Roger Ing's Utopia

Enter the eclectic world of Roger Ing, a prolific Canadian artist, philanthropist, and former restaurateur of the New Utopia Café, where magical moments happened and a legend was created. Gain insights into the phenomenon of Ing through this documentary exploration, and discover how he combined eastern and western painting styles. Learn how he enchanted and performed as he worked, and come to understand art through his eyes as he takes us on a journey of one of his creations. Follow the unravelling of the mystery of man and myth in this hour long artistic excursion of fun and adventure about a modern day cultural hero.

The terms "Rogerism" or "Roger Style" are almost as famous as Roger Ing himself. This film examines the various intricacies that make up the man and his work, focusing on his artistic perspective and giving an entertaining look at what has captivated a community and caused a stir in various art worlds.

Insights are given into Ing's work by various contemporary artists and collectors such as Jack Severson, Dan Sali, Joe Fafard, Edward Poitras, and Art McKay. Curators such as Helen Marzolf of the Dunlop Gallery and Dan Ring of the Mendel Gallery also provide comments on his work. This half hour television show was produced and written by Judith Silverthorne, 1998 Spiral Film Productions Inc. (Now Spiral Communications Inc.) Copies are available by contacting Moving Images Distribution. Arrangements for purchasing also may be made through the producer at E-Mail.