Fix the window Harold. Canvas Print

What of a work of architecture that has no function, a chambered sculpture, if you like. One left entirely alone after it is built. One that perches on its mountain and lets the elements play with it, lets sun and shadow and nothing else into its rooms. The odd mouse might visit. Or birds once the windows begin to break. I like to see how construction decays, how long it takes before it becomes a ruin. What would go first, do you think? The windows, of course, blown out of their casements by mountain winds. Then the doors. After the roof goes, then there is no hope. Rain, snow begins to eat the plaster, the beams. After that it becomes a ruin, and there is no turning back. It is the same with almost anything that remains abandoned. Still it is important to see what kind of a ruin remains, for it is my contention that only the greatest works make beautiful ruins.

Richard is a multi-media artist: film producer, director and scriptwriter; photographer, video artist, essayist, short story writer, journalist, teacher, environmental activist, and gardener. Richard wrote and directed his first film, "I Wanna Be Me", a documentary on the life of two parolees for Rogers Cablevision in 1984. He went on to produce 52 documentaries for the current affairs program, "As It Is", for CFCF-TV, and another 15 documentaries for "NOW" broadcast on CBC-TV. Richard wrote scripts for the programs "Lassie" and "My Hometown", both for YTV. His script for the feature film "Captive" was released theatrically in 1998 and subsequently broadcast on the CTV network. He worked as a story editor for three feature films...