2010 Press Releases
AGO Opens Family-Friendly Exhibitions for Holidays
Just in time for the holidays, the AGO is opening a group of intimate exhibitions that feature the work of two remarkable storytellers – Aesop and Walter Trier.
AGO Partners with Centre Pompidou to Bring Masterworks by Chagall, Kandinsky to Toronto
Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde to go on view in October 2011. The Art Gallery of Ontario is bringing the magic, whimsy and wonder of Marc Chagall to Toronto next fall with a major exhibition organized by the Centre Pompidou.
AGO Opens the Gates to India’s Royal Courts
The splendour, luxury, and legacy of India’s greatest kings will be experienced by visitors to the Art Gallery of Ontario beginning this Saturday at 10 am, when Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts opens to the public.
AGO Maharaja Exhibition Will Be an Immersive Experience for the Entire Family
The exhibition, a Canadian exclusive, features more than 200 treasures spanning three centuries, including opulent jewellery, ornate weaponry, stunning artwork, and the Star of India — the legendary 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II custom-built for His Highness Thakore Sahib Dharmendrasinhji Lakhajiraj of Rajkot.
AGO Acquires Record Ten Works at Art Toronto 2010
Ten works by four contemporary Canadian artists will be joining the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario after an evening of important acquisitions at the annual art fair’s Opening Night Preview. Four works by Kingston-based artist Mike Bayne, four works by Montreal-based artist Adad Hannah, and a work each from Toronto-based An Te Liu and Vancouver-based Ron Terada were purchased with funds raised at the preview, a benefit for the AGO.
Never-Before-Seen Works at the AGO Reveal a Darker Side to Henry Moore
An exhibition heralded by the Guardian as “the most important exhibition of [Henry] Moore’s work for a generation” is coming to the Art Gallery of Ontario this fall.
Toronto Artist Allyson Mitchell Brings a “Well of Forbidden Knowledge” to the AGO
For the fourth installment of the AGO’s ongoing Toronto Now series, local artist Allyson Mitchell transforms the Young Gallery into a provocative and fantastical lesbian feminist library with her installation 'A girl’s journey to the well of forbidden knowledge'.
AGO’s Maharaja Exhibition will be FREE to Visitors Under 25
The corporate community has come together with an unprecedented sponsorship in support of the Gallery’s major fall exhibition. Thanks to generous support from Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. , The Globe and Mail, Rogers Communications Inc. , and Scotiabank Group, the Art Gallery of Ontario is thrilled to announce that admission to Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts is free to visitors 25 years of age and under.
Construction Underway at the Art Gallery of Ontario
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Whitby-Oshawa, Matthew Teitelbaum, CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), and Geordie C. Dalglish, Chairman of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, today celebrated the unveiling of the design and construction progress of the Gallery's new Weston Family Learning Centre.
AGO Mounts Three-Part Exhibition Featuring the Work of Eva Hesse, Betty Goodwin and Agnes Martin
This fall, the fourth floor of the Vivian and David Campbell Centre for Contemporary Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario will feature AT WORK: Eva Hesse - Studiowork, Betty Goodwin - Work Notes, Agnes Martin - Work Ethic.
Shary Boyle’s Flesh and Blood to go on display at AGO
July 28, 2010. This fall the AGO will reinstall four of its first-floor European galleries to host a special exhibition featuring the bold and imaginative work of Toronto-based artist Shary Boyle. Shary Boyle: Flesh and Blood will be on view from September 15 through December 5, and includes more than 30 recent works by the artist.
Groundbreaking artist, community leader Will Munro to be featured in AGO’s Toronto Now series
July 23, 2010. Provocative artist. Community builder. Deejay. Restaurateur. Activist. Inimitable party-thrower. Will Munro was all of these things and much more to many Torontonians, and the AGO is celebrating his life and work in the newest installment of the Gallery’s Toronto Now series.
Canadian Exclusive: The Great Kings of India Hold Court at the AGO
July 7, 2010. First exhibition to comprehensively explore the world of the Maharajas. This fall the Art Gallery of Ontario opens its doors to the magnificent world of India's great kings.
AGO Appoints Elizabeth Smith As New Executive Director of Curatorial Affairs
June 22, 2010. After a five-month global search, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has hired Elizabeth Smith as its new Executive Director of Curatorial Affairs.
Art Gallery of Ontario to Close G20 Weekend
(Toronto: June 7, 2010) – As the city ramps up for the upcoming G20 summit, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will close to the public early at 4 pm on Friday, June 25 and remain fully closed on the weekend of June 26 and 27 as a result of the anticipated traffic interruptions and road closures.
Toronto Now series continues with artist collaboration
The AGO’s Toronto Now series continues with the installation of 11:11, a collaborative work featuring Toronto-based artists Sebastian Butt, Janis Demkiw, Olia Mishchenko, Sandy Plotnikoff and Christine Swintak. 11:11 will be on view from June 5 to July 25, in the Young Gallery, a free, street-level space adjacent to Frank restaurant, facing Dundas Street.
Aeroplan and the AGO Announce the 2010 Grange Prize Shortlist
May 27, 2010. Four leading-edge photographers — two Canadian and two American — have been recognized for their excellence and chosen as finalists for the 2010 Grange Prize, presented by Aeroplan and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Unprecedented Partnerships Bring Drama to Life at AGO
May 25, 2010. The Art Gallery of Ontario’s major summer exhibition will feature the voices of Stratford’s brightest stars, live performances from cast members of the Canadian Stage TD Dream in High Park, and Degas-inspired ballet performances by Opera Atelier’s Artists of Atelier Ballet.
AGO to Mount Major Julian Schnabel Exhibition
May 6, 2010. American art superstar Julian Schnabel has spent his life pushing the limits of painting and crossing artistic boundaries as an award-winning filmmaker. Now, for the first time, a major retrospective examines the connections between painting and film in Schnabel’s work.
AGO bids farewell to the Golden King
May 3, 2010. The reign of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs has ended with resounding success. During its 24-week run, King Tut attracted 404,364 visitors, 47 per cent of whom were making their first visit to the AGO. The exhibition is the third most attended in the Gallery’s history and the most visited since The Barnes Exhibit in 1994.
Canadian and U.S. Photographers Compete for 2010 Grange Prize
April 28, 2010. Four leading-edge photographers, two Canadian and two American, will have the opportunity to win the $50,000 Grange Prize, presented by Aeroplan and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
CANADIAN GIRLS SPEAK OUT!
Girl Guides of Canada – Guides du Canada (GGC) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) are pleased to present a photography exhibition that speaks volumes about what girls care about in their communities. Canadian Girls Say… officially launches on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at the AGO
AGO Pays Homage to the History of Playing with Pictures
Sixty years ahead of the avant-garde, aristocratic women of the 1860s and 1870s combined photographs and watercolours to create the little-known phenomenon of Victorian photocollage. From June 5 to September 5, the Art Gallery of Ontario hosts Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage, organized by the Art Institute of Chicago.
Art Gallery of Ontario Appoints Bernita Kiefte as Executive Director, Marketing and Communications
Toronto, April 7, 2010. Kiefte brings a powerful blend of leadership strengths to the AGO from marketing, business development, coaching and organizational development, as well as volunteer engagement in arts communities.
AGO Extends King Tut’s Reign
April 6, 2010. The Art Gallery of Ontario will extend its blockbuster exhibition King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs for two additional weeks through May 2 due to high demand for tickets. To date, the Gallery has sold over 300,000 tickets to the exhibition, currently making its only Canadian stop at the AGO.
American Artist Barbara Kruger to Appropriate AGO Façade
April 1, 2010. The Art Gallery of Ontario’s Dundas Street façade is about to get a new look: Commissioned CONTACT installation will span the length of a full city block.
City Organizations Partner with AGO and No.9 to Bring Contemporary Art to Inner-City Students
March 25, 2010. The Art Gallery of Ontario and No. 9: Contemporary Art and the Environment are partnering with the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Public Library, and the World Wildlife Fund to bring contemporary art and environmental education to 10,000 inner city elementary students across the GTA.
AGO Puts Focus to Local Artists for Toronto Now Series
February 12, 2010. An extraordinary grouping of works by leading-edge contemporary artists will be on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario this spring in a major new exhibition titled Sculpture as Time: Major Works. New Acquisitions.
AGO’s Massive Party Speakeasy
With over 700 tickets sold, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Massive Party Speakeasy is fast approaching. The event takes place April 8, 2010, and co-chairs Gillian Hewitt Smith and Dan McClure have confirmed some very hush-hush details about this year’s lineup of artists and entertainers.
AGO's Major Summer Exhibition Brings the Drama
March 15, 2010. Lust. Passion. Murder. Many of the greatest artists of the 19th century shared a profound fascination with the theatre and its themes of triumph and destruction, love and despair. This summer, the Art Gallery of Ontario gives centre stage to key artworks by these artists in a major international exhibition titled Drama and Desire: Artists and the Theatre, opening June 19 and continuing through September 26.
The Golden King is Toronto’s Golden Ticket
February 24, 2010. The people of Toronto are coming out in droves to catch a glimpse of the treasures of Tutankhamun – ticket sales to the Art Gallery of Ontario’s blockbuster exhibition King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs have reached 250,000.
Government of Canada Invests in AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre
February 22, 2010. The Art Gallery of Ontario’s much anticipated Weston Family Learning Centre received a major boost from the federal government with today’s announcement of a $7.5 million funding contribution from the government’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.
Landmark Works, Emerging Artists Featured in Major Sculpture Exhibition
February 12, 2010. An extraordinary grouping of works by leading-edge contemporary artists will be on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario this spring in a major new exhibition titled Sculpture as Time: Major Works. New Acquisitions.
Anselm Kiefer Installation an International Coup for the AGO
February 8, 2010. Acclaimed international artist Anselm Kiefer’s monumental installation Palmsonntag (Palm Sunday) is coming to the Art Gallery of Ontario this March. Kiefer, known for his epic themes and operatic flair, will be adapting and adding to the installation for its Canadian premiere at the AGO, opening March 4 and continuing through August 1.
Provocative Artist Wangechi Mutu to Tear Up Gallery Walls in Canadian Debut
February 3, 2010. The daring collage-based works of Kenyan-born Wangechi Mutu will be on display this winter at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which will host the first solo exhibition of Mutu’s socially charged artwork at a major North American museum.
Dr. Ydessa Hendeles Makes AGO History with Contemporary Art Donation
January 21, 2009. Leading art collector and philanthropist Dr. Ydessa Hendeles is donating an extraordinary collection of 32 Canadian and international contemporary artworks to the AGO, the most significant single gift of contemporary art in the AGO’s 110-year history.
New and classic works by Françoise Sullivan to go on display at AGO
January 19, 2010. An exhibition celebrating the career of pioneering Canadian artist Françoise Sullivan will open at the Art Gallery of Ontario on February 10, 2010, marking Sullivan’s receipt of the 2008 Gershon Iskowitz prize.
AGO looks at art through economic turmoil
January 5, 2010. As we climb out of the current economic crisis, the Art Gallery of Ontario presents a look at how art stimulated the economy and revived American spirits during the 1930s.