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Showing posts with label Works of Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Works of Art. Show all posts

Monday 30 September 2019

Holodomor Memorial Project

Holodomor Memorial Project

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  Canada Blvd.
Date: July 2019
Website:  https://www.explace.on.ca

  On the grounds of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in the Ukraine is a statue of a small girl.  There is now also a copy of this statue in Toronto just steps from the Princes' Gates.  Other Canadian cities have a statue too, such as Winnipeg and Regina. The statue represents a horrible event where millions of Ukrainians starved to death in 1932 and 1933.  Canada believes that this genocide was caused by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin who created a man-made famine in the region.

Bittersweet Memory of Childhood

  When you see the face of this thin girl you can't help but feel for anyone affected by hunger.  The statue is called Bittersweet Memory of Childhood.  Millions more people continue to die of starvation all around the world.  Hopefully this memorial causes us not to forget what has happened and to see how we can help those in need right now.

Let's Not Forget The Effects of Hunger Worldwide.


Map of Our World
Holodomor Memorial

Post # 264

Tuesday 30 July 2019

Safety Orange Swimmers

Safety Orange Swimmers In Lake Ontario.

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  Harbour Square Park
Date: July 2019
Website: annhirschstudio.com

  S.O.S usually stands for Save Our Souls and is a cry for help.  In Boston, in the fall of 2016 it stood for Safety Orange Swimmers.  It is still a cry for help.  The art exhibit included 22 bright orange people holding onto inner tubes.  It was created by artists Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier.

Harbour Square Park Safety Orange Swimmers

  The art exhibit will be in Toronto until September 2019.  It now includes 25 orange swimmers.  Each person represents more than one million refugees.  There are estimated to be nearly 26 million refugees risking their lives crossing oceans and dangerous terrain to reach safety and freedom for their families.

Safety Orange Swimmers Lake Ontario

  The orange figures all look identical and are only torsos.  As they get caught in the wake of a boat you can clearly see that there is no mid section or legs attached.  The figures cling to their inner tubes but are anchored so they do not drift away further into Lake Ontario.

Safety Orange Swimmers In Toronto.

  The artwork represents people who are so desperate to flee their country that they leave everything behind and  risk death by drowning or dehydration as they cling to homemade rafts.  A boat approached and we imagined what these orange people would be thinking as they faced an uncertain future in a new land.

A Boat Approches Safety Orange Swimmers

Map of Our World
Safety Orange Swimmers

Post # 258

Wednesday 10 July 2019

Washed Ashore

Sebastian James The Puffin at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  2000 Meadowvale Road
Date: May 2019
Website: washedashore.org

  Each year thousands of pounds of plastic wash ashore on one Oregon beach.  A group of volunteers have been cleaning this debris from the beach.  This plastic has been made into artwork that reminds us that we need to stop our plastic consumption.  We visited the Toronto Zoo to see the giant animal ambassadors created by Washed Ashore.  The exhibit runs until November 2019.

Angela Haseltine Pozzi talks about Washed Ashore at The Toronto Zoo.

  On the day we visited, Angela Haseltine Pozzi was there to talk about the organization.  She founded Washed Ashore in 2010 and is one of the main artists.  Since 2010 she has worked with volunteers to put in countless hours, collected over 40,000 pounds of plastic from the ocean and turned it into over 70 works of art.  There are eleven sculptures on display at the zoo.  Angela is standing beside Sebastian James the puffin.

Flash The Marlin at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  This sculpture by the zoo entrance is Flash the marlin.  Marlin are one of the fastest swimming fish in the ocean and travel many miles through the water.  They need the water to be clean and free of plastic that gets in their way.

Water Bottle Jelly at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Sebastian James the puffin stands outside of the zoo's main gift shop.  Just inside the doors to the gift shops hangs a jellyfish made out of water bottles.

Australian Water Bottle Jelly at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Outside of the Australasia pavilion is another jellyfish.  This jellyfish is also made from plastic water bottles.  We should try to drink from reusable containers and at home drink Brita filtered water from glasses.  The large packs of bottled water are a huge plastic waste, not to mention breaking your back by lugging them home.  Sea turtles like to eat jellyfish and sadly cannot tell the difference between floating plastic and a swimming jelly.  They end up filling their bellies with plastic instead of food.

Grace the Humpback Whale at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo.

  Just around the bend from the Australasia jellyfish is Grace the humpback whale.  Humans almost hunted humpback whales to extinction but today they can be found in all of the world's oceans.

Grace the Humpback Whale at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo.

  A closer look at Grace shows some of the plastic from toys, umbrellas and other items.  Sadly, the real humpbacks are forced to swim through this garbage every day.

Poly The Polar Bear at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Poly the polar bear was made with the help of staff from the Toronto Zoo.  Poly's name comes from polyethylene, polystyrene and other names for plastic.  Poly is supporting the idea that we all try to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse when dealing with plastics.  The best option is to refuse single use plastics.

Poly the Plastic Polar Bear at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo.

  Poly is also made from plastic trays, containers and more garbage which came from the Rouge Valley surrounding the zoo.

Nora The Salmon at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

    Nora the salmon is found near the Kid's Zoo.  Salmon travel up streams to mate and spawn.  The new salmon swim back to the ocean.  Unfortunately, millions of pounds of plastic polution also head downstream into the ocean each year.

Octavia the Octopus at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Octavia the octopus was sitting outside the Americas pavilion.  One of her arms was around the neck of a plastic Canada goose, but it should be trying to shake some sense into people who don't realize the consequences of their actions.

Sylvia the Silvertip Shark at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  In the African savannah you can find Sylvia the silvertip shark.  Sharks eat other small fish who eat plastic and this means the sharks end up eating the plastic too.

Rufus the Triggerfish at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Rufus the triggerfish is near the Indian rhino house.  He is made up of children's beach toys, flip flops and even parts of chairs.

Rufus the Triggerfish at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Triggerfish have sharp teeth and strong jaws that let them eat urchins and mollusks.  Plastic has been found with their bite marks, which means they are also eating this harmful human product.

Gertrude the Penguin at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo.

   Oil pollution is the main threat to penguin populations.  Next to the black-footed penguin exhibit is Gertrude the penguin.

Gertrude the Penguin at Washed Ashore Toronto Zoo

  Gertrude looked down on us as if to say "You can do better!".  We all need to think about how we can help the animals.  Washed Ashore vows to keep on spreading their message as long as there is debris floating up on their beach.  They dream that they will one day run out of supplies for their art.
 

Click here to take a virtual tour and see our collection of Toronto Zoo animal photos.

Map of Our World
Toronto Zoo

Post # 256

Sunday 30 June 2019

Unconditional Surrender

Unconditional Surrender statue San Diego

Location: San Diego, California, USA
Address: 
Date: June 2019
Website: en.wikipedia.org

  As you walk past the USS Midway Museum in San Diego and head into Tuna Harbor Park you come across a couple locked in an embrace.  This is a sculpture by artist Seward Johnson and is based on a photograph taken in Times Square at the end of World War II.  It is called Embracing Peace.

USS Midway Museum
USS MIdway Museum Plane

  San Diego is a huge naval town and the USS Midway is an aircraft carrier with fighter jets parked on top.

Ready To Serve.

  Behind Embracing Peace out in the harbour are active naval ships that are ready for action as needed.

Kiss A Little Longer

  The 25 foot tall couple doesn't notice as passerby snap photos.  They reminded us of the couples in an old commercial for Big Red chewing gum.

Embracing Peace

  The original artwork was in Sarasota, Florida and then moved to San Diego.  The artist then made several versions of the statue available.   The original was foam filled and stayed in San Diego until 2012.  It was originally called Unconditional Surrender.

Bronze is Made To Last

    About a year later a bronze replacement arrived in San Diego.  This is the strongest version offered by the artist.  As the couple continues to stand in the habour, that is one strong kiss as well.

Embracing Peace.

Map of Our World
Unconditional Surrender

Post # 255

Monday 10 June 2019

Bulle & Bar

Bulle & Bar   Bull & Bear Frankfurt Germany

Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Address:  Börsenpl. 49, 60313 Frankfurt am Main
Date: Oct 2018
Website: www.kunst-im-oeffentlichen-raum-frankfurt.de

 On our way to South Africa, we had a layover in Frankfurt, Germany.  We took this opportunity to leave the airport and check out the town.  As we walked along we found ourselves in the middle of a showdwon between a bull and a bear (or a bulle and bär in German).

Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

  In front of the Frankfurt stock exchange stand two sculptures by Reinhard Dachlauer.  They have been there since 1987.  The bronze to make the sculptures was donated by the stock exchange on its 400th anniversary.
 
Bull Sculpture Frankfurt Germany.

  The bull represents a rising stock market where investors are optimistic.

Bear Sculpture Frankfurt Germany

   The bear represents a recession where investors are wary.

Block House Restaurant Frankfurt.

  Behind the bear is the Block House restaurant.  The building has a balcony which appears to be supported by several hunched over figures.

Bear sculpture in Frankfurt.
 Bull sculpture in Frankfurt.

  Both sculptures had a cartoonish quality and lots of personality.  We found them very endearing  regardless of which way the stock market is headed

Bulle & Bear Sculptures Frankfurt.

Map of Our World
Bulle & Bär

Post # 253

Thursday 30 May 2019

Toronto Humane Society

Toronto Humane Society Mural

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  11 River Street
Date: May 2019
Website: www.torontohumanesociety.com

  The Toronto Humane Society always has its doors open for stray animals.  During Doors Open Toronto it welcomed people to tour behind the scenes.  The Humane Society is always a place of great sadness when a lost or injured animal is brought into the shelter.  It can also be a place of great joy when these animals find a new home.

Cats & Uber 5000's Bird Toronto Humane Society Mural

  The Humane Society building is hard to miss thanks to a bright mural by artist Uber 5000.  The mural fills the entire wall of the building which is located where King Street East meets Queen Street East.  As always in any Uber 5000 artwork there are little yellow birds hiding in the background.

Glenn Gould Dedication Toronto Humane Society

  As we entered the building we noticed a dedication to thank Canadian pianist Glenn Gould for his contributions.  Glenn was alway known for his love of animals as well as his piano playing.

Dogs Uber 500 Mural Toronto Humane Society

  The first animals we visited were the dogs.  As our group gathered, a volunteer brought out a small black dog and worked his way through the crowd.  Behind him followed an older man who said "He's going to be my dog".  A huge smile stretched across his face.  This was not the only dog to be successfully adopted.  As the dogs yipped and barked for our attention we could see from the signage that most would be on their way to new homes soon.

Bunny Door Stop

  After the dogs we visited the special species section.  A bunny door stop held the door open for us.

Bunny At Toronto Humane Society

  Just inside the doors was Carmel the bunny.  Carmel was doing her best to look cute and adoptable.  Getting a pet on impulse is a bad idea without understading the long term cost and comittment.

Hedgehog Care Book Toronto Humane Society.

  There were lots of information packages on caring for different animals.  We know a family who recently took in an African pygmy hedgehog so we picked up a booklet for them.

Red-Eared Slider

  Several pools at the back of the room held red-eared slider turtles.  Red-eared sliders are the most invasive turtle species in Ontario ponds.  Don't release your unwanted turtle into the wild.  Again think before you buy one as a pet.  Wild red-eared sliders are causing our local turtle species to head towards extinction.

A Bearded Dragon at Toronto Humane Society

  At the exit was a bearded dragon who was wearing a cone so he didn't touch or scratch where he shouldn't.  A note next to him stated that he was headed to a sanctuary.

Doug The Dog Toronto Humane Society Mural

  A lot of feral or street animals come into the shelter.  The only way to stop more and more of them from coming is to have them spayed or neutered.  This way they can no longer reproduce.

Spay or Neutering area at Toronto Humane Society

  A sign in the operating area shows how they clip the ears of spayed or neutered cats so they can easily be recognized.  This prevents cats being rounded up for repeat surgery that they don't need.

A Cat With Yarn

  The shelter is also home to many cats.  Cats like yarn and thread which can be a problem.

Toronto Humane Society Cat X-ray.

  We were shown some animal x-rays that showed broken bones and some that showed needles stuck inside a cat.  Cats love the thread but dont realize a needle is tied to the end.  Any metal in an x-ray shows up bright white like bones do.

Toronto Humane Society Donation Box.

  The Toronto Humane Society does a good job looking out for animals in our city.  They also do a good job for people who get the gift of a pet in their life.

Map of Our World
Toronto Humane Society

Post # 252