Hello everybody!
It is hard to believe that it is already August and the days are starting to get shorter! This email was delayed as I was off on vacation. While I was hoping for some travels into the wilds of the great Canadian North – akin to Tom Thomson’s Morning Cloud, alas my last minute planning resulted to an adventure to the “wilds” of Sarnia! At least there was some lake swimming and plenty of fresh from farm produce!
The entire Visitor Welcome Manager team is now in a rotating schedule back at the gallery as audiences start to pick up! I can tell you that people continue to enjoy Diane Arbus: Photographs, 1956 – 1971 (which has been officially extended to November 8th) . We have had over 21,000 Front Line Workers passes booked – most of which are new to the gallery! The Bistro is also open during gallery hours for take out as well as some inside seating! I have attached the menu here.
Please read on!
Love Letter to the AGO!
One of my favorite times in the gallery is that magic hour, when the sun casts light across the spiral staircase! What part of the gallery are you missing? Have you come to the gallery since opening? Which part did you enjoy the most? Both Jonathan and Trish seemed to relish a return back to the Henry Moore gallery. I think Christine is still due for a proper re-acquaintance with the gallery to see what she missed – but she is happy to see the welcoming red AGO sign out front of the building!
Having been back in the building for over a month, it’s astonishing how good it feels to be back in the building. After 3 months of a proper in apartment hibernation with very limited grocery visits, I have really celebrated the ease in which the gallery slowly has opened to the public. You can see it in people’s face – especially at the start of a visitors experience. It could be their first indoor navigation for the visual splendor of the building and it’s collection. A sense of returning back home!
Volunteer Connector Series with Stephan – Wednesday August 12
I wanted to highlight an upcoming event this week that Holly mentioned in the Volunteer blog that is a part of the Volunteer Connectors series. On Wednesday, August 12th at 5pm there will be a an exclusive volunteer-led talk with Stephan Jost! You can send any questions you have to [email protected] or Volunteer Presient, [email protected] by Sunday August 10th. These will be used to guide the conversation. Holly will send out an updated Zoom link and reminder prior to the session!
To join this week’s Volunteer Connector zoom call, simply click on this link: https://klick.zoom.us/j/96143710048?pwd=VUE3K2tJVXdTOWJqdEt3SjF4bXk2Zz09 at 5pm on Wednesday, August 12th (you cannot register in advance – just click on the link to join.)
If you can’t connect directly by clicking on this link, you have two options:
1) Open a new browser window (i.e. open a new window in Chrome or Firefox or Safari, and copy and paste the above link and press return
OR
2) Go to www.zoom.us,Select “Join a meeting”, enter the Meeting ID: 961 4371 0048 and Password: 496700
Shape of the Museum: Adam Levine
The AGO hosted a Shape of the Museum with Adam Levine, the AGO’s Assistant Curator of European Art in conversation with Kathleen McLean, AGO Assistant Curator of Talk Programs, several weeks ago – which I have linked here. It was a very interesting discussion that touched on selected objects in the AGO’s European Collection that offer important direct links to the Transatlantic slave trade and colonization. Both speakers also took a deeper dive into our new acquisition, Portrait of a Lady Holding an Orange Blossom. I encourage you all to watch this discussion as it was incredibly illuminating!
If you want to learn even more about the Portrait of a Lady Holding an Orange, consider checking a new podcast where Adam Levine and Assistant Curator Monique Johnson try to unlock the mysteries hidden in this painting. Where and when the painting was made? Who was the woman in the painting? What was her life like? These podcasts can be streamed directly from our website here (scroll all the way down).
Be well and stay healthy.
Jonathan, Christine, Trish and Nicole
[email protected]
416-979-6660 ext 397