Tropical Saskatoon

“When an outsider comes to a new place, he sees the picturesque and the freakish, whereas the local sees through layers of emotion and memory.”
Walter Benjamin


One of the first things that struck me as odd about Saskatoon, when I first moved here over one year ago was the abundance in fake palm trees. Both indoors and outdoors, these plastic versions of tropical paradise seemed strangely out of place in the cold prairie environment. Furthermore, many Saskatoonians hadn’t even noticed them until I pointed it out. This made me think about the above mentioned quote and specifically how we create our own sense of place, no matter how odd or freakish that may be.

Biliana Velkova
Tropical Saskatoon
November 18-December 27, 2009
Opening Reception, Thursday, November 19, 7-9pm
Frances Morrison Library Gallery, Saskatoon, SK