Ozymandias

Another grey day out today, so I thought this broody bit of black and white would be appropriate. Another Biennale piece, this one's called Eros Bendato Scrippolato by Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj. It's located in a cobblestone square in Yaletown. There's something Ozymandian about it, which appeals to my science-fiction post-apocalyptic sensibilities.

Post title from the poem (here recited by Ben Kingsley) by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

For the 'Nucks

Vancouver is a hockey-mad town. When Canada won the Olympic gold medal in men's hockey in this city last year, the streets immediately filled with jubilant people. Yesterday, our team, the Vancouver Canucks, won a hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, securing themselves a spot in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. If you're not Canadian, this likely means not much to you, but if you were in Vancouver last night when Kevin Bieksa scored the game winning goal in double overtime, you would have heard the screams of celebration all over the city. It went on for hours!

I can only imagine the joy this vehicle owner must have felt - snapped this quick picture last Wednesday with my iphone as I was walking past this car parked near Rogers Arena, the Canucks' home ice.

Post title from this song by Chris Penton and the Superfans.

Horse and Rider

This sculpture, called, simply enough, "Equestrian Monument" by David Robinson, is part of the Canada Line Public Art Program. It's located outside the Yaletown-Roundhouse station. Rather than try and get a shot of the entire horse and rider, I was taken by the way the light was hitting only the rider's face, so I pointed my iPhone lens in that direction as I walked by.

Post title from this song by Share.

For Making Art

Been a while since I posted a Biennale piece, called "Joe Sola Is Making Art". This one's suspended near the escalators at the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station at the corner of Davie St and Mainland St. The piece is by, obviously enough, American artist Joe Sola.


Post title from this song by Mal Blum.

Brush With Life

This interesting piece of public art is located off the seawall near David Lam Park, not far from this photo. The floats at water level cause the angle of the top part to change with the tides, as well as rotate back and forth with winds, currents, and boat wakes. Sensors on the piece transmit information to www.brushdelux.com. It's called Brush With Illumination, and is by Buster Simpson.

A couple of boats from the small ferries that serve False Creek can be seen in the background.

Post title from this song by Litterbug.

This is one of two posts I'll be publishing today, in order to catch up from the several days I missed.

Reflections

The City Daily Photo theme for today is reflections. I took this one at Marinaside Quay in Yaletown a few days ago. The yacht is the Hotei, owned by a charter company in Vancouver.


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Gimme Shelter

On the edge of David Lam Park on the seawall are four of these concrete and glass creations. They look like a cross between a tree and an oversized patio umbrella. I'm not sure if they're meant to be public art, actual shelter from the elements, or some combination of the two, but I liked the geometric feel as I pointed my camera up through them to the sky.

Post title, of course, from the iconic Rolling Stones song.

Stripped Back Hinge

A couple of days ago I jumped on my bike and cycled along the seawall to South East False Creek, to the site of the Olympic Athlete's Village, (which real estate developers have renamed Millenium Water). The buildings and site have recently been turned over to the City of Vancouver from the Olympic 2010 Committee. The day before there had been an open house (the individual units are being sold as condos at market rates) that had drawn protesters, angry that original plans for affordable and social housing weren't being adhered to by the city. The day I was there was quiet; all was locked up. Just to the west of the Athlete's Village buildings is a little park I'd never seen before: Hinge Park. The landscaping is all man-made, and one of its purposes is to filter rain water from the street drains and create a small wetland area for local bird life. It also has a children's play area, which includes a fountain. The fountain's water flow can be controlled by weirs the children can move. The day I was there kids were grabbing handfuls of rocks and pebbles and building dams across the fountain's metal waterways (which you can see in the foreground of this picture). In the background, on the other side of False Creek, are the residential highrises of Yaletown and Vancouver's downtown core.

Post title from this song by Scorn.