The South Entrance will now be open to staff and volunteers from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday. 

From Saturday to Sunday, the South Entrance will remain open to staff and volunteers from 9 am to 5 pm. 

Security Reminders for Using the South Entrance: 

• This entrance is open to staff and volunteers only.  
• Be diligent in ensuring the entrance is closed after you use it.  
• If a visitor happens to approach you by the entrance, please encourage and redirect them to use the front entrance on Dundas Street to enter and exit the Gallery. 
• Remain aware of your safety and surroundings when using the entrance and while travelling through Grange Park. 

Questions? 

• Please reach out to Adam Vaillancourt, Deputy Director, Protection Services, at [email protected]  

In anticipation of the April 8^th total solar eclipse (https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/This), volunteers are invited to attend a talk (via Zoom) that will feature works from the Print, Drawings, and Photography collections that depict artists’ interpretations of eclipses, moons, and the sun.

Join Alexa Greist, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings and Emily Miller, Research & Collections Assistant, as they share insights about works that will be on display in the Study Centre during March Break (March 11 – 15).

• Monday March 4, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
• JOIN ZOOM CALL HERE: Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82702764678
• (Please do not join more than 5 minutes prior to the session’s start time)

We look forward to seeing you there! This session will be recorded and shared for those that can’t attend in person.

Hello everyone,

We’re breathing new life into an exhibition this week.

You may have noticed that new KAWS works were installed throughout the museum. If you haven’t yet noticed them, as always, I encourage you to take a break in the galleries. There are three in total. Look high and low!

In addition to the newly installed works, artist KAWS (aka Brian Donnelly) is back at the AGO tonight from 7-9pm for a one-night-only KAWS: Family Book Signing. We expect the museum to be buzzy. Thank you to Julian Cox, Jim Shedden, and our Publishing team for their hard work on the publication. It was worth the wait.

Take care,

Stephan

Hello everyone,

Last Family Day weekend, nearly 15,400 people visited the AGO – which is amazing! Overall, our attendance is tracking well – as of the end of January, compared to last fiscal year, we have increased our attendance by 43%. All of you have worked hard to make this possible.

In what may seem like we’re walking in two different directions, at the same time, we continue to face very significant financial challenges. The broader economic climate and especially inflation have impacted our operations such that we are running a significant deficit. In planning for next fiscal year, it is imperative we achieve financial equilibrium. I acknowledge this won’t be easy. I appreciate everyone’s efforts in the budgeting process.

We recently opened a new exhibit on the main floor featuring a selection of 17^th century Dutch paintings. Right now, 6 of the 8 Rembrandts held in Canada are on view, shown together for the first time. Pretty impressive – do take a moment to check out the installation.

Take care,

Stephan

Over two weeks in the summer of 1991, two best friends sat with each other in Toronto sharing quality time. Though they were both artists, in this instance, one played the role of creator, and the other of muse, resulting in the arresting large-scale portrait, June (1991), on view now at the AGO.  

Renowned portrait painter Lynn Donoghue was known for creating depictions of friends and prominent figures in Toronto’s arts community. That summer, her sitter was another renowned Toronto-based artist and her best friend June Clark. Though the two had been friends for years, this marked their first artistic collaboration.

Later that year in December, Clark turned 50 and to mark this milestone her husband purchased the portrait from Donoghue as a surprise gift. It has been hanging proudly on the wall in Clark’s home ever since until recently loaned to the AGO in conjunction with her solo exhibition, Unrequited Love.  On view now, in the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous and Canadian Art on Level 2  (via FOYER – full article, linked HERE)

Thank you to all of the volunteers who joined us for last Monday’s Behind-the-Scenes Brand talk, exclusively for volunteers. For those that missed it, we’re happy to share this video, recorded at an earlier meeting – there may even be some new insights in here for those volunteers that attended our in-person talk.

A special note: You’ll note that Stephan welcomes us to the meeting, followed by some other Gallery updates – all of which I’m sure you will find interesting. If you’d like to fast forward straight to Brand, Louis and Kimber begin talking about the 21 minute mark. Cheers, – Holly

To watch a recorded video of the new AGO Branding, please click on the link below:

https://artcloud.ago.ca/index.php/s/7RR2NfFWZoAcmMz

Password : AGObr@nding

As Kimber and Louis shared in their presentation, branding is already appearing around the building (note our new Coat Check and Bistro signage!) This will be a soft launch, meaning the brand will roll out slowly, with public and front-facing areas being updated first – this includes volunteers! Your new faceplates (which will attach to your current badges) are being prepared now. When we get them, you’ll get them!

Many thanks to our Education and Public Programs team, who organized and recorded this wonderful presentation. Key highlights: learn a new word! (“tronie”) and insight into Behr’s colour of the year, Peach Fuzz! Listen to the zoom recording for more! ….

Thank you so much to Adam Levine, Associate Curator, European Art for joining us, and sharing so many insights into this wonderful little gem of a show!

It was wonderful to see many of you yesterday on Zoom. Here is the link to watch Associate Curator Adam Levine’s presentation on “Painted Presence: Rembrandt and his Peers” which opens next week!

WATCH THE ZOOM RECORDING, HERE:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/WjU-01BDyX0WdPaf6T4vxqH1jgmIxB4CwPLJdrMXOtvdKWLQJYNwAZEkuJLEMO1g.-pChELHI8s_baaGT

YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING PASSCODE TO VIEW: 6Xfc%=#K

On Monday, February 5 and Tuesday, February 6 the Jackman Hall Staff and Volunteer Entrance and the Annex will be closed for event loading. 

Staff and volunteers are asked to please use the main entrance on Dundas St. West to enter and exit the Gallery.   

This closure comes in anticipation of upcoming work for the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery. The Food & Beverage Team will be loading items for two events using the Annex, the D Corridor, Logistics & Art Services (LAS) and the freight elevator.  

Hello Fellow Volunteers!

As Volunteer President, one of my roles is to connect with, advocate for, and build connections across our volunteer program. I’ve been working with Holly and Alain to get oriented, and my early ideas are already taking shape, with exciting initiatives on the horizon. Watch this space!

I’m always interested to hear your thoughts and ideas. On that note, I wanted to share that I have an open door policy, with some flexible (and set) times in the Gallery. You can find my office next door to Holly’s in the volunteer lounge. Please drop by, stop in, and say Hello at the following scheduled times in the coming weeks:

• Wednesday January 31, 12:30pm – 3:30pm
• Thursday February 8, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
• Monday February 12, 12:00pm – 2:00pm (following the AGO Brand presentation for volunteers – see the announcement on this week’s blogpost!)
• Wednesday February 14, 2:30pm

I’m interested to meet, listen and hear from you. This is our opportunity to get to know one another, to set up an additional appointment in the office, to meet for a casual coffee, etc. If these office hours don’t line up with your shifts at the Gallery, and you’d like to make an appointment, please email me at: [email protected] and we’ll work together to find a date to meet up.

I look forward to getting to know and meeting all of you! 

Hello everyone,

This week, I’m in NYC attending the annual Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) Director/Trustee Summit. This is an opportunity for AAMD members and invited guests from their Boards of Trustees to share information, knowledge and experience with one another about topics impacting our sector. The conference has a very full agenda and I will be sure to bring back any great ideas for us to consider at the AGO.

I’m hearing that Denyse Thomasos: just beyond has been a visitor favourite at the Vancouver Art Gallery, so much so that they’ve asked for a short extension to keep the exhibit on view through the Easter weekend. Our team has been able to accommodate the request by adjusting some shipping schedules. Next stop will be Nova Scotia for Summer 2024. It’s very exciting to see this AGO-led project make its way across Canada.

Take care,

Stephan