Hello Everyone,

On this Family Day weekend, I am taking time off with my husband and daughter and visiting friends in San Francisco. I can’t emphasize how important it is that you use your allotted vacation time. We’ve all been through a lot these past two years and need time off to refresh and keep our energy levels up. So if you have vacation time available, don’t put it off too long.

Things onsite are going very well. Earlier this week we heard the news that more health restrictions will be lifted beginning on March 1st, including all capacity restrictions and the requirement to show proof of vaccination. Leadership Team is considering any additional impacts on our operations and will be in touch with more details. It is good news. It means that cases are once again on the decline and the worst of the current Omicron wave is behind us. We will continue to focus on keeping ourselves and our public safe.

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and time with family and friends. Thank you to those who will be onsite welcoming our public. A reminder that Fragments of Epic Memory closes on February 21st. If you haven’t seen it yet, now’s your chance! Spread the word….

Take care and stay safe,

Stephan

Artists Natalie Wood and Charles Campbell reflect on their multidisciplinary artistic practices with Professor Honor Ford Smith.

From the perspectives of Jamaican-born artist Charles Campbell and Trinidadian-born artist Natalie Wood, looking at memory and its reconstruction in the present plays an important role in the works they create. Both artists are based in Canada (Charles Campbell in Victoria, BC, and Natalie Wood in Toronto, ON). This past December, they joined Professor Honor Ford Smith for a virtual conversation about their practice and the experience of exhibiting their work in Fragments of Epic Memory. 

Natalie Wood’s Mazalee (2012) is a portrait of an individual wrapped in an abundance of crosses made from carving into a piece of cardboard. The inspiration behind the work comes from a 17th-century Maroon colony in Trinidad with the same name. According to Wood, the crosses in the portrait represent “the crossroads and someone at the crossroads or at the junction of past and present” and of gender and spirituality. For Wood, the cross holds a multitude of meanings: “You’ve got the history of this violence, but at the same time, you’ve got a syncretization of this religion, where African peoples have managed to find, and to kind of integrate, some of the freedom and liberation beliefs.” This portrait is part of the series Are You Cut Out for My Revolution? 

To learn more about both Wood and Charles Campbell’s artistic practices, the inspiration behind their exhibiting works and other projects they are working on, watch the virtual conversation here.

As Fragments of Epic Memory comes to a close on February 21, this video walkthrough (linked here) by Artist Roya DelSol was recently commissioned by the AGO to celebrate the exhibition.

In a continuing spirit of celebration, the Gallery’s Communication team gathered together a list of stories that were published through the exhibition’s nearly six-month run:

Uncovering Caribbean History (linked here)

How did the AGO acquire the Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs? Thirty  donors predominantly from Toronto’s Black and Caribbean communities helped make it happen. Plus, Dr. Julie Crooks, the exhibition’s curator, told us how she chose nearly 200 images from the collection of over 3,500 prints, postcards, daguerreotypes and more to feature in Fragments. 

Freedom and Folklore (linked here)

You can’t miss the 10-foot-tall mythical figure currently standing tall in Walker Court, the latest mixed-media sculpture in British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové’s Moko Jumbie series. A contemporary spin on Afro-Caribbean mythologies, we learned about the cultural history within this commissioned work.

Food Memory Magic (linked here)

Ackee and saltfish. Griot. Curry goat. Ponche de crème. Celebrity chef, restaurateur and recording artist Roger Mooking chatted about the interconnectedness between food, memory and Caribbean culture in this Q&A. Mooking was also featured with Dr. Julie Crooks in Foodways, a new conversation series hosted by AGO Executive Chef Renée Bellefeuille. 

For all the stories linked to the exhibition, see this larger feature in AGOinsider.

Hello Everyone,

On behalf of the AGO Board of Trustees, I’m pleased to announce that Ankesh Chandaria was appointed as the new ex-officio volunteer representative at today’s board meeting. 

Ankesh is a strategy consultant with strong legal and commercial expertise and currently co-chairs the AGO Next Committee. He understands the importance of philanthropy and engaging our community, is keen to see where the Gallery will go in the years to come and is eager to help. We believe that he will be a perfect fit for the board and an excellent advocate for the AGO. Ankesh will serve on the board for a maximum of three consecutive one-year terms, and his first term starts today. 

We had many applicants for this important role with various backgrounds, expertise, and experiences, making the selection process much more difficult. I truly appreciate you taking the time to apply for the position and your continued support of the AGO.

I look forward to working with Ankesh and the board as we continue to advance the AGO’s mission of art, audiences and learning. I also look forward to continuing to work with all of you – our dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer community!

Stephan

Hello Everyone,

Last month, I told you that we are moving forward with part of our vision for AGO 2028 – a new expansion to feature global modern and contemporary art. This news has generated a lot of enthusiasm from the community and was picked up by the Globe & Mail last Friday. You can read the article, linked here. At this time, we are in the process of selecting the architect and raising funds for lead gifts. I look forward to keeping you updated on the progress of AGO Global Contemporary. Remember, our vision is to lead global conversations from Toronto through extraordinary exhibitions, collections and programs, and by reflecting the people who live here.

Thank you to everyone who has been onsite this week welcoming back our public. Things are going very well. For those of you who will be onsite this weekend, keep your eye on the news in case of route closures downtown. This morning it was announced that University/Queen’s Park Circle is now closed from Yonge St. to Queen St. We don’t anticipate that the trucker convoy will impact operations at the AGO but there might be honking and congestion closer to Queen’s Park.

Thank you and take care,

Stephan

One of our Weekend Gallery Guides, Kesang Nanglu, also works with the the Public Programming and Learning team at the Toronto Biennial of Art. They currently have an open job call for Storytellers, which we are happy to share, here.

As Kesang shares, Storytellers engage intergenerational audiences through participatory tours and discussion. Their work is focused on research, tour development, and delivering tour sessions. Storytellers offer shorter spot tours on a single artwork/artist, in addition to longer guided tours highlighting multiple works in an exhibition.

There are 4 Biennial sites where Storytellers will be stationed: The Small Arms Inspection Building in Mississauga, 72 Perth in the Junction, Arsenal Contemporary Art (also in the Junction), and 5 Lower Jarvis near Sugar Beach. A more detailed description can be found online, with information about hours, training, and pay.

f you have questions, please contact Kesang directly: [email protected].

Deadline to apply is Friday, February 11, 2022

Two sculptural works by Anishinaabe artist Maria Hupfield join the AGO Collection, with support from the 2021 York Wilson Endowment Award

This winter, thanks to the generosity of the Canada Council’s 2021 York Wilson Endowment Award, the AGO welcomes to its Collection two recent works by celebrated, transdisciplinary Anishinaabe artist Maria Hupfield. Through her sculptural works, performances and film installations, the artist aims to make space for Indigenous histories and bodies, repurposing everyday materials and activating the works with her own body. 

Currently on view on Level 4 of the Vivian & David Campbell Centre for Contemporary Art, alongside a work by Jana Sterbak, Hupfield’s Golden Dollar (Sacagawea) (2018) and The Silver-Tongued Taste of Progress (2018) are both sculptures and live performance props, designed to be activated by the artist’s touch. 

Born in Parry Sound, Ontario, Hupfield is a member of the Wasauksing First Nation and is based in Toronto. “After living nearly a decade in Brooklyn, New York,” says Hupfield, “it feels like progress to bring two works home to the AGO that embody economic and symbolic international power by Native Women.” Read the full article, in this week’s AGOinsider.

Hi Everyone, 

February marks the 2022 Lunar New Year and a month-long of amplifying the histories, present-day Black experiences, significant contributions, achievements and aspirations of people of the African diaspora. 

On that note, to support colleagues in connecting with several activities taking place this month for both the Lunar New Year and Black history the following includes a list of events and resources, including AGO content. 

With best regards,

Cian

2022 Toronto Chinatown Lunar Year Celebration

• Live Lion Dance performance from 12 pm to 3 pm on Feb 5, 2022, from Huron Square to Chinatown Centre.
• Recorded Art-Making Workshop: Yue Moon: Tiger with Wings – Year of the Tiger Workshop with Paddy Leung
• Public Art Exhibition: Community co-created lanterns inspired by the traditional Chinese Palace Lantern design. Each panel showcases images of Chinatown’s histories, personal memories, and intentions for the new year to create an immersive, luminous outdoor experience during Lunar New Year celebrations. Located just beside Dragon City Mall and overlooking one of Chinatown’s latest public art murals produced by Wenting Li with STEPS.

Black History Month

AGO Content

• Exploring Black and Indigenous Futurisms – Presented in partnership with the AGO and the University of Toronto on February 28 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Register here.
• Talking Back and Together: Apanaki Temitayo (Oct 2021) – Presented in partnership with the AGO and Workman Arts to empower artists exploring mental health awareness and advocacy.
• Journey through historical and contemporary stories of the Caribbean by visiting Fragments of Epic Memory
• Check out the exhibition Out of Many by Toronto-based photographer Jorian Charlton exploring Jamaican-Canadian culture, and the installation Et La Lumière Fut (And There Was Light) by Moridja Kitenge Banza drawing on his complex feelings around identity and migration as a member of the African diaspora.

Free Webinars

• We Belong Here: Healing From Racial Micro-Inequities and Trauma in the Workplace with Bhasin Consulting and special guest racial inclusion expert Minda Harts on February 14 from 4 pm to 5 pm. This webinar will lead an in-depth, no-holds-barred Q&A discussion with Minda. Register here. 
• Queering Black Leadership – On February 8 at 2 pm join the Enchanté Network for a panel discussion on leadership from a Black 2SLGBTQI+ perspective. Panellists will explore their experiences with leadership, including how the 2SLGBTQI+ sector can support Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Register here.

Virtual Exhibitions

• Derailed (Nov 2021- April 2023) – The History of Black Railway Porters in Canada, a multimedia exhibition produced by Myseum in collaboration with author/scholar Cecil Foster.
• Performances by Randell, Dynesti & Esie Mensah, and Tracey Kayy (2022) – Holt Renfrew partnership with R.I.S.E. and Randell Adjei, Ontario’s first Poet Laureate, to showcase pieces that speak to the Black experience from unique perspectives.
• Brought In Bondage: Enslaved Blacks in the Town of York (Toronto) Downtown Walking Tour (2020) – Developed in partnership by Myseum and the Ontario Black History Society
• Black Art Matters – The Art Canada Institute celebrates the work of fourteen Black Canadian artists – historical and contemporary – to help disrupt how art history has obscured and overlooked artists who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour. 

Virtual Events

The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre – Virtual Black History Lecture Series:

• The Daily Grind: Records of Freedom Seekers in St. Catharines – February 10, 2022, at 11 am – 12 pm. Register here.
• Tracing the Tracks of the Underground Railroad (2020) 
• Ontario’s Racially Segregated Schools w/ Natasha Henry (2020)

Recorded Panel Conversations

• National Black Communities Arts and Culture Round Table Talk, (Sept 2021) This talk, hosted by Craig Wellington of the Black Opportunity Fund and moderated by Karen Carter co-founder of BAND Gallery, showcases the different challenges and opportunities Black artists across Canada. Panelists include Gaëtane Verna, Stephanie Allen, Delvina Bernard, Dominique Fontaine, and Belinda Uwase and guest commentators, Dr. Julie Crooks, David Woods, Angela Cassie, Nadia Rousseau and Josh T. Robertson.
• Designing Leadership in a Time of Change (2021)  This talk, hosted by the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is a discussion on Black leadership in the arts and culture sectors.

Podcasts

• Get Hired Up: Episode 25 | Tackling racism in the workplace—for organizations committed to improving racial and ethnic justice with Dr. Afua Cooper is a multi-award-winning and celebrated speaker, scholar, historian, author, poet, performer, and social and cultural commentator for organizations worldwide committed to building diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.
• Black on the Prairies, CBC – podcast and interactive website

TV Show

The Porter, CBC Gem – Season 1 of The Porter premieres February 21 at 9 pm on CBC and CBC Gem.

Hello Everyone,

This week has been very COLD so I hope you are bundled up! I also hope you find ways to enjoy the snow while it’s here.

We re-open next Tuesday and in addition to Fragments, Wong and Houle, our public will experience the changes underway in the European galleries on the main floor. When complete,  the biggest re-installation since Look:Forward, it will feature many more exquisite works that are coming out of the vaults. I encourage you to wander through the galleries when you are back on-site. Thank you to the European curators and everyone else involved, the spaces are really looking fantastic – and I love the new paint colours.

Earlier this week at the Managers’ Meeting, Rocco Saverino provided an update on where we are with this year’s budget – solid – and outlined the next steps for planning for 2022-23. We continue to anticipate a balanced position by the end of the year and I’m grateful to everyone for your attention to finances; your efforts to keep things tight while fulfilling our mission and serving our public is paying off.

Take care and stay safe,

Stephan

P.S.     February 1^st also marks the start of the Lunar New Year, welcoming the Year of the Tiger. (I was born in the Year of the Monkey.) To all those who celebrate, may the Year of the Tiger bring prosperity, joy, and health to you and your loved ones!

Good news is on the way! After a prolonged, full closure, the Gallery is looking forward to opening (at 50% capacity) on Tuesday February 1. Like visitors, volunteers can book tickets to see Fragments of Epic Memory (closing February 21) and more!

Visiting Guidelines: A gentle reminder that Walk-up tickets are not available. All tickets must be booked online in advance. 
Proof of vaccination required. Please bring both enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and a government-issued ID that matches the proof of vaccination documentation with your date of birth when you visit.

Here’s how to book volunteer tickets:

you can also book up to 4 General Admission tickets in one visit. One of these tickets will be for you; and 3 for your guests.

For either option – you do not need to provide the name or contact details of your guests. The booking will be made under your name.

For both options, please:

Call the Contact Centre on 416-979-6608 or email [email protected] and make sure to:

• Please include the Date and time you would like to attend
• Provide the name and email address for where to email the tickets. (This can be a name other than yours).
• The tickets will be sent out as PDFs that can be shown on a smartphone or printed in advance of your visit.
• Please provide 5 business days’ notice in advance of your visit so we can email you your tickets.

Some important things to keep in mind:

• You can bring your volunteer badge for discounts in shopAGO or AGO Bistro, but it is not needed for entry into the Gallery. You will not be asked to show your badge along with your ticket, and badges can’t be used to gain entry into the building.
• You will need to use the main entrance to visit, not Jackman Hall, which is closed. The volunteer lounge also remains closed.
• When visiting, please remain in the public areas of the Gallery. The Volunteer Lounge and other back of house areas are restricted at this time for the safety of those who are required to work on-site.

For any Volunteers who have a membership or Annual Pass, we encourage you to continue to use your membership to book your tickets, online, in advance of visiting.

The Contact Centre is busy! We are grateful for your assistance in booking in advance.

We are looking forward to seeing you!