Tag Archives: art

“Pic of the Week”, February 24, 2023: Regina Lace, Saskatchewan

Karl on Feb 23, 2023 with Comments Off

An interesting piece of art is Stephan Braithwaite and Douglas Bamford’s Regina Lace. It was completed in 2009 as part of a public artwork project and is a two-part sculpture celebrating the immigrant history of Regina.
1) On the east side are nine bronze figures cast from residents of Regina, representing a variety of backgrounds symbolizing the mixed cultural diversity of the city. Part of this is show in the photo above, with more detail views attached.

(West portion of Regina Lace)

2) The west facing portion is a monolith that appears to be a massive pamphlet filled with stories. The piece is actually steel plating, a lace pattern worked into its borders. Sitting at its base is a young African immigrant.
I thought it …

Tagged art, Regina, Regina Lace, street art

.All Trips / Europe / Italy

Sicily’s Colorful Cart Art

Karl on Feb 14, 2023 with Comments Off

Sicilian carts have a long history, dating to the time of Greek occupation when they were used to haul goods inland. They were especially popular around a hundred years ago, until they were all but completely replaced by automobiles and trucks in the 1950s.
What makes these carts unique is their colorful decorations. Some carts have carvings, some have have paintings, all of which tell stories about Sicilian history and folklore.
We came across this collection of carts and related art while walking in an alley in Palermo. I thought it interesting that even three-wheeled trucks had decorations similar to the carts.

(Carretto_Siciliano. Courtesy of Filippo Piazza and Wikimedia)

I found the photo above on Wikimedia, which shows how lovely the carts and horses …

Tagged art, Cart, Palermo, Sicily

.All Trips / Central Canada / Manitoba / North America

Gimli’s Seawall Murals, Lake Winnipeg

Karl on Jan 30, 2023 with Comments Off

It had been at least 35 years since I visited Gimli. The town had grown quite a bit and its reputation as an ethnic travel destination is now firmly established — a bit of Iceland in central Canada.
Gimli has an active summer-time harbor, used by local sailing and boating enthusiasts and commercial fisherman (who harvest Lake Winnipeg’s bountiful walleye, goldeye and whitefish, among other species). To protect the harbor from strong winds and tall waves, a six foot high concrete sea wall was constructed that extends almost 1000 feet from shore.
The seawall was an ugly grey slab so in 1977 the Gimli Art Club decided to transform it. Local artists donated thousands of hours to create scenes about the life and …

Tagged art, Gimli, murals, seawall

“Pic of the Week”, June 25, 2021: Family of Man, Calgary

The “Family of Man” is a grouping of 10 sculptures crafted in aluminum, 6.5 m (21 feet) tall. It was created for display at the British Pavilion during Montreal’s Expo 67. After Expo 67 concluded, the sculptures were bought by Maxwell Cummings and Sons and donated to the city of Calgary. A committee picked a spot in downtown (1st Street and 5th Ave SE) close to the Calgary Board of Education, where they have been on display since.
The sculptures were designed by Spanish artist Mario Armengol. Their arrangement is different than it was in Montreal, now forming a circle of naked, raceless individuals.
The attraction is surprisingly popular. I’ve still not decided how I feel about it.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, …

Karl on Jun 24, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, June 18, 2021: Key West’s Old Custom House

One of the most impressive buildings in Key West’s historic seaport is the old Custom House, today the Key West Museum of Art & History.
Key West was an important and growing city in 19th century Florida. Authorities saw the need for a proper Custom House and authorized its construction in 1885, adjacent to the U.S. Naval base. It was completed in 1891 and became home to the island’s customs office, postal service, and district courts.
In 1932, the building transferred to the U.S. Navy and became headquarters for their Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico operations. The Navy no longer needed the building in the 1950s and it was abandoned for many years. Despite being abandoned, it was placed on the National …

Karl on Jun 17, 2021 | Comments Off

.All Trips / Central America/Caribbean / Costa Rica

Street Art, San Jose, Costa Rica

Karl on Jun 14, 2021 with Comments Off

San Jose, the capital and most populous city in Costa Rica, is not a very memorable or beautiful place. There are, of course, a few interesting buildings and museums and some decent restaurants worth visiting. But the warm humid climate, earthquakes, and robust termite population have destroyed many of the city’s historic sites. It’s not a filthy city like Delhi, but not neat and clean either. The sidewalks and roadways are among the most uneven I’ve ever walked in a major metropolis.

Street art, San Jose

My wife and I explored San Jose for several days and were impressed by some of the art we discovered while walking the streets. Mostly these were painted murals — some very beautiful and imaginative — but also with …

Tagged art, San Jose, street art

“Pic of the Week”, June 11, 2021: Sergels Torg — Obelisk and Fountain

Sergels Torg is Stockholm’s busiest public square. It was modernized and expanded in the 1950s to deal with the city’s growing population.
One of the city’s best-known fountains is located in Sergels Torg. It was completed in 1968, and since 2000 has been designated as a national cultural landmark. A contest was held for the design of the fountain’s central monument, which was won by sculptor Edvin Öhrström. ln 1974 the fountain’s main feature was installed, the Crystal Vertical Accent, or glass obelisk.
The glass obelisk is 37.5 m (123 feet) tall. When it’s dark the oblesik is illuminated from within, making it all the more impressive.
Sergel’s Torg is a popular place for public gatherings. It’s home of the Cultural museum and a major metro …

Karl on Jun 10, 2021 | Comments Off

.All Trips / Europe / Slovenia

Some Street Art from Slovenia

Karl on Dec 16, 2020 with Comments Off

This post contains a few photos of some of the art we discovered while wandering the streets of the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, which I hope you enjoy. The first we encountered was this statue of a bull taken outside of a bank near the apartment where we were staying — shades of Wall Street!
There were an interesting assortment of statues and much that we saw….
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)