I mentioned last week that my mother would be my guest at the Thomas J. Price public unveiling this week. She actually enjoyed a number of AGO visits, and I got to experience the museum from her perspective. One surprise and delight that she shared with me more than once was the diversity of our visitors. She sat in the new seating area in shopAGO for a long time just enjoying the ebb and flow of people.
I know that many staff and volunteers have been enjoying the museum, special events, and camps with their families this summer and that is one of the best parts of working in an art museum. A reminder as we move into another long weekend that we will be open to the public on Monday from 10:30am to 4:00pm. Thank you again to all of you who make it possible for us to open on a holiday Monday.
I will be on vacation with my family until August 17th and look forward to reconnecting then.
Join Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art for a guided tour of a true passion project, Joyce Wieland: Heart On
Wednesday September 17
6:00pm – 7:00pm
In-Gallery (5th Floor)
No registration required, just drop-in
this Curator’s Tour is exclusive to AGO volunteers
Bold, audacious, and colourful – are we talking about Georgiana, or Joyce? – it’s BOTH! Join Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art, for this special exhibition tour, organized exclusively for AGO volunteers, in recognition of your support for the exhibition through the Volunteer Endowment Trust.
About Joyce Wieland:
Born and raised in Toronto, Joyce Wieland (1930–1998) was one of Canada’s most prominent and prolific twentieth-century artists. Her career in the arts started in the mid-1950s at Graphic Films in Toronto. She spent the late 1950s and early 1960s drawing and painting, and was increasingly included in exhibitions across the country. By 1960, Wieland was represented by The Isaacs Gallery, with whom she continued to exhibit until the late 1980s. Her 1971 exhibition True Patriot Love Véritable amour patriotique was the first by a living woman artist ever held at the National Gallery of Canada. This groundbreaking presentation explored Canadian identity, the North and included a number of textile works, thereby inserting women’s traditional culture and craft into the previously male-dominated realms of the National Gallery and the contemporary artworld. The early 1980s signaled Wieland’s return to figurative drawing and painting. In 1987, the AGO organized her major retrospective, the first such exhibition to be dedicated to a living woman artist in the institution’s history.
About Georgiana Uhlyarik:
Prior to joining the AGO in 2002, Georgiana Uhlyarik held curatorial various roles at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, The Power Plant and the Gershon Iskowitz Foundation. She earned an Honours Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Toronto and a Master’s Degree in art history from York University. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at York University and University of Toronto. As co-lead of the AGO’s department of Indigenous and Canadian art, Uhlyarik’s area of specialty is the work of 20th-century women artists. Select exhibitions include: Florine Stettheimer (2017), Georgia O’Keeffe (2017), Introducing Suzy Lake (2014).
We look forward to seeing you there!
(as a guided exhibition walk-through, this talk can’t be recorded- please plan to attend!)
The public unveiling of the Thomas J. Price sculpture Moments Contained (2022) (photo below) is next Wednesday, July 30 at 6:30pm at Dundas and McCaul. The community will come together, the artist will say a few words, and live music will be played to celebrate. My mother will be my special guest! I hope to see you any maybe your families there.
The acclaimed printmaker reflects on her 70-year career and new AGO exhibition
Photo by Craig Boyko, AGO (2025)
“I aim to continue to find ways – through woodcut printmaking – to innovate.”
For Naoko Matsubara, it is crucial that her work be associated with the broader canon of modern art rather than pigeonholed as traditional Japanese printmaking. The multi-disciplinary artist has led a 70-year career and continues to be driven by a passion for breaking new ground.
Matsubara spoke to Foyer on the day of the exhibition’s opening. In a flowing white dress with a fragmented stripe design slightly reminiscent of her work, she reflected on her love of woodcut printmaking, her 70-year career, and her endless pursuit of artistic evolution.
Link to full story (and that exhibition video I can’t stop talking about!) – HERE:
Some but not all! We took a group photo at our recent staff & volunteer town hall, celebrating AGO 125
Hello Volunteers,
Our in house I.T. team has been working hard, since the Fall cyberattack, to restore AGO systems and data, while strengthening security. The link below leads to a folder called Launch Videos that has now been updated to include our recent Staff & Volunteer Town Hall, celebrating AGO’s 125th Birthday.
This was a particularly meaningful gathering, and in this video (titled June 2025 town hall) you’ll hear from guest speakers from across the Gallery, sharing their personal connections to the AGO, and memories over the years. There are some great gallery photographs of times gone by, curatorial talks by Julian Cox and Sophie Hackett, and a speech by our very own Barbara Glaser, Volunteer President, spotlighting and celebrating our volunteer program.
You’ll also find recent videos for our AGO Values: Working Together Town Hall, and the Joyce Wieland: Heart-On exhibition launch.
On Wednesday night we celebrated the opening of Naoko Matsubarain company with the 88-year-old artist herself. There was a warm feeling to the event. The woodcut prints and video installation are beautiful and poetic and I hope that you take the time to enjoy the exhibition.
Tonight, we celebrate the opening of Allison Katz: Inner Momentum. Allison Katz is the recipient of the 2023 Gershon Iskowitz Prize, and this is the Montreal-born artist’s AGO debut.
As you may know, Amy Furness, Rosamond Ivey Special Collections Archivist and Head, Library & Archives, will be moving on from the AGO on July 25 to become Chief Librarian of Victoria University at UofT. Amy made a lasting impression on many of us during her 23 ½-year tenure and leaves behind a robust artists’ archive made possible by her expertise, among other achievements that form her legacy.
The AGO is in many ways a launchpad. Artists exhibit their first solo show, the public discovers a new artist, and AGO staff move onto new opportunities.
A career-spanning presentation of 20 exuberant woodcut prints by one of Canada’s leading printmakers, in her first solo exhibition at the AGO, Naoko Matsubara demonstrates her masterful handling of the medium, exploring personal and art historical subjects. Composed of vibrant, complementary colours animated with incisions and wood grain, anchoring the exhibition is Tagasode (2014), a monumental 2 meter single-sheet print, recalling an ikō – a piece of furniture on which a kimono hangs.
Naoko Matsubarais a distinguished Japanese-Canadian woodcut print artist based in Oakville, Ontario. She was born in 1937 on Shikoku Island into a Shinto family, and grew up in Kyoto. She completed a BFA at the Kyoto Academy of Fine Art in 1960 and was a Fulbright Scholar at what is now Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, where she completed her MFA in 1962. Since 1960 Matsubara has had more than 75 solo exhibitions, in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Mexico.
*MUST WATCH: Make sure to watch the video documenting the artist, her life, work, studio and inspirations, in-gallery!
Recipient of the 2023 Gershon Iskowitz Prize at the AGO, Montreal-born, UK-based artist Allison Katz makes her AGO debut with an intimate presentation of new and recent works on canvas. Defying traditional categorization, her paintings merge realism with the fantastic, incorporating wordplay and literary, historical, and autobiographic details to upend viewers’ expectations.
Allison Katz was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1980 and currently lives and works in London, England. She studied Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal and received her MFA from Columbia University in New York. Katz’s work investigates the ways in which aesthetic practices link and absorb autobiography, information systems, graphic icons, and art history. Her diverse imagery, including roosters, cabbages, mouths, fairies and noses, appears as recurring signs that build a constellation of ideas and references, which transmute across the mediums of painting, posters, ceramics, and installations.
This week, Stephan hosted a group of our longest-serving volunteers for an informal coffee & Director’s chat in the Espresso Bar. Oh, the memories that were shared!
For the record (from the top of the table, clockwise):
Mary Henderson, 57 years of service
Helen Casse, 38 years of service
Joan London, 45 years of service
Barbara Glaser, Volunteer President, 15 years of service
Sybil Wilkinson, 45 years of service
Linda Tyrrell, 43 years of service
Stephan Jost
Ed Phillips, 39 years of service
= 282 combined years of volunteer service (!!!)
It was really quite moving to see everyone together. Mary, Helen, Joan, Barbara, Sybil, Linda and Ed – thank you for all you do for the Gallery, for all of these years!
An enclosed space for AGO staff & volunteer bicycle parking is now available at the southwest corner of the building, along Beverly Street.
To access and use the bike enclosure, staff and volunteers must first sign the AGO Bike Enclosure Waiver. After signing this agreement, users will receive the bike enclosure code. This code is intended for AGO staff & volunteer use only (sorry no friends, family or public). Volunteers, if you’d like to take part, please reach out to Holly Procktor ([email protected]), who will help facilitate these next steps for you.
What Staff & Volunteers Need to Know About Using the Bike Enclosure:
The area is for the exclusive use of AGO staff and volunteers to park bicycles.
The area has 23 racks which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This bike enclosure is for everyone! Please be considerate and don’t leave your bike for extended periods of time. Its intended use is a place for staff and volunteers to lock their bikes during their shifts at the AGO.
As Toronto cyclists know, please continue to be vigilant about locking your bike and securing any items. The goal of this enclosure is to add a deterrent and help AGO staff & volunteers have dedicated access to bike parking spaces.
Massive thanks to the Facility Services team – particularly Warren Wilson, Sean Betita, Tim Le, Richard Holborn and Rob Porporino, under the leadership of Linda Coslovi – for making this AGO staff bike enclosure a reality.
On Wednesday, July 30, the AGO will unveil Moments Contained (2023), a newly acquisitioned sculpture by internationally renowned artist Thomas J Price. This sculpture will be installed near Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill (2022), on the corner of McCaul Street and Dundas Street West.
On Monday, July 14, preparations for the installation will begin. Read below to learn more about this sculpture and important installation dates for staff and volunteers.
About Moments Contained
Moments Contained. Photo by Stefan Altenburger
Moments Contained is the first public artwork acquired by the AGO’s Department of Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora. The acquisition and presentation of Moments Contained was made possible by the generous contributions of a group of donors, the majority of whom are from Toronto’s Black and Caribbean communities. Lead support for the acquisition was from an anonymous donor, with significant support from David W. Binet and the Haynes-Connell Foundation.
In 2021, volunteers might recall the AGO exhibited Price’s sculpture Within the Folds (Dialogue 1) (2020). It stood on the site currently held by Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill (2022).
Standing 2.7 meters tall and made of lustrous black bronze, Moments Contained depicts a contemplative young Black woman, dressed in casual wear. Feet planted on the sidewalk, her demeanour is serene, and she appears outwardly confident, but the hands she hides in her pockets are visibly clenched, suggesting a tension between her inner thoughts and outward expression.
To learn more about Price and his work, visit his website.
Watch this video where Price speaks about this sculpture in his own words.
Unveiling Events on Wednesday, July 30
Staff and volunteers are invited to attend the public unveiling of the sculpture on Wednesday, July 30 at 6:30 pm, featuring remarks by Price and a special performance by Toronto musician Shakura S’Aida, as well as A Gospel Chorale led by Kiara Picart.
After the unveiling, Price will join Julie Crooks, Curator, Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora for a ticketed talk in Baillie Court. To purchase tickets for the talk, click here. Volunteers receive members’ pricing for talks – purchase a ticket onsite at the Welcome Desk (make sure to show your volunteer badge) or call in to get the discount (416 979 6608).
Installation Timeline
Beginning Monday, July 14: Preparation for Installation Day
A safety fence will be installed around the work zone.
A pathway to the Gallery’s main entrance will be maintained for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Monday, July 28: Installation Day
Heavy-duty equipment will be in use to install the sculpture.
Staff and volunteers are asked to please avoid the area if possible. Please use the South Entrance to enter and exit the Gallery when possible.
A selection of bike racks by Jackman Hall will be closed off due to their proximity to the installation site. As an alternative, staff can use the bike racks located on Beverley Street near Grange Park.
Wednesday, July 30: Public Unveiling & Ticketed Artist Talk
