VISITING WAR FLOWERS – EXHIBIT
“ I believe people have an ability to find beauty and hope, even amidst the horrors of war. This exhibition examines human nature in wartime” says Viveka Melki – curator of War Flowers. Campbell House Museum, couldn’t be any more fitting, every step you took it made you feel like you were a ghost walking in that era. Adding perfume scents to each piece with different items such as rings that were made by soldiers in the trenches and medicine vials propelled curiosity wheels to turn – that felt unexpected. My favorite scent to take note was “ lavender incense and myrrh rise together to inspire loyalty” Walking up the antique, rustic stairs fit for a queen and a king, you had a moment to pause to watch a video that gave a visual to the process of creating War Flowers scents and insightful information that was extremely interesting. The most thorny and poignant part of this exhibit was actually reading the letters, most signed “Love, Daddy”. Throughout our day we sometimes forget our fallen soldiers and those currently deployed fighting for our country. These men and women are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, sons, and daughters and so forth – They take on one of the most honorable jobs to date and each day we get to live comfortably under the sun and this is a gentle reminder that sometimes, we need to really stop and smell the roses. War Flowers was a humbling piece I will remember for a very long time.
To former and present – Thank you for your service! We cannot wait to expand our coverage in regards to this topic in the near future.
The touring art exhibit is staying put at Campbell House Museum until March 16th – so not too much time is left. Please take a minute to stop in – it is only a short walk away from the Eaton Centre. It is a $10 admission. Here is a quick Background on War Flowers: “War Flowers is an innovation multi-sensorial experience that examines human nature in the landscape of war. The exhibition combines First World War soldier George Stephen Cantlie’s hundred-year-old letters and pressed flowers he picked on the battlefield of Europe, together with original scents by Alexandra Bachand, original crystal sculptures by Mark Raynes Roberts, and with portraits of ten Canadians involved in the First World War”
Information/background on Campbell House: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_House_(Toronto)
