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  #41  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 5:32 PM
johnjimbc johnjimbc is offline
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That's actually sort of funny on the Calgary medals. They actually depict first nation's people, at least in some cartoonish fashion.

There is one thing that bugs me about people's complaint about the first nation's influence in the designs - which I've only seen in the press with a political slant . . . no one I've talked to actually seems to care a wit about it. My complaint is that the medals and themes are representing concepts, such as the Orca and the Raven on the medal designs. They aren't honouring individuals or some political movement.

Complaining about the first nation's influence in the games is sort of like complaining about the spirit of giving or the concept of bravery. All cultures create myths and tales and metaphors for different aspects of human nature - good and bad - and have explanations and representations of spirit and creation. The fact that the Vancouver Olympics reached back to representations of commonly shared beliefs as depicted by inhabitants of the land here for dozens of generations seems fairly fitting. I suspect it is a fairly common tradition carried over from past Olympics.

It's not like they stamped all the medals with an individual or depict first nation's people sitting around a lodge in the visual depictions. The design team simply elected to use their symbology to communicate some rather universal human beliefs for our Games. What were they supposed to do . . . use images of Greek mythology? Would that have meant they were honouring the Greeks over the British. I suppose they could have gotten all Anglo-Saxon on us . . . aren't there a few cave drawings left in the UK? Does anyone know what they mean?

I think people have completely forgotten the concept of mythology and symbols and metaphors. Or they just conveniently ignore them to revel in their own base and petty complaints.

That's my philosophical commentary of the day. Now I'll go back to snipping and barking, I guess .
     
     
  #42  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 8:12 PM
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^ well said and I agree.

maybe this would have been more "Canadian"? It is round and flat afterall..

photo by me

     
     
  #43  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 8:20 PM
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hahahahaha that is great.

I could picture that in the editorial page to be honest. Very clever.
     
     
  #44  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 9:06 PM
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thanks! now we just need to find a head to hang it on. any suggestions?
     
     
  #45  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2009, 11:36 PM
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The entity formerly known as Towerguy?

Also, being an ex-pat British Columbian, the three things I hold dear about my province is the beautiful flag (hung in my window), Kokanee beer, and west coast native artwork. It's not just the Olympics where the artwork is associated with BC; look at the Canucks logo, the giant metal orca at the aquarium, and totem poles/wooden native-themed carvings that act as art or decorative markers that dot the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island. Like it or not it is very much a piece of west coast culture and image, and I think it is absolutely spectacular how they chose to integrate it into these unique Olympic medals.
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  #46  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2009, 2:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Delirium View Post
^ well said and I agree.

maybe this would have been more "Canadian"? It is round and flat afterall..

photo by me

Now that's more like it!



Here's a reverse of one of the medals.

     
     
  #47  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2009, 5:05 AM
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Let's face it - these medals are a freakin' home run in every regard - probably some of the most beautiful medals the Games has ever seen. As cynical as I am, my breath was taken away when I saw the design.
     
     
  #48  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2009, 12:28 PM
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I loved them when I first saw them yesterday. After seeing the mini documentary on how they came to be, I love them even more.
     
     
  #49  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 11:43 AM
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The medals might have BC written all over them but they make me proud to be an Ottawan since they were crafted right here in the capital with a lot of home-grown talent from our local colleges. Beyond the crap that comes out of the Federal Government, the good things that come out of this city never seem to get any praise.
     
     
  #50  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 3:52 PM
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This board seems to overly praise everything. The design - specifically the "melted frisbee" effect - is awful.
     
     
  #51  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 5:38 PM
johnjimbc johnjimbc is offline
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I had to smile when I saw your post, Kitchisippi. As a former resident of another federal center of power - Washington, DC - whose association with "big, bad government" often overshadowed what a really amazing city it was, I can appreciate your irritation on that front.

I did note that the Ottawa mint is producing all the medals, which is impressive.

Pinion, I don't know that the posters here always overly praise everything. I have witnessed some mighty disagreements and negative opinions on occasion during my time reading and commenting. In this case, I just think there's a bit of rallying because, love them or hate them, the medals are unique and outside the box and took ingenuity to conceive, devise, and create. I think its one of those cases where folks are rallying against those outside the process who are throwing easy daggers. One senses those same naysayers would have been ready to complain no matter what medals the creative team would have produced.

That's how I see it anyway. I like the medals a lot . . . I think they are cool and rather beautiful. As I love the rolling mountains here, I'm thrilled they found a way to capture that in the medal design. I find it cool that they carried over the visual imagery of the Games with the curves and arcs in the medals as well. From a creative perspective, that impresses me.

I can appreciate that some people won't like the design as much. But some of the response was just viscerally aghast in a way that, frankly, didn't seem warranted or genuine. Plus, after reading some of the public reaction comments, it seems they are much more liked than disliked. Most of the "negative press" came from just that - folks commenting to the press - or folks in the press commenting - in a way that seemed more political and agenda-driven than any motivation to provide an objective critique of the design.
     
     
  #52  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 5:38 PM
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^ or maybe it's just that some people aren't open minded and can't understand the actual concept portrayed.
     
     
  #53  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 7:26 PM
twoNeurons twoNeurons is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Delirium View Post
^ well said and I agree.

maybe this would have been more "Canadian"? It is round and flat afterall..

photo by me

Only problem... I bet those lids are Made in China.

Here's a uniquely Made in Canada idea:


(image mine)
     
     
  #54  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 9:30 PM
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mmmm... maple dip..
     
     
  #55  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2009, 9:36 PM
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Originally Posted by twoNeurons View Post
Only problem... I bet those lids are Made in China.

Here's a uniquely Made in Canada idea:


(image mine)
You mean they don't come freeze dried from China, and then are re-microwaved everyday?

What *is* that funny taste, then?

Still can't wait for the Timmy's in L'Hermitage to open. Funny taste or not.
     
     
  #56  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2009, 1:29 AM
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^Gross
     
     
  #57  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2009, 2:03 AM
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The thing I hate about Timmy's is that their drinks are scolding hot, probably designed for the East Coast climate (they are so NOT "Central Canada" - they're nowhere near the actual centre).
     
     
  #58  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2009, 7:35 AM
ozonemania ozonemania is offline
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I really like these medals. I think the design is very creative and very professional looking. In one way, they are very traditional in that worn by an athlete, viewed straight on (or from a TV camera for that matter), they look like very recognizable Olympic medals --perfectly round, metallic, and shiny.

But they are three dimensional too. Something that is entirely new, from what I have seen. It will be particularly interesting for the special athletes that receive these medals. Athletes will hold these and will feel the weight and feel the 3D shape in their hands. More than just an oversized coin with a ribbon on it.
     
     
  #59  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2009, 3:47 PM
johnjimbc johnjimbc is offline
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Plus they'll be able to taste the gooey Maple Dip and think of Canada . . . err, wait, you meant the actual medals didn't you? .

Just kidding. You make excellent comments about the medals.
     
     
  #60  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2009, 5:24 PM
twoNeurons twoNeurons is offline
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Originally Posted by johnjimbc View Post
Plus they'll be able to taste the gooey Maple Dip and think of Canada . . .
Actually, it will motivate them to win TWO gold medals... they can enjoy the gooey maple coating of one right away and freeze the other one for a keepsake. 1 year later, on their gold medal anniversary, they can thaw the frozen medal and enjoy it again. Not surprisingly, the taste will remain the same.
     
     
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