I'm so happy I went to the Vancouver Art Gallery by JCPMA 2010 Spring.
My first visit to VAG, the Vancouver Art Gallery was quite astounding. Here are some highlights. This grand building used to be a courthouse. The featured exhibit was the drawings of anatomy by Leonardo Da Vinci:"The Mechanics of Man". To appreciate his genius, I was fortunate enough to get a close look at his work. First the drawing paper. The paper has withstood centuries of aging, and is in excellent condition. Is this special, high grade paper available to the wealthy? or is it just generic paper that the masses used?
Leonardo made lengthy notations beside his drawings. I'm amazed yet not surprised at how tiny his writing font is. It is very ordered and aligned in a straight fashion as if a computer printer had spit it out. His writing code is totally alien; Is it backwards, reversed, upside-down, Italian, Latin? or all of the above? The ink is somewhat faded by time.
The drawings are so detailed that I would wager his anatomical knowledge would exceed if not rival most modern day physicians. Skin, Muscles, Tendons, Blood Vessels, Ligaments, Connective tissues et cetera. The quality is just so incredible. When Da Vinci put this collection together, his country's MRIs and CT Scanners and Ultrasounds where all in disrepair but being an impatient man he continued on. Can you imagine the amount of time and effort he spent on this? I cannot. Can you imagine the work required to go carefully through each layer of body tissue to accomplish his drawings? Can you imagine the stench that had to be endured in this project? I cannot.
The Renaissance Man reveals a bit of his engineering mind in his notation on the ankle area. Da Vinci remarks that due to the distances of the heel bone and the ball of the foot, the calf muscle(s) would need to support the weight equal to total body weight when one stands on their tiptoes. (Forgive me, this last sentence I'm writing is from memory & it may be worded incorrectly.)
Bonus 1: The exterior of the VAC is draped in a beautiful crimson floral fabric.
Bonus 2: Some of the undercard exhibits are related to the theme of anatomy and historical anatomy.
Bonus 3: Gorgeous First Nations sculptures and wall carvings on the supra-levels.
Bonus 4: There is a small wonderful painting of plant specimens in black and green; I looked at the description card. It turns out to be an Emily Carr piece (Aesthetics win!). I asked the staff if I could have it. They refused.
Bonus 5: There is a whale skeleton,... wait for it... made of lawn chairs! :)
Bonus 6: ,,, and much more.
LateEntry 2010.oct.08:
Can anyone help verify that the art draping the exterior of the Vancouver Art Gallery, this Spring as shown, is art by Vivienne Tam? I just want to make sure. Another blogger thinks so: http://twilightcupcake.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/olympic-mascots-on-ice/
It certainly looks like something she could pull off.
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