A painting by Anna Boberg, one of Sweden’s most famous artists and polar explorers, is on view now

Born into a wealthy and creative family in Stockholm in 1864, Boberg was largely self-taught. A contemporary of abstract painter Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), Boberg’s career was defined by her paintings of the arctic landscapes of the Lofoten Islands, an archipelago off the northern coast of Norway, 150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle.  She and her husband first visited the region in 1901. Enamoured by the landscape, she remained there to paint even after her husband returned home and would return numerous times over the next 30 years, summer and winter, to paint in different light conditions. “Translating the rich sensorial experience of the Arctic sea,” describes Caroline Shields, AGO Associate Curator and Head of European Art, “became Boberg’s enduring passion for the final three decades of her life.” 

Sunlight and Showers (1901-12) stands apart in Boberg’s oeuvre and dates to her earliest years in Lofoten. While much of her later work focuses on fishing vessels and human activity, Sunlight and Showers is, according to Shields, “an expressionist tour-de-force that captures the atmospheric effects of an Arctic snow shower.” 

Not just a painter, Boberg’s artistic practice included textile design, ceramics and glass as well as writing − she wrote the libretto for an opera, an autobiography and various travelogues. 

Our own Dr. Caroline Shields examines the painting, and shares more about Boberg’s oeuvre and legacy, in this week’s AGOinsider collection spotlight (read, here).

2021 Sobey Art Award-winner Laakkuluk speaks about her exhibition on view at the AGO, Naak silavit qeqqa?

On July 16, 2022, acclaimed Kalaaleq (Greenlandic Inuk) artist – and winner of the 2021 Sobey Award – ᓛᒃᑯᓗᒃ Laakkuluk unveiled her brand new multimedia installation, Naak silavit qeqqa?, which incorporates video, soundscape and sculpture. The installation seeks to describe sila, the all-powerful Inuktitut word that captures the universe, the environment and the intellect. At the heart of the installation is Silaup Putunga (2018) – a large-scale double-sided video, created by Laakkuluk and her long-time collaborator Jamie Griffiths. Additionally, the installation includes a selection of Inuit soapstone sculptures from the AGO’s Williamson Collection, donated by Laakkuluk’s parents – Dr. Robert G. Williamson, O.C. and his wife, Dr. Karla Jessen Williamson.

We recently connected with Laakkuluk to learn more about the concept of sila, the Williamson Collection, and her collaborative work with Griffiths. 

AGOinsider: Could you share with us what the concept of sila means, and how it directly relates to the installation?

Laakkuluk: The name of the exhibition is Naak silavit qeqqa? It’s a riddle that children are asked. My mom was always very enthralled by that. She’s passed it down the generations. It asks, ‘Where’s the middle of your sila’? And sila has this multifaceted meaning. It means your intellect, it means the environment, it means the universe, it means outside. As a child when we’re asked where’s the middle of your sila is, it’s very confusing. And of course, there’s no right answer – but you have to think about it like, ‘Where do I point’? My reaction as a kid was to point between my eyes. But when we asked my kids – when they were little – they’d either do the same thing, or they point out the window.

AGOinsider: And does the installation seek to answer that question? (Where is the middle of your sila?)

Laakkuluk: No, it seeks to ask you as a visitor. There’s the piece in the middle, the film installation is Silaup Putunga, the hole in Sila. It’s an exploration of the layers of reality that you touch upon – or that I touch upon – as a uaajeerneq performer or a mask dancer. All the layers of mask to get to my face, and what’s on my face, and also what it means to be expressing my identity as a human being on the land. And just being able to pierce through realities like that.

Read the full article, in this week’s AGOinsider.

Hello everyone
This has been an exciting week with yesterday’s announcement of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery. The word is out and response has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ll post a collection of media clippings next week.

We have exceptional exhibitions to look forward to opening in April and May including Wolfgang Tillmans (April 7), Cassatt – McNicoll (May 31) and Arnold Newman (also May 31). Our Fall exhibitions of KAWS and Keith Haring are already generating excitement as well. I truly believe our exhibition lineup is very strong.
A week like this reminds me that we are at our best when we work together. I am grateful for all of your hard work.
Take care,Stephan

P.S. There are so many people to thank, but I want to extend special thanks to Laura Quinn, Andrea-Jo Wilson and Wendy So for their excellent work at generating tremendous media coverage for the project.

Hello Everyone,

The AGO has received a monumental $35-million lead gift from Dani Reiss that will launch our museum’s expansion project – the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery. Today we are publicly announcing this exciting news.

If you’d like to see more detail about the project and view the design renderings, they are up on our website https://ago.ca/dani-reiss-modern-and-contemporary-gallery

Dani is the Chairman and CEO of Canada Goose and an art collector. This generous donation is among the largest gifts in the AGO’s history and the size and timing of this gift will help the AGO move forward this expansion with confidence.

In the past decade we’ve welcomed more than 20,000 artworks into the collection and now thanks to both Dani Reiss and the vision of our architect partners Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architect, we’re set to display them in a thoughtful, dynamic, and truly beautiful space. 40,000 new square feet of gallery space across five floors and more than 13 new galleries will increase the AGO’s total space available to display art by 30%. The design will be dynamic enough to display the works of today’s great modern and contemporary artists, and adaptable to the needs of future generations of artists working across all media.

This moment marks a major milestone for the project with the announcement of our lead donor. We are also submitting initial designs to the City of Toronto. Fundraising is continuing and the city consultation process will begin shortly.

I want to take this moment to thank everyone who has gotten us to moment, but particularly thank Rupert Duchesne, Board President and Co-Chair of the Board, and Jay Smith, Co-Chair and Campaign Chair. Board leadership is critical to the success of this project. I also have to thank Mike Mahoney and Jessica Bright, who are leading the project with the project team, and Kate Halpenny and Andrea Orr, who are leading our fundraising efforts. This expansion project will truly be a team effort and there will be much more to share in the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely,

Stephan

Kent Monkman’s solo exhibition closes at the ROM next month. Read our October 2022 story before it does.

On October 8, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) unveiled a brand-new major exhibition conceived by acclaimed Cree artist Kent Monkman. Being Legendary places 35 new paintings by Monkman alongside fossils, meteorites and other select pieces from the ROM’s collection in a grand re-telling of history – from an Indigenous perspective.     

“With Being Legendary, I am exploring how Indigenous presence and knowledge is embedded in this land much longer and deeper than how it’s been presented in the colonial version of history here on Turtle Island,” says Kent Monkman. “Using storytelling, this exhibition refers to the interruption of knowledge caused by the colonial attempts to erase us, but it also talks about life before Europeans arrived and how leaders in our communities shine a path for us to move forward into the future.”

As in several Monkman’s earlier works, Being Legendary casts his alter ego – Miss Chief Eagle Testickle – as the story’s narrator and central character. In the exhibition’s first section, visitors enter the cosmos via two large-scale works depicting Miss Chief floating through the stars at the moment of her inception. On accompanying panel text, she explains that the subsequent journey through Being Legendary will tell the acimowin (story that carries history and knowledge) of her people. Monkman’s works from this section are presented along with the St. Robert meteorite from the ROM collection.    

Being Legendary is on view until March 2023 at the ROM. Did you know? As an AGO volunteer, you can visit the ROM for free as part of the Reciprocal admissions agreement. Just show your volunteer badge at the front desk (you cannot reserve free tickets online).

Hello everyone,

Last weekend’s Family Day programming was phenomenal. The galleries were bustling with over 14,000 visitors — for context, 67% of our attendance last week came in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Thank you to all staff who not only worked over the weekend, but came together as a team to welcome our audiences for a full weekend of programming.

Many staff came out to enjoy events with their friends and family, not only for Family Day weekend, but throughout Black History Month. We have our last event with RISE Edutainment today (February 24), and a marketplace tomorrow (February 25) with 25 vendors set up on the concourse level in partnership with Black Owned Toronto.  Special thanks to the Black Employee Resource Group for coming up with the marketplace idea.

Just a note that if you’ve been hearing some construction noise outside of your work spaces, it is likely from the Beverley Street Stair & Railing Rehabilitation Project. This is a major emergency exit, so having it in good repair is important. The project also includes work further along Beverley, across the front of the building on Dundas, and near the Jackman Hall pit at McCaul. Project completion is scheduled for May 18, 2023. For project-related questions or concerns, please contact Michael Peroff, Director, Plant & Building Infrastructure.

Take care,

Stephan  

Saturday February 25, 11am – 4pm in the (WFLC) Weston Family Learning Centre

To close out Black History Month, the AGO has partnered with Black Owned Toronto to host a marketplace. The market will feature 25 Black owned local businesses, with a range of products including candles, hair care, children’s books, scents and more. In this exciting partnership, Kerin John, founder and CEO of Black Owned Toronto says she aims to create “a bright, punchy gathering spot for Black entrepreneurs”. This unique marketplace at the AGO will do just that and is open to all.

Special thanks to our Black Employee Resource Group for bringing this event to the AGO!

Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody is making its only Canadian stop at the AGO in November 2023! Find out more on our website and stay tuned for more details. Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody is organized by @TheBroad.

Before travelling here, The Broad will present the first-ever museum exhibition in Los Angeles of Keith Haring’s expansive body of work and will feature over 120 artworks and archival materials. Known for his use of vibrant color, energetic linework and iconic characters like the barking dog and the radiant baby, Haring’s work continues to dissolve barriers between art and life and spread joy, all while being rooted in the creative spirit and mission of his subway drawings and renowned public murals: art is for everybody. Curated by Broad Curator and exhibition manager Sarah Loyer, the exhibition will explore both Haring’s artistic practice and life, with much of the source material for the exhibition coming from his personal journals.  

Something to look forward to this Fall!

“[As] a photographer … you try to obtain the best pose, the most advantageous profile, because photography is an art.” — Seydou Keïta

By the 1950s African studio photographers had begun experimenting with lighting and composition techniques, resulting in flattering portraits of their subjects. These images carried an air of optimism during the post-independence era in West and Central Africa.

Tracing the development of African studio photography from the 1860s to the mid-1980s, this exhibition features images by Cameroonian photographer Michel Kameni, Malian photographers Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta and Ivorian photographer Paul Kodjo, among others.

The exhibition title, You Look Beautiful Like That, is a translation of the Malian phrase “i kany¨ tan”—popularized by Bamako-born photographer Seydou Keïta—and captures the close collaboration between photographers and African clients in the creation of their likenesses.

Find this exhibition on Level 2, in Gallery 249

Good afternoon, everyone. As many of you may have read in the Globe & Mail today, we have sad news to share. Gallery Guide Mary Rochon has passed away. 

A most beautiful and insightful tribute to Mary and her life has been shared in her obituary, found here: https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/mary-rochon-obituary?id=47926194

Mary volunteered as a Gallery Guide with us for 25 years. When I think of Mary, I think of a grand dame and consummate host. She put so much attention and scholarship into her tours and enjoyed nothing more than a good chat in the galleries. She absolutely loved being a guide and spending time socializing with volunteer friends & colleagues around the table in the volunteer lounge. During the pandemic, Mary connected us with one of her daughters, Lisa Rochon, an author who who joined us on one of our early Zoom calls to chat about her book, Tuscan Daughter.  Previous to that, Mary started a small book club to help fellow guides through grief, when she lost her own beloved husband Joel after 62 years of marriage. Mary was all about family, and connection. 

As many of you know, Mary was also an artist and I have attached one of her most recent works here,  shared with me by her family, Mary loved to travel and paint en plein air. 

Family would welcome fellow volunteers to the funeral mass, to be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Toronto on Saturday February 25 at 11am, with a reception at Newman Centre to follow. 

Condolences will be shared on behalf of us all in the AGO volunteer community. 

Take good care everyone,

Holly

– volunteer resources