The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre was created to house the generous number of works artist Henry Moore (1898 – 1986) donated to the AGO between 1971 – 1974, which included 101 sculptures, 57 drawings, and 150 prints. This gift marked the AGO as home to the largest public collection Moore’s work, a title the Gallery continues to hold.
Incorporating natural light and reflective floors, Moore worked with Toronto architect John C. Parkin to design the 10,000 sq. foot exhibition space loved by visitors and staff alike. His vision for the Centre’s architecture was to make his works appear like they were floating on a pond.
It was also in 1974 that Large Two Forms (1966-1969) was installed at the corner of McCaul and Dundas. The sculpture was moved to Grange Park in 2017, becoming a favourite spot for park patrons to take a nap or eat their lunch in.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre, travel back in time through this selection of archival photographs documenting both the Centre’s opening and the ways visitors have engaged with it over the past five decades. Big thank you to Al Stanton-Hagan, AGO Archivist, for providing these photographs!
Want to learn more about Henry Moore’s longtime relationship with the AGO? Join Adam Welch, Associate Curator, Modern Art; Lisa Ellis Conservator, Sculpture and Decorative Arts; and James Cooper, Henry Moore Foundation Sculpture Conservator in conversation on Wednesday, November 13 at 7 pm.
(Please note: If you are an AGO member (with a membership card) – you can register online. Volunteers who are not members will need to book tickets in person (at the Welcome Desk) or by calling the Contact Centre at 416 979 6608).
First, I want to extend a big thank you to our capable team in the Contact Centre that has been fielding several hundred questions related to the recent ransomware attack. This is not easy work and they are doing it well.
Thank you also to all of you – staff and volunteers – who participated in our values focus groups, organized earlier this Fall by the Joint Working Committee (JWC). Your suggestions and opinions on how we evolve the culture of the AGO are extremely valuable. Members of the JWC are reviewing the values that came out of those focus groups and will develop a plan for how we best express these and bring them to life in our everyday work. We hope to put these values into practice and policy in early 2025.
A reminder that this weekend, Members enjoy early access to Light Years: The Phil Lind Gift. We also celebrate Pacita Abad with E&P events, including a Roundtable Conversation.
Finally, I want to acknowledge a sad loss for the AGO. Pat Munson passed away recently. He was a long-serving volunteer in the Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre. I will miss his enthusiasm for the AGO and his habit of purchasing multiple boxes of donuts to share liberally.
Just last week we learned of the recent passing of AGO Marvin Gelber Print and Drawing Study Centre Volunteer, Pat Munson.
A sparkle and a smile, is how I would describe Pat Munson, fellow longtime volunteer; he always had that for everyone, that twinkle in his eye and the enthusiasm he had for sharing information and his knowledge. Be that on TMS training, which I learned from him, the work on the Print and Drawing library collection he spearheaded with us as a Committee team, his scheduling the volunteers which kept us all in order and aligned, his pleasant manner greeting our Print and Drawing visitors, to his hosting with his lovely wife Beth Horowitz the annual P&D pot luck party at their home, and further extended during the pandemic. The zoom calls Pat continued, where we gathered virtually and stayed connected during a time we were all isolating. On a lighter sweeter note, Pat’s love of Krispy Kreme doughnuts which he brought in dozens for us every month and we all shared our passion for sweets, our favourite “flavour” and chatter as the tight group we are over this decadent treat.
We are reminded of the treasures of life, and how much we cherish those dear to us in friendship and fellow colleagues. Pat was professional, kind, had a light nature and I shall miss him, his spirit and his visits with his beloved dog the adorable Picasso. He will forever be with us as he’s left such a legacy in Print and Drawings as a brilliant volunteer. In remembrance, we thank Pat with appreciation, respect and recognition for all he did for us personally and for the AGO as an institution.
With fond memories,
Barbara Glaser
AGO Volunteer President
A gathering of Print & Drawings volunteers, with Pat Munson, seated 3 from bottom left
Sharing as well, some remembrances from Pat’s fellow Print & Drawings volunteers –
“Pat was a key part of my volunteer life in the P&D Study Centre and became its anchor for me. He was always a joy to spend time and explore art with and I was sad when he left, and hoped he would return. I will carry his memory forward with warmth and gratitude for the time we shared together. A toast to a fine southern gentleman, Pat.” – shared by volunteer colleague, Ruth Hartman.
“Pat will be forever missed. No job was too great or too small to warrant his attention. Most important, he was a wonderful friend! We arrived in P&D on the same day. And for that, I was blessed.” – shared by volunteer colleague, Jane Smith.
“Pat Munson was extraordinary volunteer and friend to us all in P&D. We will miss his ideas and insights into what art was on view. His suggestions for visitors only came after he carefully questioned them on what prompted their visit to P&D. If the AGO had a video of Pat volunteering at Open Door it would become the one training session essential for any new volunteer to our team. Our monthly P&D meetings informed us what to expect with classes, researchers and visitors. But it was also a time to briefly bring up something new, and remind us that email also connects us. Pat’s creative suggestions, on everything from points of language to the specific name given to vault volunteers, made everyone think and smile. It is a reminder that anyone coming into P&D should not only have thoughtful experience but an enjoyable one. “– shared by volunteer colleague, Susan Davidson.
“Pat was always there, on top of everything, ready to help, a stronghold in P&D. When he saw a need, he quietly and efficiently took care of it. He re-organized the library; did heavy lifting in the vault; he took over all the volunteer sign-ups for different positions; he taught us TMS (the museum system database), classes; he hosted and arranged zooms during Covid & beyond; and more that I’ve forgotten. We all came to rely on him.
For me personally – When I needed a car, he sent me information, when I needed a walker, he sent me information and when I needed information on a long lost painting, he quickly found it.
He had a dry sense of humor which I appreciated. For example, when he & Beth were married, he showed us wedding pictures and then said “Beth looked beautiful, and I was CLEAN”! It was a privilege to have known & worked with Pat.”– shared by volunteer colleague, Cecile Freeman
“Pat was a person of high principles and integrity, possessing a compassionate heart and deep empathy. The Marvin Gelber Print and Drawing Study Centre at the AGO and its volunteer community mattered deeply to him, and he was driven by a strong sense of purpose in everything he contributed. Furthermore, his trust in the goodness of life was contagious, and his passing is a profound loss, reminding us of what truly matters in life and the preciousness of our shared humanity. We will carry his memory and the values he embodied within our community and in our hearts.” – shared by volunteer colleague Farzaneh Moallef
Pat, with fellow Print & Drawings volunteers and Associate Curator Alexa Greist
About a week ago the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) met in Denver, Colorado. AAMD has just over 200 members representing art museums from Canada, Mexico and the United States. I had two main goals I wanted to achieve during my year as President of AAMD and I am pleased to share that we made real progress at our meetings at the Denver Art Museum (DAM).
The first goal was to get museums to endorse something called the Bizot Green Protocols, which basically change climate control standards in a way that is both safe for art and reduces how much energy museums use to heat and cool their buildings. It is pretty nerdy stuff, but it is one of the systemic changes we all need to make to reduce carbon use.
Over the past months, the AGO has partnered with other museums to lead this change and to get buy-in from the museums in North America. Many AGO staff created presentations and engaged with questions from other museums about how and why we should change how we do things.
My second goal was to have the entire AAMD membership read and gain a better understanding of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Marcia Nickerson – who is of Mi’gmaq British ancestries with kinship ties to Acadia First Nation in Nova Scotia and a modern treaty negotiator – presented on UNDRIP and we then had a discussion about the opportunities and challenges of working together. It is a massive topic that will take time to fully grasp, but it was our effort to lay the groundwork for more understanding between museums and indigenous peoples. As you know, one of our goals is to lead global conversations and the meetings in Denver are part of this effort.
Finally, this weekend is an important milestone for the construction of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary project. The outside foundation is almost completed, and a huge crane is scheduled to be erected on Saturday and Sunday. The crane will be the first sign for many members of the public that there is a major construction project underway. Behind the scenes, new foundations will be laid so a new freight elevator can be built over the coming two years. This freight elevator will allow us to move art from the loading dock directly onto any of the five floors of our expansion.
Hello volunteers, many of you have inquired about access to the AGO’s Pacita Abad exhibition launch video, posted on the blog earlier this Fall. Sadly, we do not have access to many of our artcloud hosted videos as a result of the cyberattack. In lieu, please see these videos for recommended viewing:
The Life and Work of League Alumna Pacita Abad with Victoria Sung
Summary: This talk is my favourite, with exhibition curator Victoria Sung (Sung curated the show at the Walker, which has now travelled here to the AGO). This talk is so thorough, beautifully illustrated and passionately delivered. It’s almost encyclopedic with great visuals, in depth-explanations of various themes, including: trapunto paintings, Abad’s early life, the immigrant experience, her hand-stitching technique, etc. Abad is an alumna of the Art Students League of New York. 34 minutes. WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt7KArzxw4Y&t=1235s
Pacita Abad: Spirited Faces by Yvette Sitten
Summary: A more casual presentation (tv show rather than lecture), featuring journalist Yvette Sitten in conversation with Pacita Abad, at her home. You can feel Abad’s positivity, energy and enthusiasm in this video, which features a home tour. 8 minutes.
Hello volunteers, with a new ticketing system in place, it’s time to update the process for requesting complimentary admission tickets for AGO staff and volunteers. Key points:
Visiting by yourself – just wear/show your badge
Visiting with your family (you will be with them during the visit) – come to the Welcome Desk same day to get tickets for your guests. Everyone needs a ticket to enter the gallery (other than the staff/volunteer showing their ID)
Booking in advance for family/friends – email the Contact Centre – [email protected].
a date is required
can be booked up to 3 months in advance
not applicable during the Winter break (December 23, 2024 – January 5, 2025)
4 tickets per year are available
If you have further questions, please reach out to the Contact Centre at [email protected] or by calling 416 979 6608.
As I look out the window admiring the lush fall colours and changing light, I’ve been on holidays and hope you’re all well, also taking in the season, look forward to catching up. Writing with upcoming volunteer community programming and exciting launch of the Volunteer Artist Collective. We have a lot to look forward to as we launch the fall Volunteer lineup. As always, many thanks to Holly for our joint work and support.
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR WITH THESE SAVE THE DATES:
POSTPONED: – Please note: Our original October 30 date is being rescheduled to a later date in November, stay tuned!Launch of volunteer artist collective / Zoom presentation with AGO volunteer Janne Reuss
REGISTRATION LINK UPCOMING (not yet available):Tuesday November 12th, 11:00am private, in-person tour of theLee Miller exhibition (Lee Miller: A Photographer at Work, 1932 – 1945) at the Image Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University. Registration for this outing will be required with Volunteer President Barbara Glaser, first come, as space is limited. Please note: Registration details will be sent next week.
More on the AGO Volunteer Artist Collective:
JANNE REUSS, AGO Gallery Guide volunteer and our first Guest Artist
Janne Reuss and her work
This presentation (watch for a new date in late November) will be on zoom and recorded. Janne will showcase her art of photography and the unique personal meaning behind her works, for reference here is Janne’s website https://janneartdot.wordpress.com/. I first viewed Janne’s photography at Art Toronto last year and so thrilled to see her launch this important volunteer artist collective.
In the new year, we look forward to learning more about Aliye Akbarzadeh’s artwork! Aliye is the second artist joining us for the AGO Volunteer Artist Collective programming. Her art is equally unique in a stylistically manner capturing a creative vision drawings and paintings via a contemporary style, her past life stories and deep philosophical meanings. Aliye’s artwork, technique features, collage, drawing and painting.
The AGO Volunteer Artist Collective initiative was born out of conversations I had with volunteers in the lounge and the incredible pool of creative talent we can highlight and showcase, as a community.
We, Holly, I and the artists, are excited to launch this initiative. Equally as Volunteer President, I’m so thrilled to see this idea come to life, and highlight the talents of so many of our volunteers, and what we create outside the gallery wall; as artists, our visions and mandates. This will give us all, volunteers over different days, shifts and placements, an opportunity to come together, beyond institutional silos, to learn, be inspired, and see our cohorts in a different light. Please submit your interest to participate in the collective, with Holly or myself.
COMING UP:
Our next excursion:
TuesdayNovember 12th, 11:00am (registration link upcoming, has not been released yet) will be to The Image Centre-Lee Miller exhibition private tour. Many thanks to the volunteers who suggested this outing, and to the staff at the Image Centre for graciously welcoming us and my request for a visit.
Lee Miller: A Photographer at Work (1932 – 945) installation view
This will be a private tour exclusively for our volunteer group outside of public hours. If you’re not familiar with Lee Miller’s photography, please see below. Being a fan, I’ve followed since my OCAD days, capturing the epitome of elegance, style, character, and vision. Linked here as well: https://theimagecentre.ca/exhibition/lee-miller/
Registration to come soon. This is space limited tour and first come.
Lee Miller: A Photographer at Work (1932–1945) September 11–December 7, 2024 Main Gallery Curator: Gaëlle Morel
This exhibition explores one of the most intense and productive chapters in the professional life of American photographer Lee Miller. Between 1932 and 1945 Miller was simultaneously a renowned portrait photographer running her own studio in New York (1932—1934), a photographer for perfume and cosmetic brands in advertising (1932—1945), and a fashion photographer and war correspondent for the British edition of Vogue (1939—1945). This short time span encompasses a rich history in which the photographer moved between and linked her various practices. Miller’s diverse professional activities, and the ease with which she stepped from one context to another, reveal a photographer whose work was defined primarily by its exchange and commercial value. Lee Miller, A Photographer at Work reveals the inner dynamics of managing a photography career amid the myriad challenges facing professional women at the time. The exhibition offers a rich and complex portrait of this important figure, previously known best for her collaboration with American artist Man Ray and her close ties to the Surrealist movement of the 1920s.
Organized in collaboration with the Lee Miller Archives, England. Originally produced and presented during Les Rencontres d’Arles, France, 2022.
This event has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, a program of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.
Barbara Glaser (She/Her) Volunteer President Art Gallery of Ontario [email protected]
Pacita Abad was an amazing artist. It is obvious when one walks into the Zacks Gallery – I could not be prouder of how it looks. Like most things here at the AGO that are great, it was a team effort. Please take some time to visit the exhibition – notice the curatorial work, the lighting, the graphic design, the installation, the interpretive plan and, most of all, the art.
Taking a bit of time out of a busy schedule to look at art is something I try to do every day. It helps me to connect to our mission and brings me joy. There are periods when work gets hard (like when we do not have WiFi, which I am grateful is no longer the case!) and going into the gallery is a reminder why we do what we do. This week I saw engaged school groups, I attended a great talk about Pacita Abad by Renee van der Avoird, and I showed the AGO to donors with pride.
I will be at the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) Annual Convening over the next several days in Denver. I will give an update on the meetings in next week’s message.
AGO Staff and volunteers are invited to attend an exhibition preview for Pactia Abad:
Tuesday October 08
2:30pm – 4:30pm
Zacks Gallery (second floor)
Please bring your ID badge to gain entry to the exhibition preview. Installation photography is scheduled to happen during the preview, so, once inside the exhibition, please refrain from having your ID badges visible when moving through the exhibition.
Pacita Abad, European Mask , 1990. Acrylic, silkscreen, thread on canvas. Tate: Purchased with funds provided by the Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee 2019. Courtesy Pacita Abad Art Estate and Tate. Photo: At Maculangan/Pioneer Studios.
Can’t make it? Not to worry, Members’ Access is October 9 – 11 and Public (staff and volunteer) and Annual Passholder access begins Tuesday October 12!
