Hello Everyone,

This week we opened Faith and Fortune: Art Across the Global Spanish Empire. It is an exquisite exhibition that includes silverware, fine jewellery, sculpture, paintings, textiles and books from Spain, Latin America and the Philippines. In other words, there is an expansive array of works that have been carefully researched, installed and presented. The show is a global, cross-cultural study of the visual culture of the Spanish Empire and its colonizing impact. I am particularly impressed by the Philippine daguerreotypes, on view for the first time, an important moment for Toronto’s large Filipino community. A big congratulations to everyone involved.

Many of you are also preparing for Brian Jungen’s sculpture to be installed at Dundas and McCaul. This is a wonderful moment for the AGO and public art. More to follow next week.

Take care,

Stephan

Join Curators Adam Harris Levine and Tahnee Pantig and Interpretive Planner Gillian McIntyre for a conversation about Faith and Fortune: Art Across the Global Spanish Empire.

You can attend this talk in two ways:

• This talk will be taking place IN-PERSON on Saturday June 11 at 2pm in Baillie Court. Reserve your ticket, HERE. If you are NOT a Member or Annual Passholder, simply reserve a ticket as an Adult (scroll down the page slightly to do this)
• Good news! This talk will also be LIVESTREAMED (meaning you can watch at home online, in real time), HERE.

Faith and Fortune: Art Across the Global Spanish Empire brings together more than 200 sumptuous and inspiring works of art from Latin America, the Philippines and Spain made between 1492 and 1898.  This exhibition, from the collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, allows us to study critically the mechanics of colonization by examining the visual culture of the Spanish Empire.

(Like all AGO-originated talks, there’s a good chance this talk will make its way to the AGO Youtube account, we’ll post an updated link when it becomes available).

RBC Art Pick: Untitled (Personal Painting) by Canadian Artist Ron Terada

Recently reinstalled on Level 4 (Contemporary), AGOinsider is showcasing new acquisitions and collection highlights. For this RBC Art Pick, we have selected a painting, Untitled (Personal Painting) (1995), by Vancouver-based Canadian artist Ron Terada. 

Spanning more than two decades, Terada’s artistic practice includes painting, photography, video, music, text and publication-based works. Exploring language as the main subject for much of his art, he often uses text from a variety of sources and meticulously stencils it onto monochromatic painted canvases. 

For Untitled (Personal Painting), Terada appropriated text from a personal ad found in a print newspaper, which narrates a missed encounter between two people. This painting focuses on the deep desire for human connection and happenstance. In contrast with the neutrality of the text’s presentation, which is standardized and rigid, the underlying message is vulnerable and earnest.  

At first glance, the surface in Untitled (Personal Painting) appear commercially produced. However, in contrast to the “industrial” surfaces of minimalist paintings of the 1960s, Terada’s approach is intimate and painstakingly personal. To create the background of his canvases, he laboriously cross-brush paints his canvas, for which he may apply up to 80 coats of paint. (!!!) From there he adds the “figure” as the final step—one “coat” of text.  Read more, in AGOinsider.

I‘m excited about this one, volunteers! If you are a colour-lover, you may already be familiar with Beam Paints. This talk, with Artist Anong Migwans Beam, is being presented in partnership with AIC 2022: Sensing Colour, Midterm meeting of the International Colour Organization (AIC), organized by the Colour Research Society of Canada – Holly

Join artist and paint maker Anong Beam for a talk about her love of pigment, paint, colour, and innovation.

You can attend this talk in two-ways:

• This talk will be taking place IN-PERSON on Monday June 13 at 7pm in Jackman Hall. Reserve your ticket, HERE. If you are NOT a Member or Annual Passholder, simply reserve a ticket as an Adult (scroll down the page slightly to do this)
• This talk will also be LIVESTREAMED (meaning you can watch at home online, in real time), HERE.

Anong Migwans Beam is a painter from Mchigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island and is inspired by the physical history of place, the natural landscape, and the relationship between water and memory. Anong was born to artist parents, Carl Beam and Ann Beam, who encouraged her to develop as an artist. She was raised with a meaningful connection to both her artistic familial roots and rich ancestral heritage. Beam’s large format oil paintings incorporate a multitude of image making approaches, including photo transfer, printmaking and collage.

Note:  Automated captioning is available for all online programs. Please provide three weeks advance notice for requests for Verbal Description, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and/or live captioning for AGO programming. The AGO will make every effort to provide accommodation for requests made with less than three weeks notice. Please contact us to make a request for these accommodations. Learn more about accessibility at the AGO.

Hello Everyone,

Earlier this week, Alain Graham shared the message below about employees returning to work on-site. I must say, I have seen the positive impact of people being together over the past couple of weeks and yesterday I met with the entire Education & Program team, who held their first in-person meeting in more than two years. It feels good to be back together!

During the past couple of weeks, Charles Smith of CPAMO has been sharing findings from the staff-wide organizational assessment focusing on diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility at the AGO with Leadership Team and Cian Knights. Again, I want to thank everyone for participating in this process, including the survey and focus groups. It is clear people currently feel engaged – and want to be further engaged – with our DEI strategy.

I do have some sad news to share. Many of you will remember Nancy Hunter from the retail shop. Unfortunately Nancy recently passed away, which is deeply upsetting. Many of us who knew and worked with Nancy remember her as a committed professional and wonderful colleague. Here is some information about Nancy’s passing:  

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/dundas-on/nancy-hunter-10769581

It’s a good moment to pause and take some time out of your day to thank someone you work with, personally, for the job they do at the AGO. Let’s all remember to do just that.

Take care Stephan,

P.S. June 1^st marks the beginning of Pride Month. Happy Pride! I have to admit, it is one of my favourite months of the year.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Nancy Hunter, on May 27, 2022.

A talented artist, Nancy was a graduate of OCAD and Toronto Metropolitan University. She was an employee of the Art Gallery of Ontario for over 30 years.

Nancy graced the front line of the AGO with her unflagging cheer and goodwill.  A gracious co-worker and genuine friend to many staff, volunteers and patrons, her presence will be deeply missed.

Baking and sharing her famous carrot cake, describing her latest painting adventure, or celebrating a sunny day, Nancy always had a smile, kind word and greeting for those around her.  She was very close with her family, and loved traveling to the family farm on the weekends or visiting her dear brother in the UK.

Her family has requested donations be made in her memory to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be made on this page at Dignity Memorial.

Hello everyone,

This past fiscal year (ending on March 31^st), it is clear we all pulled together to help achieve a balanced financial position. Thank you to all for your efforts.

Every year, the financial position of the AGO is reviewed by auditors. The AGO is a large and complex institution with an annual budget of roughly $60M. This year, more than ever, the Finance team faced significant challenges, in terms of time and resources, and still completed the audit on schedule while addressing other operational issues. Kristine Medeiros led the audit while on a parental leave and Cindy O helped manage the day-to-day Finance activities in Kristine’s absence. And the Finance team members – Tracy La, Angela McCabe and Katarina Spehar – have all helped immensely during this period. The audit process is a ton of work, and I am grateful for the team’s focus and commitment to seeing it through.

Moving forward to this current fiscal year, which began on April 1^st, I need to be clear that we will have significant challenges. With the reduction of federal wage subsidies, increasing inflation and global volatility means that we all need to be very mindful of expenditures and soberly acknowledge that COVID will be most likely be with us for another 24 months. We are doing very well but we’re not out of the woods.

I am struck by the number of employees who have dedicated a good portion of their careers to serving the AGO. One example is Lesley Ashton, Productions & Studio Coordinator, in Education & Programming, who will be leaving the AGO next week after 21 years. Thank you, Lesley, for your contributions to the AGO and for helping to share art making and learning with our public.

Take care,

Stephan

Hello Volunteers!

I hope you are all having a nice week. It has been so nice to chat with those of you that have been back in the gallery. Getting to know Gallery Guides and Info Guides alike!

Thank you to everyone that tuned into our training session with Alexa Greist and Jim Shedden last week. For those of you who were not able to make it,

Here is a link to the recording – I AM HERE EXHIBITION TALK:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/NsRpVgZs3aB7pC1RQRXVXuCOVtI8ZU1aVFqlNGalaPt4fQ_DIb-OUgK5kE52_uIP.737VZmyJz-VeODTc?startTime=1652997792000

SAVE-THE-DATE: Our next online meeting will take place on Thursday, June 23 at 6-7 pm. Associate Curator and Head of European Art, Caroline Shields, will be joining us to share her knowledge and insight about the European Collection and recent install. Mark your calendars! 

Join Zoom Meeting (remember you can’t register in advance for this meeting – just save this in your calendar and click on the link 5 minutes before the start time):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81695686812

Stay well and hope to see you all soon!

Natalie

Natalie Lam (she/her)

Curatorial Assistant, Access and Learning

Education and Programming

[email protected]

Note: In office Wednesday – Sunday

Ahead of her AGO talk and Smoke Sculpture™ set for Sugar Beach this June, AGOinsider connected with the trailblazing artist, educator and writer.

This June, Toronto is in for a spectacle to be seen courtesy of Judy Chicago. In a much-anticipated return to the city, the renowned multi-hyphenate and champion of feminist art will transform Sugar Beach with A Tribute to Toronto to close out this year’s Toronto Biennial of Art (TBA). From a barge on Lake Ontario, non-toxic plumes of colour will swirl together in the air, illuminated with LED lights for a dazzling effect. A Tribute to Toronto – the first of Chicago’s Smoke Sculptures™ presented in Canada and the first presented on water – comes decades after she began experimenting with pyrotechnics in the 1960s and 1970s, paralleling the emergence of Land Art at the time. 

Chicago’s connection to the AGO is well-documented. In 1982, the artist presented her seminal work, The Dinner Party (1974–1979), here. Four plates and two drawings created for The Dinner Party are on view now on the Gallery’s Fourth Floor, having been acquired for the AGO Collection in 2019.

And this Wednesday June1 at 7pm, Chicago will be here for a conversation with Candice Hopkins, Toronto Biennial of Art Senior Curator, moderated by Xiaoyu Weng, AGO Carol and Morton Rapp Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art. (Tickets are Sold Out by interested volunteers can try their luck with the rush line, by lining up immediately before the event in Baillie Court)

Read the full interview with Judy Chicago about the directions of her current practice, HERE.

For the final week of Museum Month AGOinsider connected with first-time curator Tahnee Ann Macabali Pantig, who is making her debut with the AGO’s new exhibition Faith and Fortune: Art from Across the Spanish Empire. 

Brooklyn-based artist and designer Tahnee Ann Macabali Pantig is digging deep into her Filipinx ancestry for her curatorial debut in the new AGO exhibition Faith and Fortune: Art from Across the Spanish Empire, opening June 8. Born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, Pantig has drawn much of her artistic inspiration from her parent’s immigration story and her time spent within Toronto’s Filipinx community. Her curatorial contribution to the exhibition – which features works from Latin America, the Philippines and Spain made between 1492 and 1898 – is a large installation of historical daguerreotype photographs from the Philippines. 

For our final week of Museum Month, AGOinsider connected with Pantig to get more insight about her Filipinx heritage, her upbringing in Scarborough, and how her desire to shape narratives about people from the Philippines  led to her debut as a curator.  

AGOinsider: As a first-time curator, what was your curatorial approach to Faith and Fortune? What did you draw on and what were you inspired by?  

Pantig: My curatorial approach to Faith and Fortune is very much based on my lived experiences being born and raised in Scarborough, in the Toronto Filipinx community. I’ve drawn much of my inspiration from my parents’ migration stories from Pampanga and Baguio City in the Philippines; what was it like for them coming to Canada? What stories did they see of themselves? What stories did they not see? I was also inspired by my own experiences growing up in Toronto and not feeling like I had stories about being Filipinx reflected back to me. Through this show I set out to create the type of representation I would have loved to have seen as a young person in this city.  

Read the full interview, HERE.

Faith and Fortune: Art from Across the Spanish Empire opens June 8. Join Curators Adam Harris Levine and Tahnee Pantig and Interpretive Planner Gillian McIntyre for an online conversation on Saturday June 11, at 2pm. More details about this free, pre-registered talk (which is being livestreamed) can be found HERE. Book your complimentary ticket, today.