Twenty-four artworks by seven artists acquired at this year’s art fair expand the AGO Collection in new ways.

This is the fifteenth consecutive year the AGO has purchased artwork at Art Toronto, with the assistance of funds raised at the preview. We have acquired new and recent work by artists Rae Johnson, Luke Parnell, Shuvinai Ashoona, Jennifer Rose Sciarrino, Julie Voyce and Moridja Kitenge Banza, in addition to a suite of five historical photographs by Canadian photographer Minna Keene. 

Julian Cox, the AGO’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator, led the museum’s selection committee, which included Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art; Sophie Hackett, Curator, Photography; Dr. Julie Crooks, Associate Curator, Photography; Wanda Nanibush, Curator, Indigenous Art; Adelina Vlas, Associate Curator, Contemporary Art; Renée van der Avoird, Assistant Curator, Canadian Art; and Alexa Greist, Associate Curator, Prints & Drawings.

“The AGO is proud to be able to acquire works by seven artists at Art Toronto 2020. We arrived at a selection that amplifies and invigorates the collecting priorities across various departments,” says Julian Cox, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, AGO. “In all but one instance, these acquisitions are the first work(s) by the artist to enter the AGO Collection. We take great pride in this, as we do in the commitment made to Canadian artists and those who are, or have been, part of Toronto’s vibrant art community. We thank them for their inspiration and can’t wait to share these works with our public in the months and years ahead.”

You can read about all the works in great detail via this week’s profile in the AGOinsider.

Dear Everyone,

I am very pleased to announce that Alain Graham has been appointed Acting Chief, People, as we search for a replacement for Nan Oldroyd.

Alain has been with the AGO for over three years, joining us in 2017 as the Staff Relations Specialist, before moving into the Manager, People Relations role in 2018. Alain joined the AGO because of his expertise in labour relations, but has quickly become a trusted advisor and leader to colleagues across the gallery because of his belief in our mission, institutional mindset and exceptional people skills.

Alain will join Leadership Team and will report directly to me. Erin Prendergast will also meet regularly with Alain and the People Managers for ongoing support.  We will be hiring to fill the vacant role in People Relations as it is a critical position for the AGO.

Reporting to Alain will be:

• Vijay Patel, Manager, Safety & Wellness
• Holly Procktor, Coordinator, Volunteers
• Nathalie Sato, Manager, Talent
• Shane Ward,  Manager, Total Rewards
• Hannah Weisdorf, Executive Coordinator, People & Exhibitions &Collections

Please join me in congratulating Alain on his new role. 

Sincerely,

Stephan

Thanks to volunteer Shelagh Barrington for passing along this link. Fellow textile lovers, there are some great free talks this week; registration details via Zoom, below – Holly

Wednesday, October 21, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Thursday, October 22, 1–4 p.m.

To commemorate the donation of the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection and the creation of the new Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center, join us for a two-day roundtable with distinguished textile artists, conservators, and scholars from around the world. Beginning with an introduction to Lloyd Cotsen’s collecting and an overview of the collection and study center, the roundtable will feature five one-hour panels highlighting textiles from five continents, including an Indian robe for Indonesia, a Kuba hat, and Captain Cook’s sample book of tapa cloth. This inaugural roundtable seeks to encourage textile research, facilitate critical discussion, support cultural diversity, and preserve cultural heritage by making direct connections between collection objects and current research and art-making.

Keep reading to see the list of sessions and speakers, or download the complete schedule (PDF).

About the Collection

The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection represents a lifetime of collecting by business leader and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen (1929–2017). Comprised of nearly 4,000 fragments from all over the world, the collection offers insights into human creativity from antiquity to the present. Cornerstones of the collection include fragments from Japan, China, pre-Columbian Peru, and 16th- to 18th-century Europe. The entire collection is available online.

Wednesday, October 21

Panel 1: 10–11 a.m.
Introducing the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection and Center 
Marie-Eve Celio-Scheurer, academic coordinator, Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center
Lyssa Stapleton, curator, Cotsen Collection in Los Angeles
John Wetenhall, director, George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum

Panel 2: 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Indian Block-Printing Traditions
Ruth Barnes, curator, Yale University Art Gallery
Ruchira Ghose, former director, National Crafts Museum in New Delhi
Mushtak Khan, former deputy director, National Crafts Museum in New Delhi

Panel 3: 12–1 p.m.
Connecting Fragments: Silk Conservation
Maria Fusco, chief conservator, George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
Hélène Dubuis, conservator, Abbeg Stiftung Museum in Riggisberg

Thursday, October 22

Panel 4: 1–2 p.m. 
Kuba’s Living Traditions 
Kevin Tervala, curator of African art, Baltimore Museum of Art
Vanessa Drake Moraga, independent scholar and curator
Mireielle Asia Nyembo, artist

Panel 5: 2–3 p.m.
Weaving and Dyeing in South America and Mesoamerica 
Jim Bassler, artist
Elena Phipps, independent scholar
Alejandro de Ávila Blomberg, director, Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca and Museo Textil de Oaxaca

Panel 6: 3–4 p.m.
The Sample Book of Captain Cook and Tapa Cloth Today
Adrienne Kaeppler, curator of Oceanic Ethnology, Smithsonian Institution
Kamalu de Preez, ethnology assistant collections manager, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu

How to Participate

To join us for the roundtable, please register early to reserve your space. Once you have registered, we will email you links and details for joining each day of the roundtable on Zoom. We will also email registered participants a full program with a detailed schedule, abstracts, and bios.

Hello Everybody,

I know there was some confusion with the recent tightening of restrictions by the Ontario Government, so I wanted to reiterate that the gallery is indeed open! These restrictions affect the Bistro which is now just offering takeout (with frozen meals, tea service and curated food options available on the go).

With the rapidly approaching closures of Diane Arbus, Photographs: 1957-1971 and Illusions: The Art of Magic, we recommend that you see these exhibits within the next two weeks to avoid disappointment. As we all know, people generally leave things to the last minute which will be exasperated by our drastically lowered capacity to allow for physical distancing. To book tickets, please reach out to our Contact Centre which is open from Wednesday to Friday from 9-5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10-3pm at 416-979-6648. Remember you will need to book a specific date and time as part of our Covid-19 safety measures.

Finally, with the cooling temperatures and daylight savings inching closer, we have arrived at one of the best times of the year – Halloween! To get into the “spirit” (see what I did there!) I’m sharing some articles that highlight our “creepiest works”  here and here. And while I am at it, enjoy the bottom picture which I took yesterday of a super festive house in my neighbourhood! Enjoy!

Read on!

Newly Announced Virtual School Programs

With Covid-19 changing the landscape of how we offer school programing, the AGO launched a new initiative to encourage art anywhere, at school or at home. The new live art education program, happens daily, Monday to Friday via Zoom and it completely free of charge! Programing offered is tailored specifically for JK to Grade 3, another for Grades 4 to and another for Grades 9 to 12. Each program is 30 minutes, and has an element of wellness and art woven into the session, as well as a small creative exercise and includes highlights from the collection. Feel free to share this program with anyone you think may may find this useful! You can register for the programing here.

Wychwood Park and it’s Pioneering Female Artists

Wychwood Park, a heritage neighbourhood in Toronto, was at one time a revered arts colony. In the late 1800s, numerous artists were drawn to the neighbourhood – home to luscious trees, a ravine and Taddle creek – to live and work. It was also home to two pioneering women artists, Mary Hiester Reid and Mary Wrinch which are both featured in two exciting new exhibits, Mary Wrinch: Painted from Life and The Open Door: Mary Hiester Reid and Hellen McNicoll . The above painting by Mary Hiester Reid, At Twilight, Wynchwood Park  is a beautiful rendering of this mysterious and private neighbourhood (which is very much worth an adventure if you have never been!). Make sure to check out these two short and delightful videos with assistant curator of Canadian Art, Renée van der Avoird and Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art, Georgiana Uhlyarik as they discuss the significance of the two Wychwood artists including their contributions to the AGO Collection here and here.

Closing soon: Photography, 1920s to 1940s: Women in Focus

Closing Soon

Photography, 1920s to 1940s: Women in Focus [Part II] is closing October 18th in gallery 128 

Eugene Haanel Cassidy: Plant Forms is closing October 18th in gallery 129

British Watercolours from J.M.W. Turner to Beatrix Potter is closing October 25th in gallery 127

Diane Arbus, Photographs: 1956-1971 is closing November 8th in Zacks Pavillion

Illusions: The Art of Magic is closing November 8th in Zacks Pavillion

Opening Soon

Documents, 1960s – 1970s opening October 31st in gallery 128

Dawoud Bey, John Edmonds, Wardell Milan opening October 31st in gallery 129

Recently Announced

Studio 54: Night Magic opening December 26th in Zacks Pavillion

Be well and stay healthy,

Christine, Trish and Nicole

Hello Everyone,

I have heard from several donors and trustees who have visited the AGO on their own, often on weekends, that their experiences were very positive. They were very complimentary about the service received from front-line staff and PSOs. This is a testament to everyone’s careful planning and ability to welcome our public even in a pandemic. Thank you to the employees who are on-site greeting and assisting visitors. You are doing an amazing job.

I’d also like to acknowledge, again, the contributions that Nan Oldroyd has made since her arrival a couple of years ago. The list is long and she made deep strides in further professionalizing our People Department. I wish her the very best in her new adventure. Nan, please visit us often at the AGO, you are always welcome.

Just before COVID-19 hit us in early March, as part of AGO Talks, we featured writer Desmond Cole as he launched his new book The Skin We’re In, which explored injustices experienced by many Black Canadians. Here is a link to the event including an audio recording. Here is a more recent article that further explores this topic. Please listen and/or read as we all continue to learn together about how to confront racist behavior in our city and Canada.

Finally – I appreciate those who are checking in on one another. Continue to be kind to one another. Consider contacting a colleague you haven’t seen in a while, just to say hi and to ask how they are doing. These gestures are deeply meaningful.

Thank you,

Stephan

·       P.S. I am excited about Art Toronto! The Art Toronto Virtual Preview takes place on October 28^th. Tickets are $30, which includes incredible programming. More info can be found here

Dear Everyone,

It is with regret that I announce that after more than two years as Chief of People, Nan Oldroyd has let me know that she will be leaving the AGO.

The news is bittersweet, as I will miss Nan’s wise counsel around the Leadership Team table and her Human Resources expertise, but she was presented with a unique offer that will allow her more quality time with her husband David and her family and friends. I completely understand her decision to focus on her personal life.

During her time at the AGO, Nan worked closely with her team and focused them on updating services for employees and volunteers, including:

• Creating new policies and programs that reflect our ever-changing reality under the pandemic, including a comprehensive orientation program focused on safety to support re-opening and flexible work and working remotely programs
• Working with the IDEA group on recent D&I training and rolling out the first ever culture, diversity and inclusion survey
• Shining a spotlight on the importance of mental health, by providing  more information and piloting a new mental health first aid training program
• Completing and gaining Board approval for the Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, Reprisal and Violence Prevention Policy
• Working with the Volunteer Council to support volunteers to serve our new audiences

Nan will be able to share where she will be going shortly and will be with us until October 30. In the meantime, I would like to take some time before her departure to talk to People team members to figure out next steps. Please stay tuned for a future announcement on how we will deal with her departure.

Please join me in thanking Nan for her many contributions at the AGO and wish her well in her next adventure.

Sincerely,

Stephan

Hello everyone,

NOTE: THE AGO REMAINS OPEN

A short while ago, as you might have heard, the province announced that we are rolling back to some Stage 2 restrictions due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. What this means for the AGO is that indoor dining in the Bistro will be closed as of tomorrow for the next 28 days. This is disappointing but understandable news. I know our F&B team has worked very hard to provide a safe space for our public to enjoy. I will personally miss having the fried chicken sandwich for the next few weeks but Bistro will open again. We are working with our colleagues in F&B to assist with the temporary closure and related communications. All other aspects of our operations will continue as usual – including Bistro takeout and pick up for the sold out Thanksgiving Dinner To-Go. We remain open to the public from Thursday to Sunday. The AGO is a very safe building thanks to everyone’s care and the health protocols put in place.

This week we shared the amazing news about the AGO’s new virtual school programs. Starting October 13, the AGO invites students, in school or at home, to participate in a new series of online guided art conversations, three times daily from Monday to Friday. And the programs are being offered free of charge! These curriculum-based conversations will emphasize the role of art in promoting wellness and they will connect to contemporary themes including Art and the Senses, Art of the African Diaspora, AGO Highlights and Indigenous Art and Artists. Please help us spread the word with your friends, family and teachers/educators. More than 6,000 students are registered for week one alone! You can find more info to share here.

For this week’s Diversity & Inclusion resource I am sharing this podcast of Letecia Rose speaking with Dr. Christopher Stuart Taylor on the topic of Decoding Black. Please take a few moments to listen, here.

Again, with the number of COVID-19 spiking in our city, please continue to follow health guidelines and avoid large social gatherings. This Thanksgiving will be different for sure but we still have so much to be thankful for in Toronto and Canada. I hope you all enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving. A special thanks to those who will be working at the Gallery this weekend.

Stephan

The Prints & Drawing team share their remembrances of the late Rheba Adolph, who passed away recently. Rheba was one of our longest-serving P&D volunteers, with 18 yeas of service. In 2019, the Gallery nominated Rheba for an Ontario Volunteer Service Award. We will all miss her greatly and are deeply saddened by this loss – Holly

Rheba was a true free spirit, intelligent, open to new ideas, and genuinely interested in other people. I have fond memories of her Friday morning public talks in the Study Centre. She was open to almost any topic but often chose to speak about 20thc. photographers such as Danny Lyon, George Hunter and Michael Disfarmer.  She looked at art with wonder and curiosity, drawing her audience into a close examination of the object while asking “why” the artist might have done it this way and encouraging individual interpretations. We left her talks as we left any encounter with Rheba herself – feeling stimulated and uplifted. – Brenda Rix, Manager, Prints & Drawings Study Centre.

Always the adventurer and humanitarian, Rheba volunteered to help in New Orleans post hurricane Katrina.  Due to her allergies she was unable to work with the crews to restore water damaged building and houses. Instead Rheba prepared and cooked countless savoury meals for the many volunteers.  

Another time Rheba went to a remote jungle location to volunteer.  She was billeted in a in a rundown house on her own. One night when Rheba went into the bathroom, she discovered a very large snake curled up in the bath.  Undaunted Rheba quickly dispatched of the snake using an axe.  – Barbara Engle, fellow volunteer.

She was such a unique individual — so bright & caring. I made sure to be at the AGO when Rheba was slated to give her talks and always looked forward to re-uniting with her. She had a strong interest in photography and gave talks on the following: Arthur Goss, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, George Hunter and Lotte Jacobi. It is because of her indirectly that I became involved at the AGO. My cousin Carol worked with her at CAMH. Rheba brought her in and Carol brought me in years later. She was truly a “Woman of Valour” – Cecile Freeman

We have lost a great mentor and friend. Rheba’s knowledge of art, culture, music and the artist behind the art, surpassed none. Her sense of innately curious nature and high intellect on what made the artist who they were and the what they were behind there art all with an effervescent quality. Not to mention admiring her caregiving skills and true connection and love with her soul mate and husband of over fifty years. On a personal level, as a dear friend I will also miss our discussions, over various foodie meals, and our trips to TIFF among others. – Barbara Glaser

My favourite P&D memories of Rheba are of sharing the night shifts with her on Wednesdays and First Thursdays.  When greeting people of all ages, backgrounds, or interests, her unbridled enthusiasm and curiosity could disarm even the most hesitant visitor and spark conversations on all manner of topics.  Her love and care for others was also evident on a hot Canada Day weekend in 2017.  Rheba and her husband Bob made the effort to transit cross town to Gallery 1313 on the last day of my Queen’s Bush exhibit.   I remember Bob’s warm appreciative smile as he sat and watched Rheba comment and inquire about every one of my images and then Rheba’s attentive loving care in return as they walked hand in hand through the courtyard to catch the streetcar for the long ride home.   Any conversation I had with Rheba brought joy and it is with joy she will be remembered. – Ruth Hartman

Rheba always made any place she occupied more welcoming and full of warmth. I always hoped we would share a shift at P&D because I knew that every visitor would be hypnotized by her interest in them. She had the gift of drawing in the most reticent making their visit special. She and Bob loved music and never missed a Toronto Summer Music event. It was a place where Bob felt comfortable after his stroke. And, of course, P&D was Rheba’s “ home away from home”. Her knowledge and passion leave a huge gap. A role model! – Jane Smith

Hello all, Coursera is offering a complimentary course, via the Faculty of Native Studies, at the University of Alberta, focusing on Indigenous Canada:

Indigenous Canada is a 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the Faculty of Native Studies that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada. From an Indigenous perspective, this course explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations. Topics for the 12 lessons include the fur trade and other exchange relationships, land claims and environmental impacts, legal systems and rights, political conflicts and alliances, Indigenous political activism, and contemporary Indigenous life, art and its expressions.

To sign up, follow the directions via Coursera, linked here.

Melissa Smith, Curator of Community Partnerships, is looking for volunteers to assist with this monthly program. Please reach out to her at [email protected] , preferably by Friday October 2 for more details – Holly

Hello Volunteers! I’m hoping that some of our 55+ Volunteers will be interested in volunteering to be part of the next instalments in our Seniors Social Program. You can see the videos we created over the summer here. Thank you, once again, to our previous stars, AGO volunteers Gavin O’Hara and Jennet Sandler!

This role includes working with Doris Purchase, an Art Educator and past Gallery Guide. She will coordinate meetings and recording a zoom video to talk about art. You will then meet again to record a zoom video of making art over a conversation. Please reach out to Melissa Smith by Friday October 2nd at [email protected], if you’re interested.

Thank you so much for your consideration!