Post by Chris Wolfe on Feb 15, 2005 17:41:33 GMT -5
CHRIS WOLFE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When the idea of a perfect vacation comes along, most think of somewhere like New York, Miami or Los Angeles. Most would not even think about going to Canada for a vacation. Nevertheless, The Snapshot has a great Spring Break destination for you and your family—Ottawa, Ontario.
Located only 400 miles northeast of Cleveland, Ottawa is a thriving city with nightlife, museums and amazing history. In the early 1600s, Samuel de Champlain explored the area, and the British developed a settlement near Ottawa in the early 1800s. When the Rideau Canal was built in the mid-1800s, the area, then called Bytown, grew rapidly, especially in the lumber industry. In 1867, Ottawa became Canada’s official capital, as it was a central location for the denser area of Canada, and was located on the Québec-Ontario border.
One of the growing attractions in Ottawa is the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, or the CMCP for short. The museum, founded in 1985 as part of the National Gallery of Canada, has grown to a collection of over 160,000 works in a two-decade period. The museum was originally a traveling exhibit across the country, but found a permanent home in downtown Ottawa in May of 1992.
The museum, whose photography spans over four decades, has received much of its support from donations and purchases sponsored by the National Gallery of Canada. Every photograph in the museum was taken by a Canadian native or a permanent resident of Canada. “This body of work offers us a detailed and panoramic view of Canada’s recent history and culture, showing us both what we look like and how we see our world,” says Joanne Charette, Director of the CMCP.
Despite the museum’s small 10,000 square foot size, it is still home to some of the best photography in the world. “…The current space is wonderful for showcasing contemporary photography. It allows the CMCP to showcase its collection on a rotation basis as well as feature exhibitions organized by other institutions…,” says Charette. Although it is unable to show all 160,000 works at one time because of its small stature, the CMCP, teamed with the National Gallery of Canada, host over 35 exhibitions of work to centers across Canada. This traveling exhibit is the largest of its kind in North America.
The CMCP is currently hosting an exhibit entitled, “The Sixties: Photography in Question.” The event, which opened 24 January, includes 89 works specifically chosen from the CMCP and NGC that represent 1960s Canadian photography at its best.
Pierre Dessureault, Associate Curator of the CMCP said, “We can trace two currents in photography during the ‘60s. On the one hand, a growing number of photographers at odds with tradition began moving towards personal expression; on the other, practitioners with a background in the visual arts started using the language of photography to redefine the work of art.”<br>In Greater Ottawa, the National Gallery of Canada and the National Gallery Library and Archives will be hosting two 1960s related exhibits about the 1960s’ impact on Canada. The CMCP and NGC exhibit run through 24 April, and the NGLA exhibit runs through 29 April.
Greater Ottawa is home to 29 museums scattered throughout the city. The biggest is the National Gallery of Canada, which houses the largest collection of Canadian art in the world. Other museums in Ottawa include the National Museum of Science and Technology, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the National Aviation Museum and the Canadian War Museum. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, located in Hull, Québec across the Ottawa River, has many displays and exhibits about the history of Canada and its people. Ottawa’s many museums help to reflect the rich culture that Greater Ottawa’s one million residents have learned to love and cherish.
Transportation to Ottawa is easy by car or plane. Ottawa is a nine-hour drive from Cleveland, or a two-hour plane ride. Continental, CHIA’s largest airline, serves Ottawa with a stop in New York City or Albany. A U.S. passport in not necessary to go to Canada, but before departing, it would be a good idea to learn basic French, since Ottawa is a bilingual city.
The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography is located at the Rideau Canal, between the Parliament Buildings and the University of Ottawa. The CMCP is open five days per week, Wednesday thru Sunday. The museum is open from 10-5, except on Thursdays, when it is open until 8:00 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for youths 12-19, and free for children under twelve. Admission is free to all entrants after 5:00 on Thursdays. Remember that all admissions are in Canadian currency, which is different from the U.S. Dollar.
So, when debating where to go for Spring Break this year, propose Ottawa! With a rich, cultural background mixed with a new, urban flair, Ottawa is the perfect weeklong journey. It may be surprising how much Ottawa appeals to the photographic eye! For more info, visit cmcp.gallery.ca.
E-mail this reporter at:
photoeditorcw@yahoo.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When the idea of a perfect vacation comes along, most think of somewhere like New York, Miami or Los Angeles. Most would not even think about going to Canada for a vacation. Nevertheless, The Snapshot has a great Spring Break destination for you and your family—Ottawa, Ontario.
Located only 400 miles northeast of Cleveland, Ottawa is a thriving city with nightlife, museums and amazing history. In the early 1600s, Samuel de Champlain explored the area, and the British developed a settlement near Ottawa in the early 1800s. When the Rideau Canal was built in the mid-1800s, the area, then called Bytown, grew rapidly, especially in the lumber industry. In 1867, Ottawa became Canada’s official capital, as it was a central location for the denser area of Canada, and was located on the Québec-Ontario border.
One of the growing attractions in Ottawa is the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, or the CMCP for short. The museum, founded in 1985 as part of the National Gallery of Canada, has grown to a collection of over 160,000 works in a two-decade period. The museum was originally a traveling exhibit across the country, but found a permanent home in downtown Ottawa in May of 1992.
The museum, whose photography spans over four decades, has received much of its support from donations and purchases sponsored by the National Gallery of Canada. Every photograph in the museum was taken by a Canadian native or a permanent resident of Canada. “This body of work offers us a detailed and panoramic view of Canada’s recent history and culture, showing us both what we look like and how we see our world,” says Joanne Charette, Director of the CMCP.
Despite the museum’s small 10,000 square foot size, it is still home to some of the best photography in the world. “…The current space is wonderful for showcasing contemporary photography. It allows the CMCP to showcase its collection on a rotation basis as well as feature exhibitions organized by other institutions…,” says Charette. Although it is unable to show all 160,000 works at one time because of its small stature, the CMCP, teamed with the National Gallery of Canada, host over 35 exhibitions of work to centers across Canada. This traveling exhibit is the largest of its kind in North America.
The CMCP is currently hosting an exhibit entitled, “The Sixties: Photography in Question.” The event, which opened 24 January, includes 89 works specifically chosen from the CMCP and NGC that represent 1960s Canadian photography at its best.
Pierre Dessureault, Associate Curator of the CMCP said, “We can trace two currents in photography during the ‘60s. On the one hand, a growing number of photographers at odds with tradition began moving towards personal expression; on the other, practitioners with a background in the visual arts started using the language of photography to redefine the work of art.”<br>In Greater Ottawa, the National Gallery of Canada and the National Gallery Library and Archives will be hosting two 1960s related exhibits about the 1960s’ impact on Canada. The CMCP and NGC exhibit run through 24 April, and the NGLA exhibit runs through 29 April.
Greater Ottawa is home to 29 museums scattered throughout the city. The biggest is the National Gallery of Canada, which houses the largest collection of Canadian art in the world. Other museums in Ottawa include the National Museum of Science and Technology, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the National Aviation Museum and the Canadian War Museum. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, located in Hull, Québec across the Ottawa River, has many displays and exhibits about the history of Canada and its people. Ottawa’s many museums help to reflect the rich culture that Greater Ottawa’s one million residents have learned to love and cherish.
Transportation to Ottawa is easy by car or plane. Ottawa is a nine-hour drive from Cleveland, or a two-hour plane ride. Continental, CHIA’s largest airline, serves Ottawa with a stop in New York City or Albany. A U.S. passport in not necessary to go to Canada, but before departing, it would be a good idea to learn basic French, since Ottawa is a bilingual city.
The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography is located at the Rideau Canal, between the Parliament Buildings and the University of Ottawa. The CMCP is open five days per week, Wednesday thru Sunday. The museum is open from 10-5, except on Thursdays, when it is open until 8:00 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for youths 12-19, and free for children under twelve. Admission is free to all entrants after 5:00 on Thursdays. Remember that all admissions are in Canadian currency, which is different from the U.S. Dollar.
So, when debating where to go for Spring Break this year, propose Ottawa! With a rich, cultural background mixed with a new, urban flair, Ottawa is the perfect weeklong journey. It may be surprising how much Ottawa appeals to the photographic eye! For more info, visit cmcp.gallery.ca.
E-mail this reporter at:
photoeditorcw@yahoo.com