Hello Everyone,

Last night we celebrated the 5th anniversary of the AGO’s Women’s Art Initiative (WAI) (linked HERE). This is a group of 58 women who support major exhibitions by women artists developed by our curators. They have raised over $1M in five years and it is impressive to look back at the exhibitions they have supported — Rita Letendre: Fire & Light, Rebecca Belmore: Facing the Monumental, Hito Steyerl: This is the future, Haegue Yang: Emergence, Fragments of Epic Memory, and currently, Denyse Thomasos: just beyond. Next year the group will be supporting an exhibition by Sarindar Dhaliwal. The Women’s Art Initiative is a good example of people in our community working together to support the AGO’s commitment to women artists. They are a passionate group and hope to continue to expand their support in the next while.

Over the last five years we have been actively aligning our vision for a diverse and inclusive exhibition program with very generous philanthropic support. When we all work together, great things really do happen. Again, I want to urge everyone to go to the 5th floor to see the Denyse Thomasos exhibition. In the Carol & Morton Rapp Gallery there is a major work entitled Arc which was purchased for the AGO with funds provided by the WAI. It is an extraordinary investment in great art that AGO audiences will enjoy for generations to come.

Stay warm!

Stephan

Hello Everyone,

Today is Rocco’s last day at the museum after years of extraordinary contributions and service. What I have learned about Rocco is that everything he does is motivated by his desire to see the AGO thrive and reach its potential. His thoughtful and steady approach has helped the AGO remain financially viable during unsteady times, and not just COVID. Over the lifespan of an organization there are incredible moments of success but there are always challenges that pop up along the way. Rocco has his eye on the future, not just the present, and his planning for a rainy day has helped guide the AGO’s success in overcoming challenges. Most significant is that Rocco is a good person, he has a good heart. He truly cares. Thank you Rocco, for your care and your heart.

In addition to Refat Jiwani, our capable interim CFO who joins us on Monday, I have great confidence in Rocco’s team and thank them for stepping up during this period of transition: Kristine Medeiros, Cindy O, Chris Steele and Carlos Mera.

We are so sad to share news that longtime AGO volunteer Harriet Ades, with 20+ years of service, passed away on Friday January 20. It is hard to imagine her gone.

A former teacher of Visual Arts and English at the senior secondary school level, Harriet became a volunteer in retirement. As a teacher, she was recognized for being so well prepared, organized and tremendously resourceful and she brought these gifts to us. She was a warm and inviting guide, who so enjoyed the stalwart company of her Tuesday AM crew; many of whom shared these wonderful memories:   

I feel immeasurably sad as she was a partner in the artistic discussion at the AGO for so many years! She was a feisty lady who was always ready to take part in a joke and the first to come to someone’s aide. Of course, we always took pleasure in seeing the jewelry she chose to wear

I really did enjoy her company. I’m sure she’s chatting about art right now and probably leading a discussion about it, just in a better place.

I really loved starting the week with the Tuesday Crew and always managed to stroll in with Harriet or see her on the way out. All your love of art and care for each other and the gallery was/is wonderful. Harriet would let me know about her day, artistic anecdotes, when she thought something wasn’t a good idea, and when she was ready for a cocktail. I loved her great hugs, which when offered made me feel I could keep going for the rest of the day.

I have a special place in my heart for Harriet. We had so many warm conversations and hugs over the years. I will miss her tremendously. Even though she hadn’t been active in the program for some time, she has always been close to my heart – I can picture her in the volunteer lounge now, and in fact she crossed my mind last week. I see her dressed to the nines and so completely, perfectly accessorized. She always had a kind word to say and looked on the bright side of life – I found her a real joy to be around.

Lovingly Remembered

Sharing the sad news that Bernie Gelfand, a beloved, long time member of the Wednesday evening crew of Information Guides, passed away in mid-December. A Memorial service has been set:

• Wednesday, January 25^th
• 1:00pm – 3:00pm
• Arts and Letters Clubs
• 14 Elm Street

 Bernard’s wife, Dorothy, has requested that anyone wishing to attend Bernie’s Memorial service send her their RSVP/share their email address with her so she can forward a personal invitation with details. Dorothy’s email address is [email protected]

Bernie joined us in his retirement. He had a doctorate in Social Work, and had taken studio courses at the Gallery before joining our volunteer community 13 years ago. He is lovingly remembered for his optimism, energy, artistry, friendship and great wit (There was never a dull moment with Bernie around!)

We are grateful to share these remembrances from Bernie’s volunteer and staff colleagues:

He was a beloved member of the vibrant Wednesday night group. He also recently celebrated his 86^th birthday while on shift! He was so funny, intelligent, kind and young of spirit. He will be greatly missed.

Bernie’s wry sense of humour, sage wisdom and the way he engaged all kinds of gallery visitors are all the things I will dearly miss.  I could always count on Bernie to be there on time and ready to greet visitors.

He was a fun, generous and intelligent man.

He was an incredible artist who loved Manet and Monet – this painting (above) by Bernie is an echo of that style.

He was such a kind man, with such wit and creativity; whether it be painting, writing or singing.  I remember a few years back seeing a play he wrote at the Sandcastle Theatre. I enjoyed, and will miss, the many conversations we had about art, the best art supplies and our creative projects.

During a memorable National Volunteer Week, Bernie and I sat side-by-side in the volunteer lounge, making buttons, just the two of us, cutting and pasting and collaging well past an hour together. It was wonderful to be joined by someone whose enthusiasm for making things matched mine.

Lovingly Remembered

Hello everyone, 

We are very pleased to welcome Taqralik Partridge to the AGO’s Indigenous + Canadian Art Department as Associate Curator, Indigenous Art – Inuit Art focus. Many of you will remember Taqralik as a co-curator of Tunirrusiangit: Kenojouak Ashevak + Tim Pitsiulak in 2018.  

Taqralik Partridge is a curator, artist, performer, writer and spoken-word poet originally from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. Taqralik comes to us from her role as Director of Nordic Lab at Galerie SAW Gallery in Ottawa.  She also served as Adjunct Curator at the Art Gallery of Guelph, where her most recent exhibition Qautamaat | Every day / everyday, is currently on view.

Taqralik’s performance work has been featured on CBC Radio One, and she has toured with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. In 2018, she was named a finalist for the CBC Short Story Prize. She has previously worked as Communications Director for Avataq Cultural Institute and Editor-at-Large for the Inuit Art Quarterly. She is a member of the Inuit Leadership Group for Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership: The Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq Project. Taqralik’s work was included in the Biennale of Sydney and Among All These Tundras, and has also released a book of poetry, Curved Against the Hull of a Peterhead (2020).

We are very lucky to welcome a true visionary, community builder and creative soul to our team.

Taqralik started on October 17, and she can be reached at [email protected].

Welcome Taqralik!

This week, we are saddened to hear of the recent passing of Millie Gotlib, a member of our Information Guide team for nearly 10 years, before she took leave in 2018. Millie was a warm & elegant presence in our volunteer lounge. I thought of her as a kind of “grand dame,” with a distinctive deep voice, a knowing wit (and a wonderful laugh.) Condolences to the family have been sent on behalf of the volunteer community.

Millie’s obituary, shared here , mentions that a personal message on the website condolence book would be especially welcomed at this time.

All volunteers are invited to attend the next Gallery Guide program meeting – Thursday, November 10 at 6 – 7 PM, where Deputy Director and Chief Curator Julian Cox, will share his insights about the upcoming Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows exhibition which opens at the AGO on December 7. We’re excited to learn more about the show and we hope you are too!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88555238601

Meeting ID: 885 5523 8601

Note that we will be recording this session for later viewing and reviewing. We will follow up after the meeting with a link to the recording, which will be posted on the AGO volunteer blog.

Hello everyone,

Earlier this week I attended the Association of Art Museum Directors conference in Washington, DC, which was the first time we’ve gathered in person in a couple of years. It was good to see people again! We chatted about a bunch of topics and noted that a lot of things are shifting in our sector. I have to say, the AGO is part of more successful group of museums that have adapted well to these shifts. The changes we have made to our exhibitions, collections and programs, the launch of the Annual Pass, our visitor experience, have all helped position us very well. Thank you – all of you – for your help with these changes.

I saw the poster and I heard from Paul Ayers, President, OPSEU Local 535, about the union party. It is really important for us to re-connect, enjoy life and have a party occasionally.

The party for OPSEU members is Tuesday, November 15^th at 6pm at the Amsterdam Brew House, located at 245 Queens Quay West. Hope you can attend!

Take care,

Stephan

Celebrating its highest attendance to date, Art Toronto makes its triumphant in-person return

Art Toronto marked a triumphant return to in-person festivities this past weekend, welcoming galleries, artists, curators and collectors from across Canada, the United States and Korea. In addition to the more than 90 galleries showcasing artworks, there was a focus exhibition, curated by Marie-Charlotte Carrier, featuring a mix of contemporary and historical artworks, in addition to many talks and tours. 

The fair also provided AGO Curators with an exceptional opportunity to acquire new art and bring new voices into the museum. Of the 17 works acquired across four collecting areas, eight are by artists new to the AGO Collection.

Read about all the new acquisitions, in this week’s AGOinsider.

We spoke to two Chicago-based retirees on an epic journey to see the works in the book 1001 Paintings to See Before You Die.

Twelve years ago, Chicago-based retirees Ray and Sue Wynn took a trip to the National Gallery of London that would change the course of their lives forever. While in the gift shop they stumbled upon a copy of the 2006 book 1001 Paintings to See Before You Die and were intrigued. After scrolling through its pages – and realizing they had already seen several of the works – they became curious about attempting to see the rest. 

Fast forward to the present day, and the ambitious couple have been globetrotting each year, visiting art museums and even some private collections, in hopes of completing the list. We recently caught up with Ray and Sue when their quest brought them to the AGO, in search of 19th century painter Cornelius Krieghoff’s Habitants Sleighing. We asked Ray a few questions about the epic journey, how it began, and which works have been the most memorable thus far. 

AGOinsider: Can you share the inception story of your journey? 

Wynn: We were in the gift shop at the National Gallery in London about 12 years ago when we saw the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die.  We have always enjoyed going to art museums, and paging through the book we saw many paintings that we had already seen. So we thought it would be pretty easy, and fun to see the paintings in the book.  Boy were we in for a surprise.

AGOinsider: How many of the 1001 have you been able to see thus far? Can you share some of the global destinations your quest has taken you to?

Wynn: We have seen 720, including the two paintings at the AGO. This number includes 56 substitutes for paintings that are in private collections. I do get to make the rules. Don’t get me started on the 130-plus paintings in the book that are in private collections.  Sue is very tired of hearing all this.

Globally, we’ve been to Central Europe, Sicily, Malta, Israel, Moscow and St. Petersburg.  Not sure we will ever get to Australia, South America, Africa or Asia, but you never know …

Read all about it, in this week’s AGOinsider.