Elizabeth Adams's Blog, page 88

Nov. 21 Wishing for peace at noon

Green-brown za'atar,

studded with sesame seeds

rolled in the hot bread --

your lemony gunpowder

explodes safely on my tongue.

 

Wishing fervently today for peace, shared food, and friendship such as I have known across so many cultural divides.

Nov. 20 Soup

Orange carrots, wrenched

from the cold soil of Quebec,

black Szechuan spices

Nov. 19

Thoughts, in this order:

nap, deadlines, something for lunch,

yellow rubber gloves,

deadlines, nap, wash hair, concert,

the cat is licking her paws.

Nov. 18

What color, fatigue?

Surely not olive, khaki--

maybe the pale blue

of small veins holding their breath,

the faded pink of a sigh.

 

Nov. 17

Plummy oxalis

craning your thin pale neck

toward the passing light

Nov 16. Messiah rehearsal

He wants a white sound

Hushed, pure, prophetic, singing

"Since by man came death..."

Nov. 15 Reflection

"Algae eyes:" the name

My botanist friend called me.

The mirror's echo --

This shirt, green sparkling earrings,

That wooded pond long ago.

 

Vernissage at the CCA

Last night we were at the CCA (Canadian Centre for Architecture) for the opening of their new exhibit, ABC : MTL. It was a special night because my husband, J. (below), was one of the artists selected to be part of the exhibition from a field of 250 proposals by architectural firms, videographers and filmmakers, planners, musicians, and individual artists. (I'm sorry for the poor quality of these images - there was very little light in the rooms.)

The CCA is a terrific museum, and it was a real honor for him to have a piece of work included. The curatorial staff has treated him very well in all their communications and interactions; the 10-foot photographic print he provided was beautifully mounted, hung, and lighted. A video interview is part of a documentary presentation that goes with the exhibition, and he'll be on a discussion panel later on.

(click image to read large version of curatorial statement about his work, in French and English)

J.'s photograph shows one of the deadliest intersections in the city, at St-Joseph and Iberville, and illustrates his focus on what happens when residential neighborhoods and industrial/commercial interests collide in an urban context. It's a problem shared by many cities, and particularly difficult to solve when interlayered, old infrastructures are involved.

Some of the other works were a lot more cerebral: in the entrance area
to the exhibition, below, the hanging work is a video that included a changing
pattern over Montreal somehow created from sampled radio frequencies.

 

The large photograph on the back wall is an artist's attempt to render what the sky over Montreal might have looked like in the early days of the earth's formation.

The CCA put on quite a party; there was a DJ and a band, and an open bar serving wine and beer in Shaughnessy House, the old mansion that was incorporated into the sleek new museum. The multi-level, modern extension is a beautifully designed structure of wood, chrome, and polished black granite with large exhibition and teaching spaces, offices, and a gorgeous architectural library.

We celebrated late, with a decadent dessert at Cacao 70: I actually don't think I've ever eaten a banana split before (remember, I thought I was allergic to bananas for 60 years!) and we did split this one, but...As I said to a wide-eyed man who glanced at our table when it was delivered, "un peu excessif?" He shook his head, laughed, and replied, "I'm not judging!"

Nov 14: neighbors

The red Vespa lives

across from a cherry tree.

They talk of travels

and the joy of staying put --

when cold comes they grow silent.

 

Nov 13: tricolore

Posters: "chats perdus"

tabby, white, grey, three-color --

and winter's coming.

 

 

would this also work in French?

Affiches : <>

tigré, blanc, gris, tricolore --

et l'hiver approche.