National Gallery of Canada

Today I had the pleasure of strolling through the pride of the Canadian Art World, the National Gallery of Canada. As room after room of "art" unfolded in front of me I couldn't help wonder, "Have I lost my mind" am I so ignorant of what is art and what is rocks on a hardwood floor, what is "257 pieces of felt" on a hardwood floor, did I walk into a room they are renovating and these are the left over pieces piled carefully awaiting the dumpster in back. The flourescent lights nailed to wall, titled "flourescent lights" or something along those lines. This is art, this is valuable art. As I ventured though the endless piles of art it reminded me of walking through a dog run, being careful not to step in or on anything. I was intrigued by a clear plastic box that sweats, "the condensation cube" the "black steel box" the "box with four pieces of wood painted red" I thought magnificent, Canadian artists are standing the art world on their heads, the colour, the design, the total crap. As I left the building I thought to myself, "A piece of steel painted red, a fling of monkey poo" I was almost brought to tears, I could be a Canadian artist, I could title it.........."Monkey poo on Red Steel" it's almost to brilliant.