An Odd House

 

                            An Odd House, Bonavista, oil on Birch panel. 12" x 12", Steven Rhude


What really constitutes an allegory? When I encountered this house in Bonavista I naturally wondered about its hidden meaning, its spirit, and all the psycho/social configurations that accompany a dwelling that is one third stripped bare of its clothing, or outer cladding if we are to respect the tradesman use of the term. Revealing the underlayers of mind and mentality, it was once configured a home with parents and children that fished. Nonetheless it is by appearance an odd house. One rarely encounters a dwelling in such an indecisive state.  But this is just one thing - the health of another house, that is a resource based industry is another. Both houses were intentionally  connected. A cemented relationship within its neighbourhood - the sea.  Is it just an illusion for us to visually pass over, a facade to easily topple with the push of a hand?   

Down the street from me in Wolfville, I've watched a number of houses go up valued in the one million dollar range. I can't help but marvel daily at the process, teams of carpenters, plumbers, and IT technicians assembled to enact the post modern house of man, as I routinely make my way through the suburb on errands. Yet still I wonder, has the house never before been so fundamentally relevant to the Canadian psychological make up?


Steven Rhude, Wolfville, NS          

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