Well the journey is over, and what better way to look back at this journey than a before and after comparison. Above is a photo taken on the day that the Totem Pole was removed from the lawn of official residence of the Ambassador of Canada. At the time the Totem Pole was in really rough shape. It took many hours of restoration work, planning, and many unexpected surprises to take this weathered piece of Canadian art and bring it back.
Today the Chief's Crest Pole stands, indoors, at the Benaki museum (at 138 Pireos Street) in Athens. The colours are vibrant, the ants are gone, and the many holes have been filled. For me personally it has been a great journey learning about Canadian history, art restoration, and how art galleries and museums work. I've been lucky to meet many great people along this journey, many of whom are new friends. I don't think this is the end for me since I plan on visiting the Chief's Crest Pole many times again. The Totem Pole is scheduled to remain at the Benaki for a while, it will then be moved to a permanent location that has yet to be announced.
