Ethos

I always enjoy a good piece of public art, and as I got to the library ten minutes early for my assignation, I busied myself with Ethos (1961),  the first work of art commissioned by the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) for a public place in Canberra.   According to the Public Arts Register, "The winged figure female figure celebrates the civic pride of Canberra and the fabric of her robe is richly embossed with emblems and figures representing the community. Ethos stands in a dish bearing a relief map of the City and holds aloft a bursting sun representing culture and enlightenment."

In 2005, the artist Tom Bass composed a poem inspired by Ethos for the 90th anniversary of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.  In a nod to this week's MM theme (thanks laurie54 and libeccio), here it is:

I am Ethos
and though I do not speak
with words
I speak to you
in other ways.
I say to you that
I am the spirit
of this place
and this people.
I am the love
peace and beauty
of this place.
I am Ethos
and in me
there is no violence
no war, only peace
the resolution
of all the conflicts
that lead to war.
I am Ethos
I am peace and love
and I give you
these things
every day
and always.



In the extras, another angle, and a very different piece of public art just a block away, Dean Bowen's whimsical The Big Little Man (2008).  Is it just me, or is The Big Little Man inspired by a face in the armpit of Ethos?

You might spot my sister peeking out from behind The Big Little Man, which she's rather partial to.

Yes, my library assignation was perfectly innocent - catching up with my sister to view an exhibition of juvenilia from some of Australia's leading children's authors (very interesting), followed by a hot chocolate and a shared apple strudel in the delightful Via Dolce cafe (ok, our assignation was a little naughty, but there will be resumption of our respective Fast 800 and DASH diets tomorrow).

It was miserably rainy and bleak during our excursion so (another piece of whimsy) - I liked the idea of Ethos protecting herself from the elements with the sun.  Looks like she's not enjoying the cold either.