National Gallery of Canada

Guestbook Maman

This picture as an epitome of my Canadian identity was taken in the country's capital, Ottawa, specifically in front of the National Gallery of Canada which includes the "Maman" sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. Firstly, the sculpture and its meaning that is the strong and nurturing nature of Bourgeois' mother represents how -in my case, as a young first generation immigrant from the Philippines- Canada became a nurturing part of my life. This caring and welcoming environment helped me grow out of adversities into a much stronger young woman that I am now. With further research, I learned that there are other editions of this sculpture in other places in the world. This is one of the reasons why I chose this photograph of the eye-catching structure. With me being in that exact spot, I am seeing the same thing as someone whom I've never met from Spain, or South Korea, or Japan is seeing. It's sharing a glimpse of their life through that sculpture. Consequently, this is what it is to be Canadian. The multiculturalism defines the Canadian culture. A good example of this would be the collection of masterpieces from all over the world in the National Gallery of Canada. In addition, I'm an art student myself, and the whole space is a great source of inspiration. Altogether, this picture is the quintessential depiction of my Canadian identity.