everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything

This is a piece of art from a show we recently saw at the Vancouver Art Gallery by Douglas Coupland. He is a prolific artist and author whose work is fascinating in it's playful irreverence. This one titled, 'Gumhead' and was located on grounds of the gallery. It is a 7 ft. sculpture of the artist's head which he has invited the public to participate in by plastering it in, yes gum. This is a recent installation but when we arrived it was already quite covered in the stuff. He work often references everyday material in this way, inviting the viewer to rethink what is art using everyday materials in new ways. It is a really interesting show and I recommend it. - Fern

420?

So, ART is the door? Behind the door? 420 is where ART is to be found? 420 is the address of someone named "ART"?

The Coast Collective

While the view across Esquimalt Lagoon to Royal Roads anchorage was rather sombre on this rainy day, the view of the laden gallery walls within was bright, warm and colorful. The above photo was taken from a window of Pendray House, built in 1928 as a summer home and now in use as the gallery showroom of the Coast Collective, featuring the works of many local artists, with new shows mounted monthly. This gallery, where Hatley Park meets Esquimalt Lagoon is a wonderful place to visit after a walk in the forest. Click here to visit their website.A Victoria Times-Colonist article about the Gallery and Show can be read by clicking here.

Everything Mural

Expert Victorian author Ross Crockford describes this mural as "appalling" and quotes another source who suggests this may "very well be the worst mural in Canada, perhaps even in the world." Please click on it for the LARGE picture in order to enjoy many of its splendid details. I am particularly fond of the mountain lion's expression as he eyes the juicy young violinist.

As our Willits correspondent would say, now that we've discussed the elephant in the room we can move on to more important things.

5 Seedlings Telling a Joke to the Buddha

As well as gravel, you can also buy cement sculptures at the Gravel Mart. They have row on row of these Buddhas, and also the serene God or Goddess below.

Impeccable Tourist Observing Tatty Photographer

Here we are on the Inner Harbour causeway once again. As well as musicians it hosts artists and craftsmen. When I took this photo I was so focussed on getting the artist, Dean Lewis (back to camera), his caricature in progress, and his subjects in the frame that I didn't really notice this tourist observing me taking the photo. Dean Lewis is a talented artist who does caricatures. Click here to visit his website. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the lovely lady in white and gold but I hope she enjoyed her visit to Victoria.

Giant Seaplane

Quite aside from the artist's refreshing disregard for scale and perspective, there is something appealingly sinister about this giant seaplane mural. The black windows remind me of that cult movie classic about the crazed trailer truck that pursues a poor motorist (Dennis Weaver?)across a nightmare superhighway landscape.

Thanks to our Willits correspondent for the title of the above film, "Duel"

Violinist - Bastion Square

Downtown today to photograph one of Victoria's mechanical street clocks but got sidetracked about three times on the way there. Bastion Square was decked out for spring and this street musician was seated in front of his home at the Lighthouse Gallery. He can be seen in the broader context of Bastion Square at the bottom right of the photo below.
The second digression today was a visit to the Maritime Museum, just visible through the branches of the tree on the left. I was stunned by the range of interesting artifacts and information there AND one can take photographs so....

Bastion Square is not so much a square as a series of pedestrian-only open spaces running from Government Street down to Wharf Street (two blocks). At this time of year craftsmen and artists stalls here mingle with art galleries, sidewalk cafes and bars. It is the site of the original Fort Victoria and is intimately associated with the history and development of the city. We'll be visiting it often over the next months since nearly every building has a story to tell.

Urban trompe l'oeil

First, a tip of the hat to my fellow City Daily Photo Blogger from Willits, California, for drawing my attention to urban trompe l'oeil as public art through her post "Dog with Koi Pond." I suspect most cities have some instances of this style of art. The example above is on the front of a shop here in Victoria that sells mobility devices such as electric scooters and stair assists.

Galloping Goose Trail - Mural

The Galloping Goose Regional Trail has more to offer than trees and birds and flowers. This mural improves the underside of a bridge. Below are the left and right side views - next time I'll have to try the "panorama" function....