Biodiversity

 Staircases lead from one level of the NAC to the next, and in the core of these staircases hang these chandelier installations which are quite eye catching.

A wooden tree was placed in a lobby area nearby, by a local artist. The Ottawa 200 Biodiversity Tree features two hundred species, past and present, in the Ottawa Valley. Ben LaChapelle is the artist. I found it fascinating.

It was time to go. It had been a long day, and I was not up to doing the dusk to dawn circuit of Nuit Blanche. I departed the NAC. This is part of the 2017 additions, a glass tower that includes circuitry to project images on the glass.

I crossed the street, taking another look back. It had been quite a day.

NAC Sightings

 Continuing where I left off in this visit to the National Arts Centre during the Ottawa Bicentennial celebrations, this shirt and skirt date to 1984. At the time, k.d. lang was participating in the Edmonton Folk Festival.

Two works of art exhibited together, both by First Nations artists- a painting and a canoe. Frank Polson painted Anishnabek Traditional Territory in 2020, commissioned by the NAC. Pinock is an Anishinaabe Algonquin who specializes in making canoes in the traditional fashion. This one dates to 2019.

Nearby, an informal stage area, lit dimly at first, with music shortly to come, and dancers off to the right. The audience was waiting.

This area is part of the 2017 additions. This large staircase has always caught my eye.

For today, I finish with this. The late Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould owned this piano, and it was willed to the NAC. It is kept here, still in tune, and occasionally played in performance.

The Landmarks

 As I'd said, I knew that I wouldn't be able to see everything at this bicentennial party, but I wanted to make one more stop, seeing as how the establishment was very visibly taking part in the festivities. I crossed the Rideau Canal via the Mackenzie King Bridge, taking two shots looking north towards Plaza Bridge, where this series started. Landmarks include the National Arts Centre and Parliament Hill at left, and the Chateau Laurier and Government Conference Centre at right. It looked like an official party was departing the NAC.

I headed onto the terrace at the NAC, since that was my destination, and took this photo across the Canal of the Ottawa Convention Centre. Its architecture has always appealed to me.

A look to the left gives us the Chateau and the Conference Centre. Both date to 1912, and the latter started its life as a train station linked to the hotel. These days it hosts the Senate while work on Parliament Hill continues.

Another shot, looking at the NAC. Sections of glass-dominated additions were added on and opened up for 2017, creating more space and off-setting the Brutalist architecture.

I photographed a section of art when I entered the building. A Given Number Of Owls is a 1972 work by Jack Shadbolt.

This is a portion of a large door within the NAC. Beyond it is a large room used for multiple purposes. I once donated blood in that room. I've always liked this door. It feels like something out of science fiction, like Blade Runner.

The NAC hosts classical music, pop and jazz concerts, and theatre, and is a national institution. It's also very much part of the city, and was busy being part of the city's bicentennial party.

There was a display on the Canadian singer k.d. lang, who has become very much an icon over the years while remaining distinctly herself.

Several display cases included some of her clothing. This design is the Nudie Suit.

And this is her Honky Tonk Angels' Medley jacket, dating to a 1988 performance.

Bicentennial Party

I continued my wanderings around the Byward Market during Nuit Blanche. This band caught my attention.

I took this panoramic shot from this corner.

And then I continued on my way.

There was more music to be found.

A look east. Note the Beavertails outlet. This is the Beavertails outlet, home of a fried pastry in the shape of a beaver's tail, and topped in various ways. A Canadian tradition.

The crowds were out and about, and I took several shots looking south in short order. The odd time in a crowd I feel a bit claustrophobic, but not on this occasion. I really needed this night. I've been having a rough go of it in the past few months with my depression, triggered by a situation at work, and being out here helped. 

I looked back at the main market building. I wondered what the little dog thought of all this.

I took two shots of this pub. I've never been by for a meal, but should sometime.

My path took me a short walk away. This is Arts Court, a former 19th century courthouse that is now home to multiple arts organizations. It was busy participating in the day's events, including one of the embassies putting on a sauna out front- an odd thing, I thought. The building is lovely when lit up at night.