The exhibit explores the meaning of objects, both museum artefact and ordinary object, as things that matter as they connect us to the community we live in. Some of the objects are museum artefacts, some are self-made, and some are ready-made. However, for the purpose of the exhibit, they are equal regardless of their historical significance, age, or material.
Through film, photography, and three-dimensional objects, this exhibit attempts to tell some of the story of Ottawa. The city struggles with its dual status as national capital and local city. For many, the downtown core is synonymous with Parliament Hill and the federal government. Yet behind the shadows of the federal office towers and manicured lawns, the picture of the local Ottawa emerges.
The objects selected have never before been placed in the same room. They focus on specific events and evoke local narratives. Thousands of objects exist in both public and private collections. Presented here are only a few.
The exhibition, Evocative Objects: Artefacts Unfolding Neighbourhoods, was held at the Bytown Museum from May 21 to September 5, 2010.
