EcoLux☆Lifestyle: Yang Li/Ve Human Mas/Chine – Pharmakon Music Event at Leisure Center

Leisure Center has become an important host to Vancouver’s social scene and a growing part of its cultural identity since opening in November 2017.  On April 13^th, Leisure Center hosted London based fashion designer, Yang Li and New York based experimental musician, Pharmakon (Margaret Chardiet) to debut a unique live music performance in the space.

Yang Li is a fashion brand based in London, UK. As a brand profoundly connected to and influenced by music, Yang Li has worked with many artists and musicians around the world to bring live performance in various locations. The spontaneous energy of live music and the controlled and uncontrolled chaos has always been central to Yang Li’s collections. He has also collaborated with some iconic music figures, such as Swans and KK Null.

YANG LI/VE HUMAN MAS/CHINE is a music installation that allows artists to perform live in unexpected locations, subverting convert codes by taking the iconic out of context. The installation was co-designed by renowned architect Olaf Kneer and features an oversized trunk inspired by equipment cases used by bands on tours and contains a fully integrated system for musical performances using both light and sound.

Local creatives had an opportunity to chat with editors from a range of publications—including Dazed and Confused Magazine, StyleZeitgeist, and Another Man.

Pharmakon was the first artist to plug into the YANG LI/VE HUMAN MAS/CHINE. Her performances are both visceral and confrontational and she has been a figurehead in the underground experimental scene since the age of 17. Pharmakon continues to be the main flag bearer for modern noise music.

Music has always been a core value at Leisure Center. Regardless of its genre, Leisure Center believes music has the ability to expand our horizons and broaden our minds. Leisure Center co-founder Mason Wu shares, “Music has always been a fundamental component of the store from the curated store music to collaborating with notable musicians on special projects.  We are excited to host Pharmakon in Vancouver and hope this is the first of many special music collaborations we can bring to the city.”