barberis, Kerry Downey and Chen Tamir. The exhibit runs through April 12 on Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6 PM or by appointment.

Overall: I liked it- go play!