Wednesday 30 April 2014

Art Outdoors

Today I am featuring two displays of art appearing in public outdoor spaces, one of red umbrellas and the other beach furniture.

Earlier this year a display of red umbrellas appeared in a group of trees on a nearby beach.

Called the "Rainblossom  Project" it was a group of about two dozen red umbrellas:
 
"Located at Spanish Banks, this art installation, called the “Rainblossom Project,” was put up by an anonymous group to celebrate the rain the city receives."
 
Some have referred to our location as the Wet, rather than the West, Coast; it is green here for a reason. Shortly after the umbrellas were "installed" there was a light snowfall rather than rain. Then the umbrellas disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared.
 




 
I liked the blue umbrella that this woman was holding, posing for someone else's picture, so I took advantage of the opportunity. The sun was low in the sky, causing long shadows, but it was not raining on this occasion.




The current exhibit in the open air museum is "Public Furniture / Urban Spaces".

"The Vancouver Biennale is a non-profit charitable organization that celebrates art in public spaces. Each exhibit transforms the urban landscape into an open air museum, creating globally inspired cultural experiences where people live, work, play and transit." 

 
Here is a very large chair:
 





 
I saw the artist Hugo Franca creating these but of course I did not have my camera with me at the time and returned to photograph the finished creations. He was "carving" and shaping with chainsaws but the resulting "furniture" has a smooth surface.
 
I think they are all carved from large pieces of driftwood collected from the beach. I hope this information sign is large enough for you to read:
 


 

 


 
Framed in the back of the chair is a freighter in the harbour.

 
I think this one will be a favorite for children to play on, it looks a bit like a slide to me. 
 


 
..and this one is a two sided bench...
 
 
I have been having one of those weeks when I have started countless projects but didn't get any finished, that is what happened to the art this week too. Sorry.
 
 
So here is a beautiful little bird I photographed this week in the forest. I thought at first it might be a Hermit Thrush but then thought it was too small for a thrush and more likely a sparrow.
 

 


 
Hope you enjoyed the Outdoor Art, until next time, Happy Wednesday,
 
Gillian