Thursday, April 8, 2021

National Gallery Of Canada

In the middle of March I paid a visit to the National Gallery of Canada, another of our national museums in the capital area. My purpose was two fold: to enjoy the art and to get in enough shots for the blog to pull me through to tulip time in May. It was timely, as things have gone back into lockdown yet again because of Covid. I hope this is the last time, because I just don't think I can take much more of this.

The Gallery has its origins in the 19th century. Its present quarters are at Nepean Point, with a modern structure that houses Canadian and world art. At the time of my visit, strict Covid procedures were in place, such as limited entry, masks required, and some interactive activities off the table. I approached from the north.


Out front is Maman, the work of Louise Bourgeois. From this angle, Parliament Hill is in the background.


And from this angle, the Gallery itself, with the tall glass tower in the background.


A long ramp leads up from the entrance area to that glass tower. 


I took a couple of shots looking towards the Hill and the Ottawa River from the tower.


Looking inward, this corridor leads off to the north from the tower.


There's an art installation down there. We'll have a look at it near the end of this series.


I headed into the Canadian galleries. Some years ago these spaces were reorganized to mix together First Nations art with the traditional European style of art, to great effect. The first thing one sees upon entry are these artifacts.


On a wall nearby is this contemporary work, wHOLE w(((h)))orl(((d))), dating to 2013, by the Coast Salish artist lessLIE. 


The petroglyph on this rock is a thousand years old, and comes from Alberta. We'll continue in this area tomorrow.

32 comments:

  1. The sculpture is eye-catching indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is a huge spider sculpture. It is a big gallery. The rock in the last image looks like gold.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't know how many Maman sculptures Louise Bourgeois produced, but I have seen at least three of them both here and abroad.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The lockdown is really starting to wear thin, William. It is emergency situations like this that reveal what first class idiots many of our politicians are.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ...Ottawa has such a lovely mix of architecture and so many open spaces.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am not sure I like that sculpture!

    ReplyDelete
  7. i always enjoy the angle of that hallway and views ... neat for the sun light. way cool!! ( ;

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really like that sculpture and that long corridor.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes, there was a kind of perverse pleasure during the first lockdown but the novelty soon wore off.

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Italiafinlandia: so do I.

    @Nancy: it definitely is big.

    @Rosemary: there are several around the world, and then she did large spiders in other poses as well.

    @David: and our provincial premier is the biggest idiot of them all. I despise that man.

    @Tom: there is a lot going on.

    @Janey: it's not such an itsy bitsy spider.

    @Beth: it really lets in the light.

    @Jan: I do too.

    @John: I'm done with it.

    @Marie: thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Very interesting!
    Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. All street captures are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like that wallpiece, William. I think we are all ready to have 'normal' again but wonder when it can ever happen.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love visiting your National Gallery William, getting past Maman could be a challenge if you have a fear of spiders 😉

    ReplyDelete
  15. I know how you feel, we all want to get back to some kind of normal. Maman is one giant spider.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Impressive photos of the museum ~ Yes, this Covid situation is a bit much ~ my mantra has become the serenity. prayer ~ and have decided to sit on my deck ~ take walks ~ entertain myself ~ visit people when I can safely ~ do errands safely ~ all we can do ~ even with the vaccinations ~

    Living moment by moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Maman is an eye catcher for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @Lea: thank you.

    @Iris: indeed.

    @Magiceye: thanks.

    @RedPat: it feels far away.

    @Grace: she would be.

    @Sharon: she's huge.

    @Carol: well said.

    @Karl: thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Maman is a beautiful sculpture.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Imagine human habitation of Alberta that long ago!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love it when you visit the art museum. That spider statue is really impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Glad that is a sculpture and isn't real!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. @Bill: Maman appeals to me.

    @Revrunner: it was well established out there a thousand years back.

    @Jeanie: I love visiting this gallery.

    @DJan: it's a terrific sculpture.

    @Happyone: if it was real, the world would be a Ray Harryhausen movie.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Impressive sculpture. Oh goody, another art gallery walk.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I saw petroglyphs in a forest in Ontario. That was twenty five or thirty years ago. I wonder if they are more protected now.

    ReplyDelete
  26. William - I thought I was a planner, but you take the cake with snapping photos to get you through to tulip time! I am sorry to hear that you are in lockdown again ... my husband, son and I received our first shots today ... Lovely shots as always!

    ReplyDelete
  27. That spider sculpture is large!

    Sorry to read that you are once again in lockdown.
    Here in the UK some of our restrictions are just beginning to be eased. It's not easy is it!
    Take care, my good wishes.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  28. @Gemel: I haven't been back to the Gallery since this.

    @Joanne: hopefully they are.

    @Furry Gnome: I love the spider.

    @Angie: I try to plan ahead when I'm photographing.

    @Jan: I hope we're past the worst of it and no more lockdowns at this point.

    ReplyDelete