Some but not all! We took a group photo at our recent staff & volunteer town hall, celebrating AGO 125
Hello Volunteers,
Our in house I.T. team has been working hard, since the Fall cyberattack, to restore AGO systems and data, while strengthening security. The link below leads to a folder called Launch Videos that has now been updated to include our recent Staff & Volunteer Town Hall, celebrating AGO’s 125th Birthday.
This was a particularly meaningful gathering, and in this video (titled June 2025 town hall) you’ll hear from guest speakers from across the Gallery, sharing their personal connections to the AGO, and memories over the years. There are some great gallery photographs of times gone by, curatorial talks by Julian Cox and Sophie Hackett, and a speech by our very own Barbara Glaser, Volunteer President, spotlighting and celebrating our volunteer program.
You’ll also find recent videos for our AGO Values: Working Together Town Hall, and the Joyce Wieland: Heart-On exhibition launch.
On Wednesday night we celebrated the opening of Naoko Matsubarain company with the 88-year-old artist herself. There was a warm feeling to the event. The woodcut prints and video installation are beautiful and poetic and I hope that you take the time to enjoy the exhibition.
Tonight, we celebrate the opening of Allison Katz: Inner Momentum. Allison Katz is the recipient of the 2023 Gershon Iskowitz Prize, and this is the Montreal-born artist’s AGO debut.
As you may know, Amy Furness, Rosamond Ivey Special Collections Archivist and Head, Library & Archives, will be moving on from the AGO on July 25 to become Chief Librarian of Victoria University at UofT. Amy made a lasting impression on many of us during her 23 ½-year tenure and leaves behind a robust artists’ archive made possible by her expertise, among other achievements that form her legacy.
The AGO is in many ways a launchpad. Artists exhibit their first solo show, the public discovers a new artist, and AGO staff move onto new opportunities.
A career-spanning presentation of 20 exuberant woodcut prints by one of Canada’s leading printmakers, in her first solo exhibition at the AGO, Naoko Matsubara demonstrates her masterful handling of the medium, exploring personal and art historical subjects. Composed of vibrant, complementary colours animated with incisions and wood grain, anchoring the exhibition is Tagasode (2014), a monumental 2 meter single-sheet print, recalling an ikō – a piece of furniture on which a kimono hangs.
Naoko Matsubarais a distinguished Japanese-Canadian woodcut print artist based in Oakville, Ontario. She was born in 1937 on Shikoku Island into a Shinto family, and grew up in Kyoto. She completed a BFA at the Kyoto Academy of Fine Art in 1960 and was a Fulbright Scholar at what is now Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, where she completed her MFA in 1962. Since 1960 Matsubara has had more than 75 solo exhibitions, in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Mexico.
*MUST WATCH: Make sure to watch the video documenting the artist, her life, work, studio and inspirations, in-gallery!
Recipient of the 2023 Gershon Iskowitz Prize at the AGO, Montreal-born, UK-based artist Allison Katz makes her AGO debut with an intimate presentation of new and recent works on canvas. Defying traditional categorization, her paintings merge realism with the fantastic, incorporating wordplay and literary, historical, and autobiographic details to upend viewers’ expectations.
Allison Katz was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1980 and currently lives and works in London, England. She studied Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal and received her MFA from Columbia University in New York. Katz’s work investigates the ways in which aesthetic practices link and absorb autobiography, information systems, graphic icons, and art history. Her diverse imagery, including roosters, cabbages, mouths, fairies and noses, appears as recurring signs that build a constellation of ideas and references, which transmute across the mediums of painting, posters, ceramics, and installations.
This week, Stephan hosted a group of our longest-serving volunteers for an informal coffee & Director’s chat in the Espresso Bar. Oh, the memories that were shared!
For the record (from the top of the table, clockwise):
Mary Henderson, 57 years of service
Helen Casse, 38 years of service
Joan London, 45 years of service
Barbara Glaser, Volunteer President, 15 years of service
Sybil Wilkinson, 45 years of service
Linda Tyrrell, 43 years of service
Stephan Jost
Ed Phillips, 39 years of service
= 282 combined years of volunteer service (!!!)
It was really quite moving to see everyone together. Mary, Helen, Joan, Barbara, Sybil, Linda and Ed – thank you for all you do for the Gallery, for all of these years!
An enclosed space for AGO staff & volunteer bicycle parking is now available at the southwest corner of the building, along Beverly Street.
To access and use the bike enclosure, staff and volunteers must first sign the AGO Bike Enclosure Waiver. After signing this agreement, users will receive the bike enclosure code. This code is intended for AGO staff & volunteer use only (sorry no friends, family or public). Volunteers, if you’d like to take part, please reach out to Holly Procktor ([email protected]), who will help facilitate these next steps for you.
What Staff & Volunteers Need to Know About Using the Bike Enclosure:
The area is for the exclusive use of AGO staff and volunteers to park bicycles.
The area has 23 racks which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This bike enclosure is for everyone! Please be considerate and don’t leave your bike for extended periods of time. Its intended use is a place for staff and volunteers to lock their bikes during their shifts at the AGO.
As Toronto cyclists know, please continue to be vigilant about locking your bike and securing any items. The goal of this enclosure is to add a deterrent and help AGO staff & volunteers have dedicated access to bike parking spaces.
Massive thanks to the Facility Services team – particularly Warren Wilson, Sean Betita, Tim Le, Richard Holborn and Rob Porporino, under the leadership of Linda Coslovi – for making this AGO staff bike enclosure a reality.
On Wednesday, July 30, the AGO will unveil Moments Contained (2023), a newly acquisitioned sculpture by internationally renowned artist Thomas J Price. This sculpture will be installed near Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill (2022), on the corner of McCaul Street and Dundas Street West.
On Monday, July 14, preparations for the installation will begin. Read below to learn more about this sculpture and important installation dates for staff and volunteers.
About Moments Contained
Moments Contained. Photo by Stefan Altenburger
Moments Contained is the first public artwork acquired by the AGO’s Department of Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora. The acquisition and presentation of Moments Contained was made possible by the generous contributions of a group of donors, the majority of whom are from Toronto’s Black and Caribbean communities. Lead support for the acquisition was from an anonymous donor, with significant support from David W. Binet and the Haynes-Connell Foundation.
In 2021, volunteers might recall the AGO exhibited Price’s sculpture Within the Folds (Dialogue 1) (2020). It stood on the site currently held by Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill (2022).
Standing 2.7 meters tall and made of lustrous black bronze, Moments Contained depicts a contemplative young Black woman, dressed in casual wear. Feet planted on the sidewalk, her demeanour is serene, and she appears outwardly confident, but the hands she hides in her pockets are visibly clenched, suggesting a tension between her inner thoughts and outward expression.
To learn more about Price and his work, visit his website.
Watch this video where Price speaks about this sculpture in his own words.
Unveiling Events on Wednesday, July 30
Staff and volunteers are invited to attend the public unveiling of the sculpture on Wednesday, July 30 at 6:30 pm, featuring remarks by Price and a special performance by Toronto musician Shakura S’Aida, as well as A Gospel Chorale led by Kiara Picart.
After the unveiling, Price will join Julie Crooks, Curator, Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora for a ticketed talk in Baillie Court. To purchase tickets for the talk, click here. Volunteers receive members’ pricing for talks – purchase a ticket onsite at the Welcome Desk (make sure to show your volunteer badge) or call in to get the discount (416 979 6608).
Installation Timeline
Beginning Monday, July 14: Preparation for Installation Day
A safety fence will be installed around the work zone.
A pathway to the Gallery’s main entrance will be maintained for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Monday, July 28: Installation Day
Heavy-duty equipment will be in use to install the sculpture.
Staff and volunteers are asked to please avoid the area if possible. Please use the South Entrance to enter and exit the Gallery when possible.
A selection of bike racks by Jackman Hall will be closed off due to their proximity to the installation site. As an alternative, staff can use the bike racks located on Beverley Street near Grange Park.
Wednesday, July 30: Public Unveiling & Ticketed Artist Talk
In this webinar, colleagues at the Ontario Science Centre will be sharing content about the science behind what causes the Northern Lights, programming ideas and considerations if you want to host a viewing party of your own, and resources such as videos and printable posters available for your own use.
We are currently in a period of peak solar activity and anticipate that the Northern Lights will be very active, bright, and visible far further south later this year. There may not be an opportunity as good as this for viewing for another 11 years!
Every week when I write this weekly message there are new things going on at the AGO. New this week and valid through to September 2, 2025 is the Canada Strong Pass. This is an initiative from the Federal Government that provides free or discounted access to museums and galleries, Parks Canada visits, and VIA Rail travel. At the AGO, children, teens and youth who live outside of Ontario will be admitted at special rates.
Aged 10 to 17: Free (normally $15)
Aged 18 to 24: $15 (normally $30)
Thank you to everyone who helped us take advantage of this opportunity to provide our public with even more access to great art and programming.
Also new next Wednesday is the Naoko Matsubaraexhibition being installed on Level 1. If you were on-site yesterday, you may have gotten a sneak peek during installation. This is a beautiful exhibition of woodcut prints curated by Renée van der Avoird, associate curator of Canadian Art, and the first solo exhibition of this artist’s work at the AGO.
The AGO is participating in the Canada Strong Pass, an initiative from the Federal Government that provides free or discounted admission to attractions and parks throughout the country.
The Canada Strong Pass will be valid at the AGO until Tuesday, September 2. Read below to learn how Gallery admission for children, teens and youth who live outside of Ontario will change during this timeframe.
Thanks to the Canada Strong Pass, children, teens and youth who live outside of Ontario can take advantage of these special rates until September 2:
Aged 10 to 17: Free admission (normally $15).
Aged 18 to 24: $15 admission (50% off regular admission)
What doesn’t change at the AGO is:
Ontario residents up to 17 years old will continue to enjoy free admission to the AGO.
Ontario residents aged 18 to 24 can access the AGO free Annual Pass
Children aged 9 and under continue to visit the AGO for free, regardless of residency.
Interested in exploring Canada this summer? Visit the Canada Strong Pass webpage for offers from museums and galleries, Via Rail and Parks Canada.
Questions about the Canada Strong Pass at the AGO?
Thank you to all who attended the Town Hall in celebration of the AGO’s 125th Birthday this past Monday. I hope you enjoyed the presentations and cupcakes as much as I did! I told a personal story about my daughter Monique and I meeting the artist Rita Letendre at the opening of Rita Letendre: Fire and Light in 2017. Monique was about 10 and Rita was about 90 (photo below). It made me think that when Monique is 90, the AGO will be celebrating its 200th anniversary!
This coming week the museum will enjoy having all of the summer art camp kids and volunteers in the galleries. These kids are our future, and the reality is that museums that thrive invest time and attention into audiences of all ages. All of you contribute to making this happen here, so thank you.
