Monday, April 14, 2014

Colours Of The Morning Star

I will be posting this to Monday Mural in the morning. You can find more examples for the week at that link from photobloggers around the world who participate.

There is a fountain here in the Grand Hall, though at this time of year the water isn't on.


At the south side of the Hall are escalators and a staircase leading up towards Canada Hall. It helps to look up from here before making the ascent. Right at the top, one of the domes of the museum has a painting in place.


It's called Morning Star, by the Chipewyan artist Alex Janvier, completed over several months in 1993. The dome mural measures nineteen metres in diameter, covers an area of 418 square metres, and is perched a total of seven stories above the floor of the Grand Hall, according to the statistics I found on it.


Up at the top, from the entrance into Canada Hall, one gets a good closeup of the heart of the mural. I find myself wondering how Janvier painted this- it had to have involved a scaffolding and floor. From up here, the view's dizzying, and I say that as a rock climber!








34 comments:

  1. I like the colorful artistic work.

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  2. It's strange to see blue rather than black in the wheel. I had forgotten all about Janvier and his very nice work.

    You can keep photos of the museum coming for the next 2 years as far as I'm concerned! :-)

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  3. This is really nice! Love the bright colors.

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  4. William, this is such a gem! I am so glad you shared it with us. I really like it.

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  5. That dome is amazing. Like a gigantic colour wheel.

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  6. Gunn: so do I!

    Ciel: I am already thinking of shots for my next trip!

    Stuart: I have always thought so!

    MB: thanks!

    Halcyon: it does take the breath away.

    Hilda: my pleasure to show it off!

    Debs: I find myself wondering how many people don't realize it's there until they're at the top.

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  7. I've always been drawn to works using lots of bold colors. This is wonderful!

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  8. The colors are fantastic. They draw the eye deeper and deeper into the mural.

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  9. I like the geometric art of the Morning Star: it is something really different and creative!

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  10. That is simply amazing. I love everything about it.

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  11. That is some piece of work. Beautiful. The colors are amazing.

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  12. @Tex: I think so!

    @Norma: I've been looking forward to the reactions people would have to this mural since I took these shots.

    @Mari: they certainly do.

    @VP: Janvier outdid himself with this mural.

    @Sharon: that appears to be a consensus.

    @Lauren: thanks!

    @Louis: it surely is.

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  13. It's amazing! thanks for showing it, William.

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  14. Beautiful bright colors. Very artistic!

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  15. Dazzling! I take it that it was painted in place? Even with feet planted firmly on the ground it would be a challenge to do those precise geometrics. It's a gorgeous, lush piece of art.

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  16. It remind me a Venus on the summer morning sky, just before the sunrise. So nice.

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  17. What a fantastic work of art. It's hard to image how big it is.

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  18. I want to come to Ottawa RIGHT NOW and see this place. Amazing. We all learn so much from each other! Simply breathtaking.

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  19. Wow!!! What a magnificent, beautiful burst of colour!

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  20. @Karl: thanks!

    @RedPat: you're welcome!

    @Jackie: yes indeed!

    @Marleen: thanks!

    @Kay: it had to have been painted in place as opposed to assembled. I can't see how it would have been done that way, but the logistics of setting up a workspace would be astounding.

    @Inna: it does have that going on.

    @Jan: it feels even bigger in person.

    @Greensboro: thank you!

    @Linda: it certainly is!

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  21. It is beautiful William! So vibrant and colorful.

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  22. This a beautiful feat of art and determination. I cannot imagine the time and position for painting this. The design is stunning!

    Bises,
    Genie

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  23. It is beautiful! Your photos are also great.

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  24. Great artwork! Hope you show us pix of the fountain when it's turned on!

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  25. I really like this composition. The colors and abstract shapes are so engaging. Thanks, William, for contributing to this week's Monday Mural.

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  26. @Denise: I always love to see it.

    @Genie: I know it took some months.

    @Linda: it really is.

    @Pat: thank you.

    @Cheryl: thanks!

    @ODP: you're welcome.

    @Joan: thanks!

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