Wonders Of The First Peoples

A look around the hall beneath the glass tower at the National Gallery gives us these views. 

The Gallery houses world art in the upper level, and Canadian art on the main level. First we start with Canadian art. A number of years ago these galleries were reconfigured to include Indigenous art with traditional (European) style art from Canadian artists. The first thing you see when you enter is this view.

Indigenous art might be ancient, or it might be quite contemporary. This is Indian Psychology by Bob Boyer, dating to 1997.

Traditional objects seen in the first shot we get of the galleries include this drum, which I wanted a closer look at.

Nearby on a wall is wHOLE w(((h)))orl(((d))), a 2013 acrylic by lessLIE.

While this is ancient. A petroglyph from the Beaver Hills in the West was done on this rock around the year 1000 by an Assiniboine artist.

A Brief History Of Northwest Coast Design is by Luke Parnell, from 2007.

One last wider shot today from this space. We carry on tomorrow.

Greenery In The National Gallery

As I mentioned yesterday, I am starting a series from the National Gallery of Canada today, from a visit taken during Canada Day. I resolved on that day to just visit one museum, as opposed to my traditional mad dash around three or four of them on Canada Day. 

The Gallery has roots stretching back into the 19th century, and its present quarters dates to 1988, a modern mix of glass and granite that well suits its purpose. This view along the south side takes in its neighbour across the street, Notre Dame.

Coming towards the main entrance I looked south, with landmarks like the Peacekeeping Monument, the American Embassy, and the Chateau Laurier visible.

This is Maman, by Louise Bourgeois.

Out of consideration for social distancing, the main entrance was the exit, and the entry point was by way of the group entrance. Inside and en route, I paused beneath the fountain that occupies one of the two courtyards and looked up to take this shot. We'll see more of it to come.

The main entrance hall has a work of art assembled within at the moment. Capsule was assembled by Rashid Johnson over the course of the pandemic. A mix of plants, books, and other materials on tiered shelving certainly makes for a very different artistic experience.

Up the long ramp I went towards the permanent galleries.

Looking out one of the windows in the glass tower at the end of the ramp, I took this shot of Major's Hill Park, with Parliament Hill beyond.

Scenes From A Capital Celebration

I was out and about on Canada Day, the first proper celebration of the occasion since Covid wrecked havoc with the world. I wanted to photograph some of the landmarks before heading to my destination for the day, and stopped first at Parliament Hill. The presence of some malcontents- the idiotic alt-right remnants of the 'freedom' convoy that tried strangling the city back in February- persuaded me otherwise. Generally the police kept a good eye on them throughout the core during the day. Instead I went east and photographed the National Arts centre, with its glass lantern lit up with a red stylized maple leaf.

A turn to the left gives us the National War Memorial and the Chateau Laurier beyond it. This area is called Confederation Square: the Canadian equivalent to Britain's Trafalgar Square, with national landmarks around it and the Memorial at its heart.

Crossing onto the grounds of the Memorial, I stopped to take this shot of the Hill in the background. The building at left is the distinctive main Ottawa branch of Canada Post.

The Memorial, with tourists paying their respects. Canadian Forces personnel are standing at post during the day now.

A short walk over to the east is the Rideau Canal. On the far shore is the Government Conference Centre, presently home to the Senate while work goes on at Centre Block.

A look down along this side of Plaza Bridge.

And at the front of the building, where the statues of the Famous Five presently reside. These five women brought forward the Persons Case nearly a century ago, a victory for women's suffrage in the long run and a chance for women to serve in the Senate.

Here we look over the other side of Plaza Bridge, with the Ottawa Locks descending down towards the Ottawa River.

I headed through the Byward Market, where these painted onto the walkway caught my eye.

Not sure what happened with this shot, but I like it. It's a new phone, and I think I clicked a different setting. Anyway, these are the York Steps, and each year a new design is painted onto them. I took these up from the Market towards Major's Hill Park.

Taken from the park itself, this shows Parliament Hill. The Canal lies between here and there.

This view towards the National Gallery and Notre Dame includes flowerbeds that were home to tulips in May. Now they're home to other plants and flowers that will last into October. I was going to the National Gallery for a visit, in a series I'll start showing you tomorrow.

But I stopped over on the Alexandra Bridge for a couple of shots. This one looks to the Gatineau shore of the Ottawa River, with the Museum of History at right.

My final shot taken on Canada Day. I didn't attend the fire works, though I certainly heard them. I went to a restaurant and picked up some take-out for dinner. This was on the wall inside. 

Poutine is one of those Canadian essential meals: fries with cheese curds and gravy. My choice of extra toppings from the menu was entirely fitting for Canada Day. The Canadian, with ground beef, mushrooms, bacon, and maple syrup. 

Oh, so good. 

No, I didn't leave any left over to share.

The Darkest Chapter Of A World War

 The National Holocaust Monument lies across the street from the Canadian Firefighters Memorial. It is a stark open air monument that commemorates the Holocaust. A collaborative work, it features the architecture of Daniel Libeskind, the photography of Edward Burtynksy, input from Holocaust scholar Doris Bergen, and landscape architecture by Claude Cormier. This is one of two entrances, heading down a staircase. The other entrance on the far side is accessible for wheelchairs, and an elevator incorporated for the design allows access to the second level.

Down the stairs I went. The angles of the monument are fitting for its subject.

Burtynksy photographed places that featured into the history of the Holocaust as they appear in the current day. His photographs are etched into the walls. Here we have two. Hiding Place, Warsaw Jewish Cemetery, Poland is at left, featuring a trench that served as a hiding spot during the worst of the Holocaust. At right is Prayer Room, Theresienstadt, Czech Republic. A place of prayer was created by the Jews suffering in the camp-ghetto at the height of the Holocaust.

Close by is the entrance to a place of reflection. A memorial flame burns in an alcove.

Emerging back out the other side takes us to another Burtynksy work. Abandoned Railbed, Treblinka, Poland shows nature reclaiming the old railbed. Nearly a million people were transported along this spur to the death camp.

Track 17, Berlin, Germany is another such example of the use of infrastructure during the Holocaust. Starting in 1941, trains leaving the freight yards in Berlin transported Jews and others to the concentration camps and death camps.

The most infamous of which is Auschwitz. Burtynksy's photograph, Fence, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland shows it as it appears today, but it is a chilling sight regardless.

Up to the upper landing. The monument comes out to a point, with its view towards Parliament Hill. The spire of the Peace Tower is visible.

I descended back down. A series of panels examines the story of the Holocaust.

Here are some of them.

Across from them is the last of the Burtynsky photographs. Site Of Death March, Near Mauthausen, Austria shows a place as it appears today. In the dying days of the war, with Nazi Germany falling at each front, the Nazis emptied the camps and force marched prisoners to those places still under German control, in an attempt to hide their crimes. 20 000 sick Jewish prisoners were marched along this road. Those who could not keep up were shot and left behind in the ditches.

A final shot from within the Monument.