Thursday 10 April 2014

Summer Job even at my age


Well I finished the Season of Cultural lectures at the National Gallery of Canada and completed the program for the next Season which starts in September.

Moving on the my next job at the Canadian War Museum for the summer show which opens 09 April until 21 September. The exhibits celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of the beginning of the Great War 1914-1918. Some 650,000 Canadians went to war or 10% of the population of Canada at the time, 66,000 were killed and 175,000 returned badly injured. It was a war which changed Canada as a society and brought a new vision of what being Canadian meant. Canada also fed Britain at the start of the War by sending millions of tons of food and agricultural goods thus avoiding a famine in the British Isle.  



The two painting exhibits of the Canadian War Museum 
April 9 to September 21 in Ottawa

Beautifully mounted exhibits with great works by Canadian artist A.Y. Jackson and German artist Otto Dix. There are also works by various artists like Paul Nash,  Homer Watson, E.A.Rickards, F.H. Varley, Cyril Barraud and many others.

Poppies by artist-soldier V. Cummings

The Canadian War Memorial Fund was the creation of Max Aitken Lord Beaverbrook, 116 artists participated in all. The collection of 400 paintings was given to Canada by Max Aitken in 1919.

We had over 300 members showing up for the opening tonight and the exhibition hall was very busy. 

Lord Beaverbrook, 1879-1964
a life of generosity










6 comments:

  1. I'd love to see that exhibit. I'm sure it would be very powerful.

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  2. From the comments of the visitors I have met and with whom I spoke at the opening, people are fascinated by the paintings and the artists and story surrounding them.

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  3. I have always been fascinated by Otto Dix's art. Amazing how the Nazis burned his stuff considering him a degenerate. Fortunately his art survived. I wish it were easier to travel from Edmonton to Ottawa to visit this extraordinary exhibit. Was not Jackson a member of the Group of Seven? It must be exhilarating to take part in such a high-calibre exhibit... Pawel

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  4. Yes Jackson was part of the group of Seven. Yesterday was the first day of the exhibit will see how it goes. Visitors appear very interested. Dix family were present yesterday, the grandson lives in Canada and Ursus Dix the son of Otto worked as a restorer at the National Gallery for years.

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  5. I hope UK was/is grateful for all you did. I get the feeling the UK takes Canada for granted as a loyal daughter who Mother assumes will always be dutiful.

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  6. In an historical context I think that the England expected our participation as a Dominion of the Empire. Gratefulness did not come into it. It was for Canada to take the experience and make the most of it and we did.

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