2013 Press Releases
AGO appoints new executive chef Jeff Dueck
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has appointed Jeff Dueck to the role of executive chef, effective June 15, 2013.
Art Gallery of Ontario invites community to help honour over 5,000 child victims five years after deadly Sichuan earthquake
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will honour the youngest victims of the devastating 2008 earthquake in China’s Sichuan province by holding a live tribute on the opening weekend of its summer exhibition Ai Weiwei: According to What?
AGO presents legendary photographers Irving Penn, Arnaud Maggs and Richard Avedon for Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) shines new light on its own treasures this May with two new photography exhibitions co-presented with the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.
AGO 1st Thursdays parties like it's 1329 with exhibition-inspired bash
The Art Gallery of Ontario’s popular 1st Thursdays series returns on May 2, 2013, with a lineup inspired by the Gallery’s current exhibition Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art.
AGO Massive Party 2013 sets gold standard for Toronto art parties
On April 18, 2013, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will go for gold as it hosts 1,800 art lovers at its ninth annual Massive Party fundraiser.
AGO extends Patti Smith: Camera Solo to July 14 due to popular demand
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is thrilled to announce that it will extend Patti Smith: Camera Solo, the first exhibition of legendary musician and artist Patti Smith’s visual art in Canada, to July 14, 2013, due to an overwhelming response from visitors.
Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art opens this weekend at the AGO
Presenting rare Florentine masterpieces that have never before been shown in Canada, Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art opens at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) this weekend, on March 16, 2013. Tickets are now on sale at ago.net for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
AGO to bring modern masterpieces from the Guggenheim Museum to Toronto in November 2013
This fall the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will display a magnificent exhibition of avant-garde masterpieces from one of the world’s most prominent collections. The Great Upheaval: Modern Masterpieces from the Guggenheim Collection features nearly 70 works from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s collection in New York, including paintings and sculptures. The exhibition will be on view at the AGO from Nov. 30, 2013, to March 2, 2014.
Tickets for the AGO’s Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art go on sale March 2
The splendour and riches of the Early Renaissance come to life at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) from March 16 to June 16, 2013, in a large-scale exhibition of rare Florentine masterpieces that have never before been shown in Canada.
AGO Hires Andrew Hunter to Lead its Canadian Art Department
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has hired Andrew Hunter as its new Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art. With over 20 years experience, Hunter, an accomplished curator, artist, writer and educator, joins the AGO’s curatorial team on May 1, 2013.
Patti Smith: Camera Solo comes into focus for March edition of AGO 1st Thursdays
On March 7, 2013, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will draw inspiration from its newest photography exhibition, Patti Smith: Camera Solo, to throw a Patti Smith-inspired AGO 1st Thursday featuring two live performances by the legendary musician, poet and artist. A range of talks, activities and installations will nod to Smith, including a special showing of vintage rock artifacts from the Gallery’s prints and drawings vault.
AGO unveils playful new works by Kim Adams, winner of the 2012 Gershon Iskowitz Prize
Inventive and irreverent Canadian sculptor and installation artist Kim Adams, winner of the 2012 Gershon Iskowitz Prize at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), makes his return to the Gallery on Feb. 20, 2013, with the opening of Kim Adams: Recent Works. The exhibition, which highlights Adams’ love of miniatures, will be located in both the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Sculpture Atrium and the Thomson Collection of Ship Models, and runs to Aug. 11, 2013.
AGO transforms into KGO (Kids Gallery of Ontario) for Family Day 2013
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) celebrates Family Day 2013 by transforming for one special day into the Kids Gallery of Ontario (KGO). On Monday, Feb. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Gallery will be bursting with family-friendly art activities. Exploring the theme of “art explosion,” the day’s programming will offer families plenty of hands-on opportunities to “blow up” and break down art.
AGO’s new artists-in-residence Life of a Craphead present retrospective of “all the work they will ever create”
Artist collective Life of a Craphead has joined the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) to shake things up as its newest artist-in-residence. Based in the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre, the 12-week residency will include a live evening of performance on Feb. 10, 2013 and a satirical exhibition — showcasing works from both the collective’s past and future — opening on March 27, 2013.
Patti Smith: Camera Solo opens this weekend at the Art Gallery of Ontario
Opening at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) on Feb. 9, 2013, Patti Smith: Camera Solo marks the first showing of artist, musician and poet Patti Smith’s visual art in Canada. The exhibition, which features more than 75 works of photography, in addition to objects and film, will run to July 14, 2013.
AGO presents renowned Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller
Internationally celebrated artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller make their highly anticipated return to Toronto this spring with Lost in the Memory Palace, a selection of seven installations incorporating complex soundtracks, videos, objects and images that have never before been shown together in Canada. The exhibition, opening on April 6, 2013, and running to Aug. 18, 2013, will include the debut of a new as-yet-untitled work specially created by the duo for the AGO, as yet untitled.
AGO Exhibition Celebrates Internationally Renowned Toronto Artist Sorel Etrog
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) celebrates Toronto-based artist Sorel Etrog (b. 1933) with a career-spanning exhibition opening April 27, 2013. Internationally renowned for his public sculptures—more than a dozen of which can be seen in Toronto’s streetscape—this is the first comprehensive exhibition of Etrog’s work organized by a Canadian museum, offering visitors an opportunity to connect familiar works of civic art with the rich history of the artist. The exhibition runs to Sept. 29, 2013.
AGO takes it to the street with February’s 1st Thursday art party
On Feb. 7, 2013, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will hand over its keys to OCAD University curatorial graduate students to throw a 1st Thursday party featuring street-inspired art, music and food. This month’s programming includes street art workshops, pop-up installations and talks with local Toronto street artists, as well as a headlining performance by First Nations DJ collective A Tribe Called Red. Doors open to adults 19+ at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are now sold out, continuing a monthly trend that began when the series launched in October 2012.
Legendary Artist Patti Smith to Perform at the AGO in March 2013
In conjunction with its upcoming photography exhibition Patti Smith: Camera Solo, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is delighted to present two live performances by legendary artist Patti Smith on March 7, 2013. An Evening of Words and Song with Patti Smith will be part of the March lineup for the AGO’s popular 1st Thursdays program, with two separate performances at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
AGO Offers Art Day for Elementary Students in Case of School Closures on January 11
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) invites GTA students affected by possible school closures to spend a day with art. The AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre will be offering an Art Day for grades JK to 6 in the event that Toronto District School Board elementary schools are closed as a result of a one-day public elementary teachers’ day of protest on Jan. 11, 2013.
AGO Extends Weekend Hours to give Visitors Last Chance to Spend Time With Frida & Diego
Only two weeks remain to see Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics & Painting in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) before it wraps up its only Canadian appearance on Jan. 20, 2013.
Ring in the New Year with the AGO on January 3 with 1st Thursday Art Party
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) revs up 2013 with an irresistible Canadian-inspired 1st Thursday party on Jan. 3, 2013. Event-goers will enjoy art-making experiences, live music, art talks and rare out-of-the-vault sights from the Gallery’s collection of Canadian art. Doors open to adults 19+ at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, and revellers are encouraged to buy tickets in advance as they consistently sell out each month.
AGO Offers Unique Opportunities for Kids, Adults and Families to Learn and Have Fun
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) offers Torontonians an opportunity to unleash their creativity and learn new skills at one of North America’s leading art galleries. Registration for a brand new slate of winter education activities is now open at www.ago.net/learning, and classes begin on Jan. 12, 2013, in the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre.
AGO Hosts an Electrifying 1st Thursday Inspired by Frida & Diego
1st Thursdays returns to the Art Gallery of Ontario on Dec. 6, 2012, with a night of art, music and drinks inspired by the AGO’s hot fall exhibition, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting. Doors open to adults 19+ at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for this interactive late night fiesta, and party-goers are encouraged to buy tickets in advance as they regularly sell out.
Art Gallery of Ontario Puts the Art into Smart Holiday Shopping
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is the ideal place to find unique gifts this holiday season. Featuring interesting designer products from around the world, shopAGO and shopAGOkids make it easy to buy for everyone on your list with special promotions, extended store hours and a 16-page full-colour gift guide.
Jo Longhurst Wins The Grange Prize 2012
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and Aeroplan, an Aimia company, are pleased to announce that the public has chosen British photographer Jo Longhurst as the winner of The Grange Prize 2012.
The AGO Continues 1st Thursdays with Art, Drinks, Music and the Announcement of The Grange Prize 2012 Winner
The second installment of 1st Thursdays at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will build on the excitement of the program’s sold out October launch, as the AGO and Aeroplan, an Aimia company, announce the winner of the $50,000 Grange Prize 2012 for contemporary photography live in Walker Court on Nov. 1, 2012.
AGO’s New Artist-In-Residence Mark Titchner Takes It to the Streets in Collaboration with StreetARToronto
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) announces Turner Prize nominee Mark Titchner as its new artist-in-residence. As part of his eight-week residency at the AGO, the British artist will collaborate with the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto (StART) program to create several outdoor works around the city including a large-scale public mural on the west wall of the Drake Hotel.
AGO Lights Up 1st Thursdays with Art, Drinks, Music and Spectacle
Bringing together an impressive roster of artists, live music and interactive art projects, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) invites you to experience your art gallery in a brand new way at 1st Thursdays. Designed to engage and entertain, these interactive art nights out will feature a variety of performances, pop-up bars, art-making activities, artist and curator tours, talks and live events.
AGO Successfully Restores Chardin’s Masterpiece Jar of Apricots
After two years of careful research and conservation efforts, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has restored Jean-Siméon Chardin’s 1758 masterpiece, Jar of Apricots, to its former glory. This major undertaking commenced in 2010 with support from the BNP Paribas Foundation.
The Grange Prize Announces 2012 Shortlist for $50,000 Prize
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and Aeroplan, an Aimia company, announce the four finalists for The Grange Prize 2012, the only major Canadian art prize whose winner is chosen by public vote. Two artists from Canada and two from the United Kingdom have been shortlisted to compete for the $50,000 prize. Online voting begins today at www.thegrangeprize.com and is open until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2012.
Patti Smith to Present Solo Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario in February 2013
This winter the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will offer a glimpse into the world of legendary musician and artist Patti Smith through an intimate exhibition featuring over 75 works of photography, objects and film, on view from Feb. 9 to May 19, 2013.
Art Gallery of Ontario Extends Hours Due to Popular Demand for Picasso Exhibition
Time is running out to see the Art Gallery of Ontario’s (AGO) hot summer exhibition, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris before it concludes its only Canadian appearance on Aug. 26, 2012.
Art Gallery of Ontario Brings Evan Penny’s Hyper-Realistic Sculptures Home in Evan Penny: Re Figured
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) welcomes internationally renowned Toronto-based sculptor Evan Penny home with a large solo exhibition opening Sept. 20, 2012. Evan Penny: Re Figured will feature over 25 of Penny’s larger-than-life sculptures, each painstakingly crafted from layers of pigmented silicone, human hair, fabric and resin. Blending abstraction and figuration, Penny’s hyper-realistic sculptures straddle the line between object and image, presenting the human form both as it is and as it can be when imagined through the distorting lens of photography and digital media.
Art Gallery of Ontario Open on Monday, August 6 for Civic Holiday
With only three and a half weeks remaining, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s hot summer exhibition, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris is keeping its doors open this holiday Monday to allow more visitors to see the exhibition’s treasures before they disappear on Aug. 26.
AGO’s New Free App Lets Users Customize Their Photos with Different Artistic Styles
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) introduces AGO Express Yourself, a free new app designed to help visitors and the public creatively explore various artistic movements and media. In a few easy steps, users can see themselves transformed into a masterpiece. This engaging app is available for Apple iOS and Android devices, as well as online.
AGO Appoints Kitty Scott its new Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has appointed Kitty Scott as its new curator of modern and contemporary art. Scott assumes the curatorial role on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be tasked with expanding the profile of the Gallery’s modern and contemporary art collections for local and international audiences, while planning and organizing major exhibitions.
Art Gallery of Ontario’s Picasso Exhibition a Blockbuster Success
Picasso: Masterpieces from Musée National, Paris, the hit exhibition that made the only Canadian stop on its world tour at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), drew 308,582 visitors during its 17-week run, ranking as the fourth highest-attended exhibition in the AGO’s history.
AGO Partners with the J. Paul Getty Museum to Present Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art in March 2013
The splendour and devotion of the Early Renaissance come to life at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) next spring with a large-scale exhibition of Florentine masterpieces, presented in partnership with the world renowned J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
AGO Teams Up with Blyth Academy to Offer Summer School in the City
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is pleased to announce a partnership with Blyth Academy that will offer a unique summer school experience to students from across the GTA. Summer School in the City, administrated through Blyth Academy, will provide enriched, accredited secondary school art courses at the AGO and other leading cultural institutions.
AGO Launches New Children’s Store: shopAGOkids!
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is proud to announce the official opening of shopAGOkids, a brand new on-site retail space dedicated to offering art-inspired and design-conscious toys and products for children.
Contemporary Video Artist to Mine AGO Collection and Toronto’s Cultural Community
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is delighted to announce Hiraki Sawa as its next artist-in-residence. The London, U.K.–based, internationally recognized contemporary artist will be based in the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre through the end of June 2012. The Gallery’s Artist-in-Residence Program, the first of its kind at a major Canadian art museum, hosts as many as six artists each year for eight-week terms.
AGO Presents Performance Installation with VIA Rail and OCAD University
Artist Aimée Henny Brown, in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), OCAD University and VIA Rail, presents Overland Station: par voie de terre. This site-specific and interactive performance will stop at the AGO on May 17 at 6:30 p.m. for a free public performance, celebrating the mid-point of Brown's eight-day trip across Western Canada.
Artist Max Dean Launches Public Project at the AGO in Tribute to the Family Photo Album
After 10 years of collecting family photo albums from around the world, Canadian artist Max Dean is determined to pass them all onto new owners through a new public project developed by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), in partnership with the 2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).
AGO’s new David Milne Centre
Launching on Saturday, April 14, the newly expanded and relocated David Milne Centre invites visitors to engage with the work of one of Canada’s most celebrated artists through a uniquely personal lens. Combining art with archives, and implementing interactive research tools, the Centre is an innovative first for the AGO.
Famed Chinese Artist Zhang Huan Presented at the AGO
Incense and memory will pervade the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) this summer with the opening of Zhang Huan: Ash Paintings and Memory Doors, featuring recent works by acclaimed contemporary Chinese artist Zhang Huan. The exhibition, running from May 5 to Aug. 19, 2012, represents one piece of a city-wide celebration of the artist. It is his first solo exhibition in Toronto in over a decade.
Special AGO Exhibition Pays Tribute to Donor Ayala Zacks
A new exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) recognizes the extraordinary generosity of one the Gallery’s great patrons. A Tribute to Ayala Zacks (1912–2011) opens April 4, 2012 in the Frank P. Wood Gallery and includes significant works by celebrated artists including Marc Chagall, Giorgio de Chirico, Edgar Degas, Sonia Delaunay, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso.
Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris Celebrated with Special Programming
See the world through the eyes of a genius! Tickets go on sale this weekend for the Art Gallery of Ontario’s highly anticipated Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris nearly 50 years after the AGO’s last blockbuster presentation of Picasso’s works.
AGO Celebrates IAIN BAXTER& with Interactive Features and Special Events
The upcoming exhibition IAIN BAXTER&: Works 1958–2011, invites visitors to become collaborators by engaging with the artist and his work. Special events that highlight the interactive nature of the artist’s brand will complement and activate the exhibition, which is on view from March 3 to Aug. 12, 2012.
Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde Attracts Crowds, New Members to the AGO
The exhibition that brought the magic, whimsy and wonder of Marc Chagall and other visionaries of Russian modernism to the Art Gallery of Ontario drew 152,637 visitors during its 13-week run, ranking as the eighth best-attended exhibition in the AGO’s history.
AGO and TDSB Team Up To Fuel Passion for Art
Hundreds of Toronto District School Board (TDSB) students and educators will be able to visit the Weston Family Learning Centre at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) each year for hands-on experience of art thanks to a new five-year partnership between the TDSB and the AGO.
AGO to Present Major Exhibition of Picasso Works in 2012
In 2012, the Art Gallery of Ontario will present a major survey of masterworks by the most inventive and influential artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso. The exhibition will be on view at the AGO for just 17 weeks, from May 1 through August 26, 2012.