So close to home, Toronto’s Art Gallery of Ontario has been the province’s premier destination for viewing the nation’s art heritage. Founded more than 100 years ago as the Art Museum of Toronto, the AGO is now one of North America’s largest museums, boasting 583,000 square feet of physical space.
If you haven’t been to the AGO in a while, now is the time to return!
The museum includes such revered collections as the European Old Master Collection, historical photography ranging from the 1840s to present day, an outstanding collection of historical Canadian art, modern and contemporary collections as well as the largest African and Oceanic collections in Canada.
This spring there are a number of exhibitions, special to the AGO, that may interest you. In addition to the museum’s regular collections, these exhibitions can also be viewed during specific dates.
This is the last week you’ll be able to view the Lucy Tasseor Tutsweetok exhibit. On until April 1, this collection is comprised of unique sculptures cared in tough grey steatite stone using traditional Arviat steel tools. This exhibition features more than 40 pieces by Tasseor from the ‘60s through the ‘90s.
For the next six weeks you can also visit the AGO to see Jack Chambers’ Light, Spirit, Time, Place and Life exhibit. These four recurring themes were evident in all of Chambers’ work. Collectively they open the viewer’s eyes to new ways of seeing his world and their own. In his home town of London, Ontario, Chambers developed his realistic style, called Perceptual Realism, using his camera to capture his family, home and places in the city. Chambers then recreated the photographs in paint.
Starting in May, you can visit the AGO to see the Picasso exhibit. Featuring masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso in Paris, this major survey of masterworks features more than 150 pieces from the Paris museum. Tickets go on sale to the public starting March 31, but if you’re already an AGO member you can book your tickets now.
Over the years the AGO has seen so many beautiful exhibits come through the doors. What was your favourite?
