Autumn, Edmonton, North Saskatchewan River, Photography, Talus Dome

The Current Normal – Having a Ball

Here is the description of the Talus Dome art that appears on the median at the South end of the Quesnell Bridge in Edmonton.

Every City of Edmonton project must have an art component worth 1% of the total budget. This piece was installed in 2012 after completion of some major revisions to the Quesnell Bridge. It has long reviled by many Edmontonian’s as a “waste of money”, “worst piece of City art ever”, “worst art placement” in the City. We do not share those views. Every time we drive by it, we smile and think of the fun we have had playing with our reflections in them

This was almost the first place we stopped on our September 17/20 anniversary day adventures. Although bright and gleaming from afar, weather and pollution have not been kind to the mirror like surface on the balls. Nonetheless, we had some fun.

All photos were taken on September 17, 2020.

Sculpted right into the shape of the embankment.
My Patty stands beside indicating scale
All these reflections play havoc with my camera’s light settings
Our 43rd anniversary portraits
Reflecting the scenery and the weird photographer
A shot of the inside of the sculpture. A tough place to get at with a weed whacker
Like some sort of space alien
My radiant bride
The sky looked blue up above…..
….but, it was actually quite hazy due to morning fog and some smoke drifting in from the Oregon forest fires 1,200 km (746 miles) away
This fisherman nearby the Talus Dome was bending down to get a stone to toss at the passing muskrat to scare him away, as the fall colours reflect in the North Saskatchewan River
poor little muskrat
reflected beauty…after a summer of rain storms, this is the cleanest the river water has been

Published by

kagould17

Not much to tell. After working for 3 companies over 43+ years (38 years 7 months with my last company), I finally got that promotion I had waited my entire career for……retirement. I have been exploring this new career for the past 7+ years and while it is not always exciting, the chance to do what I want for myself and my family instead of what my company wants has been very fulfilling. Early on, there was a long list of projects in my “to-do” hopper and I attacked these projects with a vengeance for the first 9 months of retirement. Eventually, my brain told me that this was not what retirement was about, so it took me another 5 months before my industriousness again took over and I attacked another line of projects, this time somewhat shorter and less complicated, as well as many new projects related to the family weddings in 2016. After going hard for 6 weeks and 3 weddings, my body was telling me to relax, then the flu bug hit and as soon as that was done with me, my sciatic acted up. No rest for the wicked. In 2020 and 2021, the Covid 19 pandemic changed the whole retirement gig. I was lucky to not be still working, for sure. I enjoy photography, gardening, working with my hands, walking, cycling, skiing, travelling, reading and creating special photo and video productions obtained in my first pastime. I may never become wealthy in any of these pursuits, but I already feel I am rich in life experiences far beyond any expectation.

21 thoughts on “The Current Normal – Having a Ball”

    1. Absolutely. The reflections in there look like a sci-fi show. Glad you like it. I think if more people stopped to look, they might realize what a great piece this us. Thanks for reading, Lynette. Allan

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  3. The initiative to finance artistic creation by associating them with projects is certainly a good thing, now that a piece of art is controversial is often a good sign and a guarantee for the future. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Agreed. I will never understand why some people want their city to be nothing more that straight streets and box buildings. Art creates interest and you are right, controversy can stimulate discussion. Thanks for reading and commenting. Allan

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  4. You captured some cool pictures. I have to agree — it’s not as ugly as some art installations and the reflective part of it adds light. Love the reflection picture of you two and the one of Patti! Belated happy anniversary.

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    1. Thanks Bernie. It is a great place to play for sure. Thanks for your anniversary wishes. You comment ended up in my Spam folder, so apologies for the delay in replying. Happy thanksgiving. Allan

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  9. I didn’t expect to see such shiny bubbles. But than again, over the years, I’ve seen all sorts of artwork that is displayed in public. Many artworks are intended to make a personal statement about the society that the artists live within, but sometimes it can be challenging to figure that statement out. Have a good day 😀 Aiva

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    1. They are shinier from a distance, for sure. Given their outdoor life, they are scratched and a bit dusty from time to time, but still fun to play with. You are right. We once went to a Jackson Pollock exhibition and got the audio tour guide. It talked about his inspiration, what he had for breakfast, how he felt, what time he got up yadayadayada. We did not care. We have one criteria for artwork. Do we like it? Do we not like it? The rest is superfluous. Thanks for reading Aiva. Allan

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