Thursday, November 30, 2017

Myths, Evidence, And Jazz Music

I have some odds and ends today. This is a work of art called Myths And Evidence, installed this year in Gatineau by artist Mathieu Valade. A full sized unicorn is encased in a translucent glass box. The art is in the trick of the glass itself, which conceals the unicorn the closer you get, and gives you a better view the further away you are. It's a mix of being simultaneously identifiable but obscured.


Down the street stands Gatineau's City Hall.


One evening in October I was passing through Lansdowne Park. There was a football game going on at the stadium, and I came across two wood carvers in the process of carving sculptures. One appeared to be Joseph Montferrand, while the other was the logo of the Ottawa Redblacks (yes, it's a stupid name for a team). The Aberdeen Pavilion was their backdrop.


These two signs were to be found in the Glebe.


This is a view of the main span of the Chaudiere Bridge, taken at the entrance to Miwate, which I showed you earlier in the month, and will have another couple of posts on in December. The Gatineau skyline is in the background. The bridge crosses a part of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Gatineau; this is quite different from other nearby bridges. At this spot, the river passes among a series of islands, so the bridges spanning it on this road are a good deal smaller than the Portage, Alexandra, or Macdonald-Cartier Bridges downstream.


Here we have a view of the Chinatown Arch at night.


Also a night shot, back in the Glebe in October. I was passing by Lansdowne Park one evening and noticed that there were football players on the field. This might have been a practice, either for the Redblacks or the University of Ottawa's team. There were people in the stands watching, but not enough for there to have actually been a game going on.


This shot I took one evening at the National Arts Centre, where a jazz band was playing after a classical concert in one of the performance spaces.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

The Wonders Of Ancient India

India was the subject of one of the embassy events back in late September in the Horticulture Building.


Art, landscape photography, and food were all part of the event, as was music.


Clothing was also on display, with mixes of rich colours.


This is called the Odissi Dance. Performance in one way or another is a big part of these events, with different performers throughout a given day. I will have the last set of these Ottawa Welcomes The World events later on in December.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The Riches Of China

China was the subject of another event at the Horticulture Building for the Ottawa Welcomes The World series. It already started outside the building, where photographs from China were on display, among other items.


The photography also could be found indoors.


Items of traditional formal attire were also present, and there were numerous panels about the next world expo, which is to be held in China.


These photographs caught my eye too. 3D photographs gave the illusion of movement to the naked eye, and a sharp look in the finished shot.


Near the stage, this floral arrangement was standing.


A hostess announced a performance by dancers in traditional attire.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Japanese Culture

Another reminder to members of City Daily Photo: the theme day for December is Gift.

Today I have another in the Ottawa Welcomes The World embassy series, taking place at Lansdowne Park. Japan was the subject of this one.


Inside there was plenty of information on tourism and investment, art, food, and other activities.


Hanging from the balcony overhead were tenugui towels.


I arrived early, as things were just getting underway and people were gathering.


This art caught my eye.


As did the traditional Japanese horticultural skills of floral arrangement and bonsai.


The ambassador opened up the day's activities from the stage.


He was followed by singers, singing in a classical style that nonetheless had a strongly Japanese feel.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Autumn Glory

This tree is in Centretown, looking quite splendid in red during October.


This is the same tree as above in close up, taken a few days later after the peak of its colours.


A short walk away from the first location, this row of trees lines the north side of Dundonald Park, looking west.


Compare the above with this one, in the same park on another day, but looking east instead along the north side.


I took these two shots on Victoria Island, which is one of several islands on the Ottawa River upstream from Parliament Hill. The fall colours on this particular morning were bright and vibrant. I have a post in December about a nearby spot on this island.


This is Richmond Landing, situated very close by, which I'll also be showing in a post of its own in December. There's a monument down there in the shadow of Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Library And Archives Canada, but I wanted to highlight the fall colours here first.


I was down at City Hall one day, and the red-pink of the changing colours on this bush caught my eye.


The trees around the complex were all changing. This shot takes in the newer wing of City Hall.


I finish with a view of Parliament Hill on a gloomy afternoon, with the trees on the slope in a rash of colours overlooking the Rideau Canal. I'll still have the odd fall shot here and there as part of other posts, but this concludes my focused look at autumn for the year.