Monday, October 07, 2019

Postcards From the Piazzas

Fifteen sculptures on Preston Street between Primrose Avenue and Pamilla Street make up the work titled, Postcards From the Piazzas. I use unofficial names for the sculptures. One of them is broken. I photographed it and include it here. Hopefully it will undergo restoration and when I discover that it has I will give it its own post.



Dante, one of the two gateway sculptures at the north end of Preston Street stands on the northwest corner of Primrose Avenue and Preston Street.




...LOVE THAT
MOVES THE SUN AND
THE OTHER STARS.
DANTE

...L'AMOR CHE
MOVE IL SOLE E
L'ALTRE STELLE.
DANTE

...L'AMOUR QUI
MEUT LE SOLEIL ET
LES AUTRES ÉTOILES.
DANTE



The other gateway sculpture with quotes from Elio Coppola stands on the other side of the street on the northeast corner of Preston Street and Primrose Avenue.


TRAMONTO

IL SOLE ARROSSI DI
VERGOGNA PENSANDO
ALLE BRUTTURE CHE
AVEVA VISTO
SULLA TERRA.
ELIO COPPOLA
TRAMUNN

'O SOLE SE FACETTE
RUS NFACCIA, PENSANN
'O MMALAMENTE
CH'AVEVA VISTO
NCOPP 'A TERRA.
ELIO COPPOLA

SUNSET

THE SUN BLUSHED,
THINKING OF THE
UGLY THINGS HE HAD
SEEN ON EARTH.

ELIO COPPOLA

COUCHER DE SOLEIL

LE SOLEIL S'EST COUCHÉ
ROUGE DE HONTE
DES MAUX QU'IL AVAIT
VU SUR LA TERRE.

ELIO COPPOLA


This plinth and exposed rebar remain of the broken sculpture on the southeast corner of Spruce Street and Preston Street.




The Visions of Marco Polo sculpture stand on the west side of Preston Street in front of the Plant Recreation Centre, and across from Ottawa Fire Station 11 (formerly Station 2) just south of Eccles Street.








• NON HO DETTO CHELA LA METÀ DI QUELLO CHE HO VISTO • JE N'AI DIT QUE LA MOITIÉ DE CE QUE J'AI VU • I TOLD ONLY HALF OF WHAT I SAW • MARCO POLO •









The Fountain of Diana sculpture stands on the west side of Preston Street next to Plouffe Park north of Oak Street.






AH MES JOURNÉES À
SYRACUSA... JE
N'OUBLIERAIS JAMAIS MA
PREMIÈRE RENCONTRE
AVEC TA GRAND-MÊRE SUR
LA PIAZZA ARCHIMÉDE
PRÊS DE LA
FONTAINE DE DIANA...
BISOU DE TON GRAND-PARA

AH, MY DAYS IN
SYRACUSA... NEVER
FORGET FIRST MEETING
YOUR GRANDMOTHER IN
PIAZZA ARCHIMEDE... BY
THE FOUNTAIN OF DIANA...
LOVE, YOUR GRAMPA

OH I GIORNI PASSATI A
SIRACUSA... NON TI
DIMENTICHERÒ MAI IL
PRIMO INCONTRO CON TUA
NONNA IN PIAZZA
ARCHIMEDE... VICINO
ALLA FONTANA DI DIANA...
UN ABBRACCIO TUO NONNO




The Cake Maker sculpture occupies a location on the northwest corner of Preston Street and Larch Street.




LEARN THE ART AND SAVE
IT FOR TOMORROW.
MARIA-ANGELA
IMPARA L'ARTE E
METTILA DA PARTE.
MARIA-ANGELA
APPREND L'ART ET
METS-LE DE CÔTÉ.
MARIA-ANGELA





Letters to Maria occupies the west side of Preston Street about half way between Balsam Street and Gladstone Avenue.



CHÈRE MARIA,
J'AI TROUVÉ DU BOULOT ...
JE VAIS BIENTÔT TE FAIRE VENIR.
AVEC AMOUR, TON BERARDINO



DEAR MARIA,
I FOUND WORK ...
I WILL SEND FOR YOU SOON.
LOVE, YOUR BERARDINO


CARA MARIA,
HO TROVATO UN LAVORO ...
TI FARÒ SUBITO L'ATTO DI RICHIAMO.
UN ABBRACCIO, TUO BERARDINO


The plaque about Postcards from the Piazzas occupies a stand on the west side of Preston Street south of Louise Street West.


c j fleury
POSTCARDS FROM THE PIAZZAS2010
Bronze and granite


The sculpture series Postcards from the Piazzas connects Ottawa's Little Italy to the home country, preserving memories like treasured postcards and letters. Commissioned for Preston Street, the artwork is inspired by the architecture and social life of Italy's iconic public squares.

The fifteen human-sized sculptures express fragments of culture, history and geography reflecting the eclecticism of today's community. Artist c j fleury collaborated with local Italian-Canadians to gather the stories and traditions she incorporated into the artwork. Grapevine motifs, ceramic patterning, literary excerpts and heirloom textiles ae some of the many elements to be discovered.

c j fleury is an interdiscimplinary artist recognized for innovative projects that bring the "public" into public art.

Commissioned by the City of Ottawa Public Art Program.


c j fleury
POSTCARDS FROM THE PIAZZAS
2010
Bronze et granit


Cette série de sculptures Postcards from the Piazzas crée un lien entre la Petite Italie d'Ottawa et le pays d'origine, conservant les souvenirs tels que de précieuses lettres et cartes postales. L'œuvre d'art, commandée pour la rue Preston, s'inspire de l'architecture et de la vie sociale des places publiques iconiques de l'Italie.

Les quinze sculptures de grandeur humaine expriment les fragments de la culture, de l'histoire et de la géographie, reflétant l'éclectisme de la communauté d'aujourd'hui. L'artiste c j fleury a collaboré avec des Italo-Canadiens de la région en vue d'assembler des histoires et des traditions qu'elle a intégrées à œuvre. Des motifs de plants de vigne, de la modélisation en céramique, des extraits littéraires et des textiles issus d'héritage de familles ne sont que quelques éléments de l'œuvre à découvrir.

Artiste interdisciplinaire, c j fleury est reconnue pour ses projets novateurs qui s'inscrivent très bien dans le lolet de l'art public.

Commandée par la Ville d'Ottawa Programme d'art public


The sculpture without text that I call, The Tower, stands south of Louise Street West on the West side of Preston Street.











... AND THE FISH
POKED THEIR
HEADS OUT OF
THE WATER
TO LISTEN ...

UGOLINO


... E TUTTII
PESCI TENEANO
I CAPI FUORI
DELL'ACQUA PER
ASCOLATARE ...

UGOLINO


... ET LES
POISSONS ONT
SORTI LA TÊTE
DE L'EAU POUR
ÊCOUTER ...

UGOLINO




The Laurel Wreath sculpture that brings soccer to mind occupies the west side of Preston Street north of St. Anthony Street and the Queensway.




DANTE . . .
EROI . . .
STORIA . . .
STENO . . .




The Violin Lesson sculpture stands on the west side of Preston Street south of Young Street East and the Queensway.




... IL VIOLINO SE PASSA
TENENDO LA MANO
SINISTRA A SOTTO IL
COLLO E LA MANO
DESTRA SOTTO IL
CORPO, COME SE FOSSE
UN NEONATO
ADDORMENTATO.

MARK FRUTKIN

... LE VIOLON SE PASSE
AVEC LA MAIN GAUCHE
SOUS LE MANCHE
ET LA MAIN DROITE
SOUS LE BOIIER,
COMME SI
C'ÉTAIT UN BÉBÉ
QUI DORT.

MARK FRUTKIN
... THE VIOLIN IS
PASSED BY HOLDING
THE LEFT HAND
UNDER THE NECK AND
THE RIGHT UNDER
THE BODY, AS ONE
WOULD PASS A
SLEEPING INFANT.

MARK FRUTKIN
FABRIZIO'S RETURN




The sculpture with quotes from Rinuccio, which I call Eggplant-Stairs-Archway, occupies the west side of Preston Street, north of Aberdeen Street.



BONJOUR PASQUALINA
ET GIUSEPPE

NOUS VOUS
ATTENDONS ICI POUR
LA FÊTE DE SAN
GIOVANNI IN FIORE

AVEC AMOUR,
RINUCCIO



CIAO PASQUALINA
E GIUSEPPE,

VI ASPETTIAMO QUI
PER LA FESTA DI SAN
GIOVANNI IN FIORE

CON AFFETTO
RINUCCIO


HELLO PASQUALINA
AND GIUSEPPE,

WE'RE WAITING FOR
YOU HERE, FOR THE
FEAST OF SAN
GIOVANNI IN FIORE.

WITH AFFECTION,
RINUCCIO








Ths sculpture I call Bicycle Chain Link, stands on the west side of Preston Street, north of Norman Street. Except for the artists name, date and number of the sculpture it has no text. I interpret it as celebrating bicycle riders and the energy they bring to the community.









The sculpture with the green ball of wool on top graces the east side of Preston Streed south of Norman Street.


Often when I photograph memorials, people who walk by without looking at them, see me taking pictures and suddenly become interested. Most often people just walk on by without paying any attention. Look closely and you might find something surprising. I think this particular work illustrates that perfectly.









... ALMOST A SILENT, HERBAL RIVER ON THE VESTIGES OF THE ANCIENT FATHERS.



PRESQ'UN FLEUVE SILENCIEUX HERBEUX
SUR LES VESTIGES DES ANCIENS PATRIARCHES.



QUASI PER UN ERBAL FIUME SILENTE SU LE VESTIGIA DEGLI ANTICHI PADRI.



G. D'ANNUNZIO




The Comedia del Arte sculpture greets those arriving on Preston Street from Carling Avenue to the south. It stands on the west side of Preston Street about half way between Norman Street and Pamilla Street.



LOVE,
MY DEAR COLOMBINA,
IMPROVES EVEN
A ROGUE LIKE ME!
ARLECCHINO

L'AMORE
MIA CARA COLOMBINA,
PUÒ ADDOLCIRE PERSINO
UN FURBACCHIONE COME ME!
ARLECCHINO

L'AMOUR,
CHÈRE COLOMBINA,
AMELIORE MÈME UN
COQUIN COMME MOI!
ARLECCHINO