Ottawa School of Art

At the beginning of the year, Jeff Stellick, Executive Director of the Ottawa School of Art, commissioned me to make a photograph based on the school's history. As it was going to be included in my exhibition at the OSA Gallery, it also had to incorporate the show's theme; that of martyrdoms and Canadian iconography.

In 1881 Frances Richards was the acting head of the newly formed Ottawa School of Art. During his 1887 North American lecture tour, Oscar Wilde traveled to Ottawa, and at some point during his stay, had his portrait painted by Frances. It is a known fact that the experience of sitting for the artist became the foundation for his only novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray".

Several years after returning to England, Oscar Wilde was convicted of "gross indecency" and sentenced to two years in prison. The charge stemmed from a complaint of criminal libel Wilde had made against the Marquess of Queensbury, the father of one of Oscar's lovers. Queensbury loathed his son's lifestyle and vowed to end his son's relationship with Wilde.

In my photograph, Oscar is posing for Frances in a wooded area within a stone's throw of the parliament buildings. On a small hill beyond the couple there are three snipers disguised in bear suits. Two are barristers hired by the Marquess of Queensbury, and the third man is a Queen's guard. Their mission, to shoot Oscar while he was posing for Frances, has failed because of their over consumption of Canadian beer. Sir John A. Macdonald is shown shaking his fist in anger. It was first assumed he was upset because of the unsuccessful assassination attempt, but later historians speculate the beer had been stolen from the prime minister's truck.

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To view Diana Thorneycroft's explanation of the piece during the 2009 Visiting Artist Program Lecture on Friday, October 16th, 2009, please click here.

Limited edition prints are available for purchase from October 14th until December 22nd, 2009.

11 x 14" - edition of 10 at $1,200 each
23 x 30" - edition of 3 at $2,400 each
38 x 50" - edition of 3 at $4,000 each

Orders can be place at the front reception desk of OSA's Main Campus in the ByWard Market, 35 George St.

View The Canadiana Martyrdom Series online at www.martyrdom.ca
Members of the public are encouraged to provide feedback on OSA's first ever online exhibition catalogue!

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Oscar Wilde : le martyre manqué

En début d’année, Jeff Stellick, directeur général de l’École d’art d’Ottawa, m’a demandé de faire une photographie en m’inspirant de l’histoire de l’école. Comme cette oeuvre allait fait partie de mon exposition à la Galerie EAO, elle devait également incorporer la thématique de celle-ci, soit le martyre et l’iconographie canadienne.

En 1881, Frances Richards était la directrice part interim de l’École d’art d’Ottawa. En 1887, pendant sa tournée de conférences nord-américaine, Oscar Wilde a fait un voyage à Ottawa et durant son séjour Frances a peint son portrait. Cette expérience allait inspirer son seul roman « Le portrait de Dorian Gray ».

Plusieurs années après son retour en Angleterre, Oscar Wilde est accusé de « grossière indécence », et condamné à deux ans de prison, à la suite d’une plainte pour diffamation criminelle de Wilde contre le Marquis de Queensbury, le père d’un de ses amants. Queensbury, répugné du mode de vie de son fils, s’était juré de briser la relation entre celui-ci et Wilde.

Dans la photographie, Oscar pose pour Frances dans une zone boisée à quelques pas du Parlement. Sur une petite colline un peu plus loin, il y a trois tireurs d’élite déguisés en ours; deux sont des avocats embauchés par le Marquis de Queensbury, et le troisième est un garde de la reine. Leur mission, qui était de tuer Oscar alors qu’il posait pour Frances, a échoué car ils avaient consommé trop de bière canadienne. Sir John A. Macdonald est présenté ébranlant son poing de colère. On a d’abord pensé que c’était l’assassinat raté qui l’avait fâché. Plus tard les historiens ont avancé l’hyphothèse que c’était le vol de la bière du wagon du premier ministre qui en était la cause.