COME SEE MOSAICULTURE – AN EXHIBIT THAT IS BEYOND LARGER THAN LIFE: IT’S SOCIAL COMMENTARY: A REFLECTION OF THE WORLD AND OUR SOCIETY TODAY
MosaiCulture Story by: Alan Wainwright, Alan Wainwright Photography and Twenty York Street
Summer is winding down, the kids are back to school and work routines are back to normal. While the cooled down temperature and the lazy days of summer is gone, you still have the opportunity to visit one of the regions most impressive and exciting exhibits – MosaiCulture 2018!
VISIT MOSAICULTURE IN GATINEAU UNTIL OCTOBER 15, 2018
Open until October 15, 2018 only, the massive horticultural display, the biggest Horticultural Show in Canada, that is Mosaiculture 2018 is located at Jacques-Cartier Park, just steps away from the Museum of History in Gatinea and Maison du Tourisme.
This unique exhibit has been made possible by the governments of Canada and the Government of Quebec along with the City of Gatineau. The government of Canada contributed $1 million, with the governments of Quebec and the City of Gatineau contributing $2 million each top bring back one of Canada 150’s grandest exhibit of the horticultural kind.
Because of these generous contributions, residents of Gatineau get a discount on tickets and youth 11 and under can visit the exhibit for FREE.
Check out pricing at www.mosaiculture.ca
#MOSAI150 AT #CANADA150: IN HONOUR OF CANADA’S 150TH BIRTHDAY
On a bright Saturday, Twenty York Street had the great fortune to accompany Jacques Ouimette, Director Marketing Communications for Mosaicultures International De Montreal on a special tour of this exciting site. Jacques provided unique insights into the operation and execution of these complex exhibits.
Monsieur Jacques Ouimette, Marketing and Communications Director, MosaiCulture
Photo by Alan Wainwright of Alan Wainwright Photography and Twenty York Street
The moment you step in into MosaiCulture, you cannot even begin to imagine the level of organization, skill and logistics it took to put all of these together! It’s like walking into a door and stepping into Narnia of the flower universe with whimsical creations and re-imaging of classical figures in epic proportions.
The works of art are BEYOND LARGER THAN LIFE. The creativity and the vision and of course, the execution to make these unique works of arts are reality is truly mind boggling!
The very first time MosaiCulture, then dubbed Mosai150, was in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday. It drew a crow of thousands upon thousands with visitoprs coming from all over Canada and the world.
Yes, MosaiCulture was FREE for the entire duration of the show but that’s not the only reason people keep coming back for more.
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“Mosaïculture is not only a very spectacular flower show, but what is most important are the messages about Canada’s history, the environment, our values and the culture of Indigenous people,” says Lise Cormier, executive vice-president and general manager of Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal.”
BE AMAZED AT FLORAL SCULPTURES THAT ARE LARGER THAN LIFE AT MOSAICULTURE
The focus is to amaze and astonish visitors and it did precisely that. The 2048 exhibit hopes to surpass last year’s grand display for Canada’s celebration.
This year, the exhibit is a celebration for the City of Gatineau. The showcase masterpiece, which is considered to be one of the pinnacle pieces of the art of Mosaiculture worldwide, is the magnificent flagship creation Tree of Birds.
Building on last year’s success, the National Capital Commission is also a proud partner along with the City of Gatineau and Mosaiculture Gatineau 2018 to host these original horticultural exhibits and animation in one of the National Capital Region’s finest urban parks.
With a spectacular view of the Parliament Hill, the stunning Ottawa skyline and of course, the imposing inter provincial bridge that connects Ontario and Quebec, the 2018 theme is: A Magnificent Journey. There are 45 artworks, 10 of which are new for this year, including the unique Ballerina, a motorized piece d’art accompanied by the piano of the great Glenn Gould.
For more photos, check out our Facebook albums on Mosai Culture here, here and here.
MOSAICULTURE FEATURES CANADIAN ARTISTS AND CANADIAN ICONS IN LARGER THAN LIFE FLORAL SCULPTURES
Even at the main entrance where you purchase your ticket to MosaiCulture, you already get a glimpse of how larger than life this exhibit is going to be.
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As you get checked in, you walk through the Train Station, looking into the vast railway full of happy sunflowers and into the world of Anne of Green Gables, an iconic Canadian favourite.
Your journey through Canada continues past Wild Roses, toward another symbol of Canada a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Horse and Rider.
For more photos, check out our Facebook albums on Mosai Culture here, here and here.
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You will see a Lobster Fisherman and Red Foxes. For the music lovers, there is a segment including the Ballerina, a magnificent Cello player and the grandest of grand pianos.
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THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES COMES TO LIFE AT MOSAICULTURE
Inspired by Jean Giono’s 1953 allegorical tale, The Man Who Planted Trees, is another masterpiece that is so visually mind blowing. When you look deeper however, you will see that this piece of art speaks about the importance of hope and motivating people to see that small gestures can make an immense difference.
The story behind this gigantic creation is about a shepherd, Elzéard Bouffier, and his efforts to reforest a desolate valley in the foothills of the Alps.
For more photos, check out our Facebook albums on Mosai Culture here, here and here.
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This story was also immortalized in a 1987 Academy Award-winning short animated film. With the help of the film’s creator, Frédéric Back, the story once again came to life at MosaiCulture. Come and be awed at the floral sculpture of the shepherd, who is six metres high and is planting a young oak tree in the stones.
It’s miles of floral exhibit, wear comfortable shoes like SKECHERS CANADA when you come visit.
In addition to the his sheep and dog, you can also see two horses running in a field of flowers that symbolize the return to life.
“The Man Who Planted Trees illustrates the capacity of man to change the environment,” says Cormier. “This story is more pertinent than ever if we consider the climate change caused by man.”
There are also exhibit areas throughout the site where each week, there is a celebration of an anniversary or a specific date in history. For example, there has been celebrations to recognize the anniversary of the World War 2 bombing of Hiroshima close to the site of Hachiko, the Loyal Dog who
waited for his master to come home long after the disaster.
The weekend of September 8 and 9 also saw the Commemoration of the Centenary of the end of World War 1 (1914-1918). It was a showcase of the poppy, a universally understood symbol of this moment in history.
A CELEBRATION OF CANADA’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND ITS CULTURE
Every Saturday and Sunday, you can experience real cultural traditions of the Algonquin Nation. There are two shows every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Do not miss this!
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There are also many references to Canada’s Indigenous People on the site including Mother Earth – an extraordinary sculpture, that sits regally amongst a landscape of lush green and cascading waterfalls.
It has been a runaway favourite amongst visitors to the park. This is the MosaiCulture sculpture that launched a thousand Instagram posts during #Canada150. Because have you really been to MosaiCulture if you have not taken a photo of or photo with Mother Earth?
A standout 15-metre tall masterpiece during last year’s event and again this year, Mother Earth is inspired by Te Fiti, a goddess of earth and life from Polynesian mythology. First created for Mosaïculture Internationals Montréal 2003 and for Mosaïculture Internationales Montréal 2013 with graphic artist Valérie Dupra, Mother Earth represents that essence of nature and the interdependence of man and nature. It promotes the message of ecological responsibility and respect of Indigenous people’s land rights.
The majority of the exhibits have been created by Canadian artists, the one exception is the Chinese exhibits: the Good Omen Dragons and Celebration of Nine Lions, which were created by artists brought in from China especially for this event.
The scale of this event is enormous! With 5.5 million plants and 210 species, your journey through the park will last about 60 to 90 minutes and is approximately 1 km in length of one magical piece after another.
MOSAICULTURE IS A REFLECTION OF CANADA AND THE WORLD
Indeed, MosaiCulture is more than just a feast for the senses. It is a visual treat, yes. But it is also a social commentary of the world around us and our society today. It’s more than just a flower exhibit. It’s a larger than life reflection of Canada, its culture, values, environment and an hommage to its Indigenous People.
When you go, marvel at its beauty and wonder but also try to understand the deeper meaning behind these horticultural pieces of art made by flowers, shrubs, tresses, grass and even succulents.
You can get all information you need at: www.mosaiculture.ca. We are absolutely sure you will be impressed by this unique experience.
So go on, finish the end of your summer in grand horticultural style!
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This post is partnership. Entrance to MosaiCulture was provided to Twenty York Street but all opinions (ours is fabulous!) are our own.
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