October 28, 2018

Whenever I go to visit another part of the world–even another part of Canada or the US( because we all know how different the regions can be), I like to do two very specific things.

First, I had to a grocery store. A big one, not a mom and pop shop, although those can be fun too.

I’m looking to see what people buy on a regular basis, and what I might try as well. Or not.

Like maybe not this, from Scotland, in the freezer section I can tell you I didn’t ask for it. I’m sure he’s a very nice man that Mister Brains, but sausage and brains together? Also, I thought faggots were sticks in France and or cigarettes in the UK? In either of those cases, that’s not good. And I have no idea what West Country sausage is… all I know is we didn’t buy them

I can tell you, there are so many others I don’t stop to snap pictures of; for example, just recently in Newfoundland, I saw cod tongues and seal flippers and what’s with all the Fussell’s anyway? Actually I was more interested in the cookies and tea biscuits–great for snacking on during my drives.

Anyway, whether it’s southern China or southern California, it’s always worth it to take the time to walk through the aisles of a grocery store.

The other thing I do is hit the art museums and galleries.

There’s something about seeing works of art you’ve only ever viewed in books, in real life. The Mona Lisa is small; Washington crossing the Delaware is massive.

Sometimes the works are part of a permanent collection, like Guernica by Picasso and Bosch’s garden of earthly delights (terrifying and terrifyingly good)  in the Prado, or the Venus de Milo or the surprising portraits done during the Renaissance of people made from fruits and vegetables–a real departure from the religious iconism of the time, by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, in the Louvre–those blew me away. Or Botticelli’s birth of Venus or the statue of David in Florence…all are stunning in their own ways.

Then there are the temporary shows, where you can see familiar images like the Scream (and you need to read about it, how it came to be–see below) or you learn about someone new like Kahinde Wiley. You can see the weirdness of Jeff Koons’ giant balloon dogs or a Murakami sculpture come to life.

“I was walking along the road with two of my friends. The sun set–the sky became a bloody red. And I felt a touch of melancholy–I stood still, dead tired–over the blue-black fjord and city hung blood and tongues of fire. My friends walked on–I stayed behind–trembling with fright–I felt the great scream in nature.”

I bet you didn’t know that.

Another thing that’s fun to see is a city’s outdoor art exhibits, such as the one that we had here many years ago where artists decorated life-size cow statues which were then auctioned off for charity. There are still a few that can be found throughout the city; In fact, my friend Shelly and I were on a walk in our neighborhood one evening this past summer and we came across one, just sitting in a field.

And there were dogs in Havana… and I’ve heard of pigs and pianos too.

Calgary is currently having a discussion about public art–its relevance, its cost to the taxpayer, and what constitutes art (note: do not ask a Calgarian about the Big Blue ring or the sculpture near the Olympic Park on the highway). That said, one project no one seems to complain about is the city’s utility box beautification program. It started in 2010 as a way to make the boxes you see everywhere in every town just a little more….attractive. Probably never really noticed one I passed almost every day for years until one weekend afternoon a couple of years ago I saw a woman out painting it.

So I stopped to talk to her.

Her name is Lyse Deselliers and she is an artist (check out her site). She explained to me that artists apply for specific locations with a concept for that space. The community association then looks at the applications and decides which would be most appropriate for their neighborhoods. The artists get to showcase their work in a very different way, the utility boxes still function as they should–they just look nicer, and it just makes an unattractive, inanimate object a little more interesting.

I see that she’s moved to Penticton and she’s doing well. If you’re there and see her (she works out of a couple of galleries there) tell her you saw her utility box.

So, street art. What would a city be without it?

When it’s done right, it’s some of the most beautiful and compelling stuff you’ll come across. It brightens up the side of a building or an underpass; It’s creative and expressive, sometimes political and sometimes silly; sometimes it’s messy and on occasion, inappropriate… but if it stops and make you think, is it ever inappropriate?

So whether it’s near an underpass in Barcelona…

on a wall in a Toronto alley…

…or part of a large mural on the Venice boardwalk…go see some new art. Look for something new.