Gift from God, a photo from British Columbia, Western

Photographer's Note

So if the church was made in heaven how would God get them to earth..or maybe that phrase means something else!? This gardener looks puzzled - Vancouver is awash with artists and has invested heavily in public art and architrectural details which lift the feel and look of the city - this is one of my favourites on the walk from Downtown towards Stanley Park ......I know nothing about this piece - what it's called, who made it or what is being said by the artist - if anyone can help - great! Much appreciated - i'll see what I can dig up.

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OK - here's what i found: Device to Root Out Evil Finds Home in Canada

The work is called 'Device to Root Out Evil' by American sculptor Dennis Oppenheim and it's in Harbour Green Park in downtown Vancouver near Coal Harbour

From A+E Interactive

"Just over a year after Stanford University President John Hennessy struck a blow against artistic freedom by rejecting artist Dennis Oppenheim's sculpture, "Device to Root Out Evil'' as "inappropriate" for the Stanford campus, a more tolerant custodian has given it a home. A private foundation in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Benfic Foundation, has paid $300,000 for the sculpture, which Stanford alum Oppenheim offered to the university for free, if it paid to install and maintain it."

What price a place of learning?

"Oppenhiem has said his interest is in exploring the dialogue between art and architecture by removing the functional aspect from the latter. But let's say he's also interested in having viewers mull the role of religion in creating moral imperatives, would that so bad for college students? Conversely, if the president's issue was with aesthetics, why not share it with the community and make that a learning experience?"

There's an interesting building behind it - an imposing all black skyscraper - a kind of cartoon manifestation of an evil empire built on exploitative commercialism - there is so much symbolism in this place - i won't spell it out.

Rinie_Hoff, AnimeshRay, Manamo, designsoul, gelor, AdrianW trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

terrysio (715) 2006-06-07 13:01

Bonjour Kev,
Wow, quelle photo étonnante!
Le sujet est très original (tout comme la prise de vue).
C'est bien qu'il y ait un homme de l'entretien (en chemise à carreaux en plus!).
Bravo pour cette belle photo!
Terrysio

Manamo (3642) 2006-06-07 13:10

Hi Kev!
Nice picture! It's really a good thing to have the guy there on the right - it fits with your story!
I'm wondering what effect we would get if you had'nt rotated the camera- you could hace juste taken the picture, say vertically with the camera well aligned with the horizon line. I think the effect of the house standing there, almost falling would have been amplified. Did you try it?
well done anyway!
Marc

Rinie_Hoff (9336) 2006-06-07 13:52

Hello Kev, you always seem to have your eyes open, even when they are closed ;-) The echo of the gardener's shirt is really well seen, and the curve in his body, gives away your patience. Unbelievable!

Alternative title: " I'm a lumberjack, and I'm OK" and add it to Richard's theme: "photos named after a Monty Pyton quote! ;-)

Any news of going back there?

AnimeshRay (9071) 2006-06-07 14:07

Quite a sight, Kev! What a bizzare idea! Very nice notes.

rbcy1974 (20756) 2006-06-07 16:31

Hello Kevin
I like your angle here, because the sculpture is so strange, the fact that you twisted the horizon only helps to accentuate the feeling of strangeness,
well done
regards
Daniel

danielswalsh (13589) 2006-06-07 22:10

Interesting sculpture Kev;

I haven't seen it before- If I'm not mistaken , this is just down the waterfront from Canada Place, heading towards Stanley Park?

Great detail, and I like the angle you put on it.
Cheers,
- Dan (720 hrs to go);-)

bantonbuju (51551) 2006-06-08 0:14

guess what, i played with the tilt a little and it did not work as a "normal" image, imo;
smart observation and a good instant decision to tilt it in this way (although knowing mr. ryan it took him quite a while to "analyse" the place and get ready for the moment when a by passer appears in the frame)
tc, j.

jinju (14265) 2006-06-08 9:59

A very strange shot. You did well to give it this tilt Kev, emphasizint this weird artwork. very beautiful colors, well saturated and great light, and the man's reaction is priceless:)

designsoul (21486) 2006-06-08 13:18

TILT WITHIN A TILT, Kev, and that's a superb twist (should I say tilt?)on this great catch. Indeed an interesting piece, with a good title...too bad we cannot see that ugly black highrise behind... have you perhaps done any shots of this sculpture with that one included?
A great eye you have!
:-)
sasa

gelor (3227) 2006-06-08 17:39

Superbe prise de vue tant dans sa composition que son originalité. De plus techniquement au-dessus de tout reproche. Bravo

PJE (20676) 2006-06-09 18:31

Well Kev on the Device to Root out Evil one can easily see some similarities between this structure and the Church today. Perhaps the artist is saying that the Church today has its head in the sand. I like what Nancy McGaraghan said in her article in this artwork....

"But Oppenheim's title, "Device to Root Out Evil," evokes a much more serious transgression.

Rooting out evil is the dark side of religion, past and present. It is the cause of private grief when human nature is seen as depraved, and of warfare between clans and nations "in the name of God."

The sculpture is particularly scary in its powerful simplicity. The cheerful little country church upended looks as innocent as a garden spade poised to dig out a nasty weed. It evokes images of simple people who soak up the preacher's sermon as "gospel truth," and who then draw a line between themselves as bearers of that truth and the bothersome, unenlightened, un-saved masses.

The righteousness of simple thinking assumes a black-and-white world. For those who have their ear to the "truth," evil lies outside themselves, in others. When push comes to shove, it must be rooted out. In the name of God.

Very nicely done Kev. The slant befits the scene and your comments on this piece of art is very interesting!

Furachan (0) 2006-06-10 8:28

Completely missed this one and it's fabulous, Kev. It's a "gift from God" alright...for the passing TE photog! Your tilt here only enhances the present madness. Fantastic look to this one...
Francis

AdrianW (2274) 2008-03-31 14:19

Good shot Kev! I'm not usually one for the Dutch Tilt, but in this case it sets off the absurdity and comedy of the upside down church to perfection. The gardener seems to anchor the frame well :D

You know a visit from me wouldn't be complete without a suggestion though ;) I think, if this were mine, I might be tempted to use Shadow/Highlight (say 0:10); as it brings out a little bit more of the sky texture.