Showing posts with label architecture shock. Tuscany and Toronto.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label architecture shock. Tuscany and Toronto.. Show all posts

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Architecture shock

OCAD's extension, Toronto, Canada
 
 Josephine paying for parking with OCAD's addition in the background

I met a woman who teaches school in Florence, on the plane coming home from Italy
who explained that part of the reason Florence is so well preserved is because the 
people there are still living in the 14th century. Watching people stride around in their
slick poufy down coats and super leather bags I didn't get that impression. I've never seen 
so many scooters. But I suppose she means in an ideological way. In that case I said, deep
 in the throes of my missing the place I'd just left, I'm glad.
 
 The Duomo, Siena, Italy
Back home in this really wonderful city, which is politically correct almost to a fault, 
I find the main problem I face is that we rarely respect our older (and that is not that old my friend) architecture, and frequently add weird and bad onto old and not that great. Every time I
see this strange addition to the Ontario College of Art I feel surprised. I can't say I don't like
 it, because how can new things happen, and they have to, if change isn't given expression? 
 But the contrast between quattro centro Italy, and present day Toronto is dramatic. To say
 the least, and I admit it, one a half weeks later, it's still giving me pause. 

  Have a learning-to-love-change day.

Portrait Artist

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!