Yesterday the high in Toronto was 36 C, that’s just shy of 97 F. Our air conditioner, which we are fortunate to normally have, was out of commission because of massive reconstruction in our building. I needed to go somewhere to counteract not only the heat but some of the terrible news of various forms of hatred that is present these days.
I had recently been to the Art Gallery of Ontario where I saw a terrific exhibit by Theaster Gates and I wanted to go somewhere else. So I decided to go to the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum, to see the Chihuly exhibition. What an antidote to hatred and war in its various forms. It was magical. All of us there, independent of age, were amazed children once again, looking at Chihuly’s spectacular installations. There was a sign outside the exhibit encouraging us to photograph the works freely. And we all certainly did just that. I did, however, put my phone away at times to just look at the glass so that I was not distracted by taking photos, so that the phone was not a barrier between me and the environment, but rather was a tool of memory.
The world is a place of both beauty and horror. Being surrounded by such startling beauty allowed me to remember what is full of wonder on earth and in the human spirit. Here are some photos of Chihuly’s magnificent glass works.
Arts of May 