Opening September 19, 2024

Recipient of the prestigious Golden Lion prize at the 2022 Venice Biennale, acclaimed British artist Sonia Boyce makes her Canadian debut with an installation combining video, collage, music and sculpture.

Feeling Her Way centers the vocal performances of four Black female musicians: Jacqui Dankworth, Poppy Ajudha, Sofia Jernberg, Tanita Tikaram in a playful and thought-provoking visual and auditory experience. Brought together by Boyce at Abbey Road Studios in London and Atlantis Studios in Stockholm, the vocalists were guided by composer Errollyn Wallen through improvisation, imagination, and exploration.  

The audience will encounter colour-tinted videos that take centre stage among immersive and tessellating wallpapers, created by Boyce, as well as golden 3D geometric structures and a reflective display of music memorabilia.

Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way is presented at the AGO in partnership with the Toronto Biennial of Art 2024. The Canadian presentation of Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way is initiated and organized by the PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Sonia Boyce OBE RA (London, UK) emerged in the 1980s as a key figure in the Black British Art Movement. Her recent art practice is primarily concerned with the production and reception of unexpected performative gestures, with an underlying interest in how the personal, the aesthetic, and the political intersect. In 2019, the artist received an OBE for services to art in the Queen’s New Year Honours List, as well as an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Art. In 2016, Boyce was elected a Royal Academician, and received a Paul Hamlyn Artist Award. Between 2012 – 2017, Boyce was Professor of Fine Art at Middlesex University and since 2014 she has been a Professor at University of the Arts London, where she holds the inaugural Chair in Black Art & Design. A three year research project into Black Artists and Modernism culminated with the 2018 BBC Four documentary Whoever Heard of a Black Artist?, exploring the contribution of overlooked artists of African and Asian descent to the story of Modern British art. 

Hello everyone,

AGO campers are here! It gives me great joy to see so many children creating art and having fun together. I’d like to thank Education & Programming staff, camp leaders and volunteers for all their hard work to make the camps safe and organized.

It is also wonderful to see new acquisitions on view in the Irina Moore Gallery. These works have recently been acquired through the Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora (AGAD) curatorial department. Please take a moment to view the works, which are now part of the AGO’s collection. Also opened this week is Bright Signs: Spotlight on Video Art on the 5^th floor. Some of the installations have been on view previously, such as Lisa Reihana’s Venus Infected and Theaster Gates’ Baby Neon, but several pieces have never been displayed. Again, like the new AGAD acquisitions and art featured in Moments in Modernism, all works are from our collections. In many ways these are a gift to future generations.

I am very proud of the quality of content we are offering our public. Last fiscal year, we went all in on exhibitions and programs in an effort to build back our audience from the previous pandemic years. I am pleased to acknowledge that our attendance was 871,152 – the 5^th highest attendance in the AGO’s 124-year history. Thank you – everyone – for helping achieve this historic outcome.

Finally – many of you have been directly impacted or have friends and family impacted by Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. Islands like Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and others have been hit hard. It has caused massive destruction and hardship. The changing weather patterns and the intensity of these storms is in large part due to human impact on the environment. Please check in on one another and offer support. There are many ways one can help, including contributing to this fund established by the Government of Grenada:  https://pay.gov.gd/ and the Canadian Red Cross.

Take care,

Stephan

Hello everyone, please see the following invitation from Alain Graham, Chief, People Division (Human Resources). An interesting opportunity to engage with the Gallery – Holly 

Hello Volunteers, 

We are excited to announce the next phase of our work on developing the AGO’s organizational values;  a project of the Gallery’s Joint Working Committee (JWC) – a group recently brought together to provide clarity to governance, policies, and values alignment in a way that generates engagement and intentionality at the AGO. 

This phase involves conducting focus groups with both staff and volunteers to delve deeper into the themes that emerged from the recent values survey (volunteers received via email May 24). These focus groups will help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of the values identified.

We have engaged Silvia Presenza, an external consultant with extensive facilitation experience, to lead these focus groups over the coming weeks and consolidate all the feedback. Silvia has been working with the AGO’s JWC  to provide strategic counsel throughout the process, bringing an independent perspective to this work.

Key details about the focus groups:

• Number of Groups: 10 focus groups
• Participants per Group: Each group will consist of 10 people 

Focus Group Time Slots:

Monday July 8

• 1:30pm – 2:30pm or
• 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Tuesday July 9

• 11:00am – 12:00pm
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm
• 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Friday July 12

• 1:30pm – 2:30pm
• 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Tuesday July 16

• 11:00am – 12:00pm
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm
• 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Important Notes for Volunteers re: How to Sign Up

• You will be asked for your team – please enter your volunteer placement
• You will be asked for your AGO email address- please use your personal email address 

ADDITONAL TIPS ON HOW TO FILL-IN the FORM:

Some early users had trouble with the form (it’s the form – not you!) – some help:

• if you get stuck after entering your name, volunteer placement and email (and can’t see any timeslots options) – you need to scroll down the form window (which doesn’t include a scroll bar – so it’s hard to find) – just put your mouse beside the form window (not the page window) and scroll down and additional fields will appear
• If you still have issues, try signing up on your mobile phone – all fields appear on mobile devices

SIGN UP HERE:  You can sign-up using this form (https://forms.office.com/r/xwz77YFrsS)

Our groups will be designed to ensure cross-divisional representation and a mix of staff and volunteers at each session. You will be able to select your preferred times for attending. Once the focus groups have been, determined you will receive an email /calendar invite to confirm the timeslot you are invited to attend, with meeting room details. (Please note: it is important to register as each group is purposefully designed – these are not drop-in sessions). 

During the focus groups, you will have the opportunity to discuss questions designed to explore your perspective on organizational values, your reaction to the survey findings shared, how values impact your work and interactions at the AGO, and more.

We want to note that the feedback collected in these focus groups will remain anonymous and will not be attributed to any individual. Silvia will focus on consolidating themes from the discussions, so we encourage everyone to be candid and open.

We look forward to your participation and insights as we work together to shape our organizational values. Please reach out if you have any additional questions.

Thank you,

Alain

—

Alain Graham (he/him)

[email protected]

Chief, People Division

T 416.979.6660 x6495

Hello volunteers,

Hope you’re all well and enjoying these glorious summer days and everything the city has to offer with the abundance of art and cultural activities. We have exciting news and are writing with these updates. One, premiering in the fall we will be starting an AGO Volunteers Artist collective, this will take the shape of volunteers showcasing their artistic vision, works as a community with fellow volunteers. You will be able to meet and hear about your fellow volunteer’s art and serve as inspiration and as form of a creative community.

This idea came about with the many conversations I’ve had with you all, which always appreciate in addition to hearing about your artwork! I’m so impressed with the pool, level of talent and feel it’s important to highlight, share this as your Volunteer President part of the larger mandate of our volunteer community and coming together, while also interacting and finding inspiration from your fellow volunteers and artists peers. Please see details below on how to get started and be part of this Volunteer program. 

Secondly, we will continue our successful excursions as a social component of coming together outside the gallery walls interesting talks, cultural activities. Thank you to the volunteers who have participated and submitted your suggestions on this. There will be a poll to fill out for you to participate in soon on any ideas, including excursions. 

Thirdly, there will be recognition events for the volunteers and an exciting opportunity to join a hands on watercolor class with the Education & Programming department, most grateful and many thanks to Holly and Mellisa Smith for orchestrating this for us! 

Stay tuned for further updates as we enter this exciting chapter of 80 years of Volunteering. In the meantime, enjoy the summer! 

All my best,

Barbara Glaser

Calling all Artists! We know there is a pool of so many talented artists within our volunteer community, and this new program aims to provide everyone with an opportunity to show and share your work, with our larger goal of supporting and connecting AGO volunteers. 

Here’s How It Works: 

The goal here is to enlighten, present your art, philosophy-creative mission, thought process to discuss and bring light to your work. We’ll host a get together with a participating AGO Artist volunteer either via zoom or in person. This is your opportunity to share a little bit about your background, work, process, philosophy – creative mission, inspirations with fellow volunteers. Your artwork can be any medium, style, or simply your passion. 

• Volunteers should be able to provide some type of presentation/visuals for us all to enjoy – be that photos, original artwork, a PowerPoint presentation, etc.
• Casual format, approximately 30 – 45 minutes, with opportunity for questions. 

We’re looking to kick of a series, this Fall, with Barbara Glaser, Volunteer President and Holly Procktor, Coordinator, Volunteers, with an AGO artist volunteer. Our first AGO Artist to be featured is Janne Reuss! (SAVE-THE-DATE: Wednesday October 30, 10:30am via Zoom)

To Apply (and if you have further questions): Please send an email to Barbara Glaser at [email protected] cc’ing Holly at [email protected] to express your interest. Please include a few samples of your work (jpeg or photos, link to a website if you have one), after which we will reach out to schedule you in.

Jinny Yu makes her AGO debut with an exhibition of new works, including oil on aluminum paintings and works on paper. Born in Korea and now based in Ottawa and Berlin, for the past twenty years, she has been an active professional artist and educator,  using abstract and geometric forms to consider the implications of mass migration and rapid social change.  In a departure from her usual practice of exclusively using black paint, here Yu uses vivid colours, transparency and distorted forms to continue questioning what it means to be a guest and a host. This exhibition is curated by Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator of Canadian Art, AGO.

Volunteers may be interested to know that Jinny Yu uses Beam paints in this latest series of her work. Beam paints is an Indigenous pigment company, founded by Anong Beam, the daughter of Artists Carl and Ann Beam. Just after the Gallery’s pandemic closure, the AGO hosted an amazing talk with Anong in Baillie Court (my favourite AGO talk of all time!) so I’m linking to the talk, still available to view on the AGO Youtube’s channel, HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EshXCEwnY6A

It’s not to be missed! And a wonderful connection to the exhibition on now.

Hello all! It’s (almost) that time of year again – purchase your CNE tickets online with the unique corporate access code (details below) to save.

Save up to 44% on CNE Tickets (purchased before August 15) for maximum savings.

Until August 15, purchase Online:

• Ride All Day Pass $45.00 (save $35.00) – Admission & Rides
• Admission Pass $22.00 (save $8.00) – Admission only

August 16 to September 2, Online:

• Ride All Day Pass $50.00 (save $30.00) – Admission & Rides
• Admission Pass $25.00 (save $5.00) – Admission only

How to Buy Tickets:

• Visit www.theex.com
• Click on “Corporate Sales” located at the bottom of the page
• Click on “Corporate Login” under Group or Promo Code section
• Complete transaction
• Print tickets on your own printer or save to your mobile device and present at gate

Company/Group: Art Gallery of Ontario

Access Code: 2024XFVHXJK3

Important Note: The access code provided above is intended for use of the members/volunteers/employees of your organization only. Unauthorized use of the code may result in the cancellation of the code without notice.

Other Benefits:

• Tickets are valid on any one day of the 2024 CNE (August 16 to September 2)
• Get EXpress entry at the gate (vehicle gates excluded)

Hello Everyone,

It has been wonderful to see the crowds in Making Her Mark these final few days of the exhibition. Although we will be saying goodbye to the show, the beautiful catalogue serves as an important record of scholarship and partnership with the Baltimore Museum of Art. Last Saturday we hosted an Art and Ideas program, led by Melissa Smith, that explored how fashion was used as an artistic tool by some makers to convey notions of class, status, gender, and culture. Fashion plays a key role in Making Her Mark – and I will miss the incredible lace lighting!

On Wednesday, we held a Curator’s Circle event to mark the opening of Moments in Modernism. Thank you to the Development Team for planning a great evening, and special thanks to my co-panelists Debbie Johnsen and Adam Welch. This will be a big summer of celebrating modern and contemporary art from our collections – on July 3^rd, we open Bright Signs: Spotlight on Video Art for AGO Members. This exhibit is also curated by Debbie. A special preview will be held for all staff and volunteers this Tuesday, July 2 from 3-5pm. Thank you to all the conservators, installers, designers, and technicians for your outstanding work presenting Moments in Modernism and Bright Signs to our public.

I am in Mexico City for a few days as part of the Bizot group of directors of the top 50 global museums. Always lots to learn and share amongst my peers. I’ll be back at the AGO on Tuesday. Take care this holiday weekend,

Stephan

On Tuesday, July 2 from 3 pm to 5 pm, staff and volunteers are invited to preview Bright Signs: Spotlight on Video Art located on the 5th Floor.

Curated by Debbie Johnsen, Manager, Modern and Contemporary Collections, get a chance to experience works by artists Kahlil Joseph, Theaster Gates, and many more before Bright Signs opens to the public, the following day.

To access the staff and volunteer preview:

• Please bring your volunteer badge  
• No outside guests please; this is a special opportunity for staff and volunteers

Exhibition Overview 

Reverberating with sound and light, Bright Signs: Spotlight on Video Art brings together works by 17 leading contemporary artists. Spanning three decades, this exhibition includes cinematic video installations, neon sculptures, paintings and photographs, many of which have yet to be seen at the AGO. 

Drawn from the AGO’s collection of contemporary art, the artworks on view address critical social issues, including perceptions of history, visibility and power. At the centre of the exhibition is Kahlil Joseph’s cinematic three-channel video installation Wild Cat (Aunt Janet) from 2016, an homage to the founder of an African American rodeo that takes place every summer in Grayson (formerly Wildcat), Oklahoma and Theaster Gates’ Progress Palace (2017), an immersive installation that pays tribute to the Godfather of House Music, Frankie Knuckles. Additional highlights include artist Sarah Sze’s sculpture Disappearing Act(2020) and Lisa Reihana’s ever popular installation In Pursuit of Venus [infected](2020). 

Curated by Debbie Johnsen, AGO, Manager, Modern and Contemporary Collections, this exhibition features artworks that will form the cornerstone for the expansion of the new Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, starting construction in 2024. 

The end of the school year brings the beginning of summer art camp at the AGO. This program is one of the gallery’s top priorities and important revenue generators each year. We are happy to play a part in recruiting almost 200 high school volunteers joining us throughout the summer, in specially designed placements that allow students to complete their volunteer hours credit in our bright and creative studios.

Our summer art camp volunteers begin their days at 8:30am, and end each day at 4:30pm. Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement of our youth volunteers! When you see them around the building, (and in the lounge), please help welcome them to our volunteer community.