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Zebra Finches perch on an electrique guitar on July 8, 2009 in a aviary in Nantes as part of a creation by French Celeste Boursier-Mougenot named “From Here to Ear.” The project features 40 zebra finches which are let loose in a space rigged with hanging harpsichord strings and coat hangers all connected to an audio system. As the audience enters the space, the birds move and perch on different structures which trigger unique ambient sound patterns.   Aleatoric music is that which leaves an element to chance as Celeste Boursier-Mougenot has here.

John Cage is perhaps the best known composer of such music.  Early in his career he added objects (such as screws seen below) to piano strings to create an unpredictable rattle or damping of sound as it was played and as he delved deeper into chance operations he used elements of randomness by incorporating radio broadcasts into performances and using the ancient Chinese text, I Ching, to guide the cutting and rearrangement of a piece recorded on tape into a pastiche.

Sankei/Getty Images

Sankei/Getty Images

Tashirojima Island, 15km from Ishinomaki, Japan is the home of over 100 cats per about 70 residents.  These lucky cats eat, sleep and lounge all over the island as the residents adore cats for promising good haul.   The image above is a lodge designed by manga artist Tetsuya Chiba at Manga Land on Tashirojima Island.

MEOW.

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Victor Boyko/WireImage/Getty Images

Victor Boyko/WireImage/Getty Images

Designer Adeline Andre (L) and an assistant dress a model on the runway at the Adeline Andre fashion show during Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 at JTM Gallery on July 6, 2009 in Paris, France. The presentation of this  multi layered silk chiffon dress was as well done as the simple concept behind it. Consisting of nine dress shapes, sewn into one continuous piece to be wrapped to form layers, the final result belied the complexity of its construction and process of dressing. Adeline Andre’s creation is reminiscent of Viktor & Rolf’s  Russian Doll dress, in which a single model, Maggie Rizer rotated on the catwalk while layers were piled on by the design duo.  At the end of the show she was wearing 70 kilos of gown.  Adeline’s version is more approachable and concise, with equal impact.

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TURIN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 20: (L-R) Kim St-Pierre #33, Charline Labonte #32 and Sarah Vaillancourt #26 of Canada celebrate after their 4-1 victory over Sweden during the final of the women’s ice hockey on Day 10 of the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games on February 20, 2006 at the Palasport Olimpico in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

In honor of Fête du Canada (Canada Day), we’d like to celebrate all of our Canadian filmmakers, musicians and photographers for all of the hard work, dedication and creativity they bring to work each day.

To celebrate this special occasion, we’ve put together a gallery of Canadian imagery for you to enjoy. These images capture the spirit of the country and were all created by Canadian photographers - even the music featured was created by a local artist!

For more information about Getty Images in Canada, go to www.gettyimages.ca.

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Stephanie Chernikowski/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Stephen Wright/Redferns/GettyImages

The passing of Michael Jackson at the relatively green age of 50 has reminded us that his contemporaries, Madonna, Thurston Moore and Morrissey are very much alive.   It is hard to believe that Sonic Youth’s ever boyish Thurston Moore, grand dame of pop Madonna, and Morrissey are all, give or take a few months, 50 years old this year.  All three began their careers in earnest around the same time in the early 1980’s, at times brushing shoulders with one another.  Madonna was the opening act for The Smiths at their first New York City show in 1983, and Sonic Youth has always fancied Madonna, going as far as covering Madonna songs in their side project, Ciccone Youth and naming a song: “Expressway To Yr  Skull, Madonna Sean and Me” from their 1986 album EVOL.

Somehow fame goes hand in hand with age for me at least and Jackson seemed worlds older than Madonna, Morrissey and Moore.  Each of these artists is still relevant in 2009 in their own ways and in their particular niches.  Have these 50 year olds gone the way of the dodo or do we care about their work?  See more then and now here.

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Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage/Getty Images

Can you guess which female singer is dressed as her own chauffeur for her new music video?

Click here to find out!

Pabst (pictured above), a boxer mix won the Worlds Ugliest Dog Competition on Friday but I have to say, I don’t think Pabst is THAT ugly.  He won the overall title while Miss Millie (pictured below), a Chinese Crested won the pedigree division.   I don’t know the official requirements to qualify as World’s Ugliest Dog but when comparing Pabst to Miss Millie I think its pretty clear which one just has an unfortunate underbite and which one has an unfortunate overall appearance…

Woof.

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Hulton Archive/Getty Images

As promised, we have delivered a few more shots of our mourned pop icon to www.gettyimages.com.  Above, Jackson sits in a New York City subway car in 1987 during the filming of the Martin Scorsese directed music video; Bad.

Everyone has a Michael story.  Maybe his album was the first one you bought with your own money because your parents wouldn’t.  Maybe you sat next to him wearing a disguise on  bus in Florida (as my aunts co-worker did).  Perhaps you saw him browsing the aisles at Virgin Mega Store like it was the most natural thing in the world.   What does Michael Jackson mean to you?  See more unearthed Michael Jackson imagery here.

Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

Conflicting reports have been flying all afternoon regarding Michael Jacksons’ health, with the unfortunate conclusion coming this evening that he has in fact died.  The earths first “Moon-walker” was rushed to UCLA Medical Center earlier today in response to a 911 call from his Holmby Hills residence.  It was reported that he was in cardiac arrest when help arrived and was unresponsive upon receiving CPR by paramedics.

A controversial and troubled man, he has made an undeniable impact on pop music, music videos and “image reinvention” as an artist.   We have lost an American pop culture icon whose influence spanned over three decades.  Let’s have a look at Jackson’s flamboyant career from The Jackson Five to tabloid fueled eccentricity here.

Getty Images is unearthing new archive material from the vaults so stay tuned.

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Tom Wargacki/WireImage/Getty Images

Succumbing to a three year battle with invasive cancer, actress Farrah Fawcett died at St. John’s hospital in Santa Monica today.  Her longtime partner, Ryan O’Neal, friend Alana Stewart and hairdresser, Mila Murphy were with her in her last moments.  She is often noted for her brilliant smile, but her radiance extended beyond her beautiful facade.  Her energy can be seen in photographs, in which she is seldom static.

While she is best remembered for her role as Jill Munroe on the original 1976 Charlie’s Angels series, she was only on the show for one season.   She was a fashion plate, pin-up girl and all around 70’s icon for the remainder of the decade. Her acting career took a bumpy course following her departure from Charlie’s Angels, punctuated by Burning Beds, a mini series that earned her an Emmy nomination.  Though she and O’Neal never married, they were for the most part a solid force in one another’s life from the early 1980’s, until the end.  Their only son, Redmond was able to visit his mother, though he was in jail for drug charges in her last months of life.   We wish her loved ones well.  Let’s take a look at Farrah’s life in pictures here.

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