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Hello From Ottawa A First Walk Down Town And Exploring The Street At The Canadian Museum Of Contemporary Photography
hen I left Toronto this beautifully decorated room with a
morning at 10 am it was Queen bed, double Jacuzzi tub,
raining cats and dogs. fireplace, equipped with a
But fortunately rush hour was private bathroom with double
finished and traffic was flowing shower. I unloaded my luggage and
easily. About an hour east of packed my little backpack for my
Toronto the rain stopped and the busy schedule this afternoon. I
sun started peeking through and asked Judy what the best way was
the drive through the hilly areas to get to the Chateau Laurier,
around Kingston turned into a and she recommended walking since
rather enjoyable experience. it’s only 15 minutes away. My
Spring was in full force - lilacs destination was the Canadian
were blooming by the side of the Museum of Contemporary
highway. Photography, an institution
committed to showcasing the work
Quite relaxed I rolled into of Canada’s most dynamic
Ottawa at 2:30 pm and navigated photographers. The Museum itself
my way into Ottawa’s east side, was created in 1985 and is
the Sandy Hill neighbourhood, an affiliated with the National
upscale area of stately Victorian Gallery of Canada. It originally
mansions and well-maintained evolved out of the Still
gardens. I easily found my Photography Division of the
accommodation: the McGee’s Inn, a National Film Board which has
14-room historic bed and almost 50 years of history.
breakfast at 185 Daly Street,
just a few streets north of the As an individual with a keen
University of Ottawa. interest in the visual arts, the
Canadian Museum of Contemporary
Judy, one of the owners, took me Photography is one of my
to my room: the Egyptian Room, a favourite spots and it seems I
make my way there every time I Robert Frank’s photographs were
come to Ottawa. I had already taken in Paris in 1958 and New
visited the Museum earlier this York in 1959 and they portray the
year during my coverage of street as a theatre in which
Winterlude to see Sunil Gupta's alienation and estrangement
exhibitions "Social Security" and dominate the social interplay.
"Homeland". Tom Gibon’s set of Quartets
assembles images taken since the
This time around the Museum early 1970s to create a poetic
featured two new exhibitions: vision of urban life through
“The Street” is a collection of juxtapositions based on visual
images from six different relationships. Robert Walker’s
photographers who use their own snapshots of humans and their
approach to interpreting people environment turn into a pattern
and events in public spaces. of saturated colours in which any
Since the beginning of notion of individualism melts
photography, the street has had away. Michael Schreier’s close-up
special significance as a public portraits of strangers who he met
place where individual identities at random challenge the
are played out. The exhibition convention of distance that
curator Pierre Dessureault normally governs social
explains that “the street as interactions in public spaces.
public space has been a favourite The images of Dave Heath portray
subject for photography, and the faces, seeking to uncover
omnipresent mass media and the attitudes and gestures that
images they relay to us force us reveal signs of an inner life
to rethink the boundaries between while Justin Wonnacott actually
the private sphere and the public emphasizes the involvement of the
domain.” photographer who intervenes as he
orchestrates a transaction
between himself, the fulfilled I headed off to on my
photographer, and the subjects. own photographic journey through
the areas surrounding the
The second exhibit is entitled Canadian Museum of Contemporary
"The Painted Photograph” and Photography. The Fairmont Chateau
presents the works of three Laurier is always a prime object
Canadian photographers, David for photography and I had a
Bierk, Sarah Nind and Jaclyn chance to explore the public
Shoub, whose technique combines spaces adjoining Elgin Street
photography and painting. Using including the War Memorial. The
different media, the three sun was peeking through every
artists touch on subjects such as once in a while and Ottawa
identity and community, nature presented itself at its best,
and culture as well as tradition adorned by thousands of tulips.
and technology. Andrea Kunard,
the exhibition curator, explains The Canadian Museum of
that “the combination of painting Photography was my first stop in
and photography challenges common a packed itinerary that would
expectations that photography is continue with the Canadian Museum
objective and truthful, while of Civilization and its special
painting is subjective and “Petra – City of Stone” exhibit.
creative”. To me these painted My plan was finish today’s
photographs had an almost explorations with an IMAX
surrealistic element. Both presentation about Ancient
exhibitions are currently running Greece. No doubt my scheduled was
between May 5 and November 19, packed...
2006.
Ottawa – truly a city for culture
With my quest for artistic lovers…
inspiration successfully
About the Author:
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Find unconventional travel information, cross-cultural experiences, interviews with travellers and other inspiring people. Submit your own travel stories & win an exciting Amazon River cruise! "Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons”
Read more articles by: Susanne Pacher
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