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