Friday, July 3, 2015

The Usual Suspects Meet A Burlesque Girl

I look forward to seeing what search terms that title ends up bringing into my stats.

I've photographed this before, but I've always thought it stands out so well. The seal of the city is rendered in three dimensions and set against the brick wall in the Heritage Building.


Down the hall, heading towards the modern wing of City Hall, are portraits of former mayors, hence our Usual Suspects. Unlike Toronto, fortunately we will never have to put up with a portrait of a drunken crack smoking idiot among such portraits.


On a balcony in the modern wing are these two sculptures by the same artist. They're oddities; I thought of using them for a theme day later in the year. The woman, an acrobat, certainly reminds me of a burlesque girl (don't ask, it's a long story, and the Sisters Of Little Or No Mercy would not approve).


Down below, outside the council chambers (which I really should photograph sometime) are a set of paintings by a local artist, Ben Babelowsky, depicting Ottawa scenes. The one on the first shot, lower row first on the left, shows the modern wing of City Hall.  The Heritage Building is in the second shot, top row left. Watson's Mill in Manotick can be found in the second shot, lower row centre.


Tomorrow I am veering off from Doors Open for some Canada Day pics, but I will be back again to finish this series off.

33 comments:

  1. I love the art in your last two photos!

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  2. I love the seal. And the burlesque lady is an odd addition! :)

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  3. This is certainly an eclectic collection of art!

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  4. Your tile made me laugh... A very curious post with some unusual images!

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  5. William - I can't help there's a tale lurking there that you're not telling us.. Great title for the post!

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  6. I like the paintings in your last two photos.

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  7. I like the idea of viewing the city through the seasons.

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  8. There's really quite a lot to see there!

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  9. Interesting art collection there in the house.

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  10. I think the acrobat sculpture would be more suited to the ex Mayor's office (along with his vodka and crack collection).
    Jane x

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  11. Haha! Your title made me do a double take William :) Enjoyed our trip inside City Hall, so many lovely details and an impressive art collection.

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  12. From where do you have this title? :)
    Love the last two images, not so much that girl...

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  13. You have an interesting city hall with lots of history. You had a good walk around the place. There always seems to be something controversial in government buildings.

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  14. @Linda: so do I. He's quite a good artist.

    @Halcyon: it's a curious artistic addition.

    @Kay: there's quite a mix of art in this building; this is permanent, but there's also a gallery inside that has regular shifts in art showings. The current one on display would give heart palpitations to anyone with a fear of the dark.

    @Bill: it is- and such a difference with the two buildings.

    @VP: I couldn't resist that title!

    @Mike: thank you!

    @Jan: so do I.

    @Revrunner: as do I.

    @EG: there is indeed.

    @Marianne: I certainly think so.

    @Jane and Chris: Ottawa did have an idiot as a mayor for one term, but at least he didn't have vices and low life buddies.

    @Grace: thank you!

    @Karl: I made it up, but it felt very appropriate!

    @Red: that is true.

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  15. Love the city emblem!
    Never say never...
    Definitely odd statue - and love the Sisters of \Little or No Mercy line.
    Love those paintings.

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  16. That is quite an assortment of things on display. I do love those winter scene paintings.

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  17. So the acrobat lady is in the Heritage Building with the mayors, eh? Does the horse belong to her, too? Is there a circus somewhere in the city's history?

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  18. The sculpture came as a bit of a shock!

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  19. I like that burlesque girl, even in such an unlikely setting!

    Never say never... You might one day have a coke addict... :-)

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  20. To every life a little sun must fall.Open Doors now; Clothes Off later?

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  21. @Jackie: never say never, indeed... one can't know, though I can't imagine any human being more unfit for office than a member of the Ford clan.

    @Sharon: the artist's style appeals to me.

    @Cheryl: well, they're by the same artist, so they're a matched pair. I have no idea what the connection is... we don't have a circus in the city's history.

    @Norma: it's very different from the dignity of the portraits.

    @Ciel: it was one thing to have an idiot (who actually stood charges on electoral fraud related matters), but at least we didn't have to be ashamed of him like Torontonians!

    @Birdman: hah! You might not like my post for tomorrow!

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  22. I agree with you on the acrobat.

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  23. Manotick Mill is iconic! Love the post title!!!

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  24. The "burlesque" girl seems rather out-of-place in such a place.

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  25. @Mari: it's quite different, isn't it?

    @Linda: I wonder who decided to add that to the city hall back in the day.

    @Randy: she does!

    @Jennifer: that mill is a beauty.

    @Lowell: very out of place!

    @MB: thank you!

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  26. Still favor the burlesque girl!

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  27. That last photo looks like each one can be made into a puzzle.

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