Work in Progress: See you at the show!
August 27th, 2010
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters candidate in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and is an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Well, the time has come for my internship here at the AGO to draw to a close, which unfortunately means that my blog posts about the upcoming exhibition At Work: Hesse Goodwin, Martin will have to end also. But don’t worry, you’ll only have to wait a few short weeks before the exhibit opens, and you can see first hand everything I have been writing about!
With this blog, and with the show, we wanted to focus on the hard work that is involved in any artistic endeavour, whether it is painting, sculpting, writing, or creating an exhibit. I hope you have enjoyed hearing about the amazing work of Eva Hesse, Betty Goodwin and Agnes Martin, and about what goes on behind the scenes here at the AGO. I know I have had a great time learning about, working on, and writing about this exhibition, and I hope I have been able to communicate some of that excitement to you! I look forward to seeing you all when the exhibition opens on September 22nd.
Drama and Desire: A Feast For The Senses!
August 24th, 2010
Alex Dault
What would you do in an art gallery if you couldn’t see? We each see art in our own way. This could not be truer for our visually impaired visitors, for whom ‘seeing’ is a multi-sensory experience.
For the past few months I have been one of the participating gallery guides in the development of multi-sensory tours for the visually impaired. In these tours we are aided by a briefcase of tools (e.g. raised paintings and musical clips) that make use of our sense of smell, hearing and touch to explore our collection. Drama and Desire is its own briefcase! My fellow guide, Myra, and I were able to lead a multi-sensory tour for a group of visually-impaired teenagers using many of the exhibition’s special features to help them see the art by way of their sense of hearing and touch.
Having our visitors feel with their hands the structure of the arches and columns at the entrance of the exhibition, we explained the idea of ‘trompe l’oeil’ and discussed the methods by which artists create perspective in their paintings. We stood in front of The Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David., and reflected over the hard choice these three young men had to make. Our next stop was Antigonus in the Storm by Joseph Wright of Derby, where each visitor took a turn at creating a fantastic storm by spinning the wind and rain machines.
Our tour culminated in the unique experience of meeting our Drama and Desire actor, Alex Dault. He met us in front of Joseph Wright of Derby’s Romeo and Juliet where he transported us into the story through the emotion in his voice, as well as his dramatic interpretation of the prologue of the play. Alex also let our visitors feel the texture of his silk blue costume, the white lace of his shirt, the rich velvet of his hat, and the ticklish softness of his hat’s long white feather. In doing so they gained a better appreciation for the textures of the time period of the exhibition and the characters that come alive in it.
Alex finished with a beautiful vivid description of Paolo and Francesca by Gaetano Previati. After listening to the story all of our visitors agreed that Francesca had not made use of all her senses on her wedding night, or else she would have definitely figured out that it was Giovanni, and not Paolo that she was with. And this is one of the great lessons that our visitors and Drama and Desire taught me: we cannot limit our experience of art to our sense of sight.
In the words of one of our young visitors, for whom this was the third time at the AGO, “Drama and Desire is full-on awesome!” The next time you walk through our exhibit, take note of the rich textures of the theatre props that hang in each room; feel the emotion of King Lear as he banishes his daughter Cordelia; close your eyes and listen to the music in the Degas room as you imagine yourself sitting in the orchestra pit of the Paris Opera; watch a performance by Opera Atelier or Canadian Stage; and most importantly, use all of your senses!
Written by Jessica Duarte
Work in Progress: Audio Stations for At Work
July 30th, 2010
Audio visual station
The past couple of weeks have been exciting around here, at least for me, as I am starting to see everything I have been working on for our upcoming show, At Work: Hesse, Goodwin, Martin, be realized. One of those things has been the audio elements we’d like to include in the show. While we are not producing a traditional audio guide, we will have some audio stations in the galleries, to provide you, our visitors, with a different way to gain insight into the lives and work of the artists. The process of creating these audio elements has been very interesting. Scripts need to be written, interview questions thought of, extensive editing done by our media team…I didn’t even know that an art gallery would have a recording studio, and now I can say that I have sat in one!
Audio stations can be a great way to provide different perspectives on the artwork in an exhibit, particularly when they are varied in terms of content and style. When At Work opens, you will have the opportunity to listen to one of our archivists talk about visiting Betty Goodwin’s studio and why the AGO is so interested in her notebooks. For a completely different experience, you will also be able to sit back, relax and listen to a soothing recording that guides you through a new way of looking at Agnes Martin’s work, The Islands.
If you are interested in getting a sense of some of the work featured in the show in audio form, Matthew Teitelbaum, the Director of the AGO discusses Agnes Martin’s painting The Rose, featured in this exhibition, as part of the AGO’s pre-existing Director’s Highlights podcast series.
Click here to play:
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What are your thoughts on audio stations or tours? Do you use them, and if so, do they enhance your experience in the gallery?
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters student in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Work in Progress: Writing for At Work
July 23rd, 2010
My desk
Hello again! I’m still here, working away on At Work: Hesse, Goodwin, Martin. Only now, instead of being lost in the stacks of the library, or clutching my coffee at the meeting room table, I can be found with my eyes glued to my computer, writing, writing, writing!
One of the most common ways for galleries and museums to help visitors learn more about the objects in exhibits is through written material. This is usually in the form of wall panels and labels. Because we know that people usually visit the gallery to experience art, and don’t necessarily want to read a dissertation, the process of deciding what text to include in exhibits, and what information it contains, is a carefully considered one. And interpretive planners play a large part in this process.
Text panel in the fourth floor contemporary galleries
Right now I am valiantly trying to take all of the research that I have done, all the knowledge the curators have, and turn that into something that people will want to read! How do I present all the necessary information without it being overwhelming? How do we make sure that the content of the text fits with the overall theme of the show? And how do I write in a way that is engaging and that enhances visitors’ own personal experience with the art?
One thing we’d like to include as part of the text in this show is the writing of the artists themselves. Agnes Martin in particular wrote poetry and essays, and kept journals. Her writing gives an insight into her life, and this knowledge helps me look at her art in a different way. What do you think? Can reading an artist’s writings help you interpret their art?
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters student in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Work in Progress: Installation planning in At Work
July 16th, 2010
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters candidate in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and is an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Before I started working in museums and galleries, I never really thought about the placement and installation of elements of an exhibition; I just enjoyed seeing and learning about art and artifacts. I didn’t wonder whether a painting was hung in a certain space only because it wouldn’t fit on another wall, or whether a text panel was placed so that it would be one of the first things you saw from the entrance to the exhibit. These are important considerations, and I am glad I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about the process of installation planning.
The placement of the art in At Work: Hesse, Goodwin, Martin is the responsibility of the curators, but so many different factors have to be taken into account, and curators get input from many different sources. Designers figure out how everything fits on the floor plan, and engineer the display elements. Conservators decide whether a given work is too fragile to hang near a window, where sunlight could damage it. Preparators determine the best way to install a work given its size, weight and materials, and the desired location. And interpretive planners point out how the placement of art can shape the message of the exhibit, and influence visitors’ interpretations.
One of the major installation projects for At Work involves archival material from Betty Goodwin’s studio. We want visitors to see how Betty Goodwin worked through her ideas and planned her artwork, and we think a great way to do this is to exhibit her many, many notebooks, which contain her sketches and writings. We want to place them right next to some of her finished works, so that you can see both the early stages and end products of her creative process. So laying out the notebooks (there are over 80 of them!), and constructing and placing cases for them is occupying everyone’s minds right now.
And, as I mentioned, this planning process isn’t just applied to art! We have to decide where to put text panels, audio stations, and video screens. What makes sense in terms of the message of the exhibit? Are visitors more likely to notice a text panel if we put it on the left or the right side of the room? Will visitors have enough room to move around if we put a case here? Are electrical outlets available for the video locations? These are all very basic pragmatic concerns, but they are so important to the outcome of the exhibit. As much as it is a lot of work, this process really lets us see how everything is coming together.
Work in Progress: Putting the ‘art’ in Participation
July 9th, 2010
What kind of experiences do you enjoy when you visit art galleries? What do you find the most captivating elements of an exhibition? And what can galleries do to really draw you in, and get you intimately involved with art?
These are some of the things I am thinking about as I continue working on the interpretive strategies that will be a part of At Work: Hesse, Goodwin, Martin. What are ‘interpretive strategies,’ you say? Well, last week I talked about interpretive planning, and these strategies are basically just the components of the exhibition that we use to connect you to the art, to kick-start the process of interpretation, of understanding, that you engage in every time you look at a work of art. We write all of these elements into an ‘interpretive plan,’ which is our road map to exactly how each theme, idea and piece of information contained in the exhibit is communicated. As I mentioned previously, video is one method of interpretation, as are text, audio tours/guides, and hands on activities. Interpretive strategies are even at work (pardon the pun) outside the exhibition space, in the form of events, lectures and online activities.
Drawing station in the Henry Moore gallery
One of the things that we at the AGO think is vital to interpretation is the element of participation. We want visitors to feel involved and active, not just resigned to shuffling through the galleries, diligently looking at each work for the requisite 5 seconds, and moving on. Engaging visitors in the process of interpretation, and even in creating exhibition content, is something that museums and galleries are putting more and more emphasis on. If you’re interested, you can read about some really neat ideas on participation in arts institutions on Nina Simon’s Museum 2.0 blog. The AGO already has some great strategies in place to invite visitor participation and engagement, like the drawing stations you may have seen in the galleries. It’s wonderful to see people taking the opportunity to be creative, and the contributions (which we do look at) from our visitors are often amazing responses to, and critiques of, our collections and exhibitions.
Sculpture station
So how are we going to get our visitors engaged in At Work? How about a chance to flip through the notes and sketches of Betty Goodwin, to see how she planned her artwork? What about the opportunity to work with some of the materials Eva Hesse used in her sculpture, and to create and/or collaborate on a piece of your own? Or a contemplative, guided listening experience to help you immerse yourself in the serene world of Agnes Martin’s The Islands? I hope these potential ideas sound interesting to you, as I am very excited by all the possibilities.
But now we have to figure out what we have to do to get them off the ground. What do we have to buy, build, photograph or record? How long is this going to take, and who is going to do it? This is where exhibitions really are a giant team effort, with curators, designers, interpretive planners, conservators, and exhibition services staff all coordinating and communicating with one another on how to make everything happen. It’s a lot of fun, but I suspect I’m going to be very busy…..
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters student in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Work in Progress: Interpretive planning in At Work
July 2nd, 2010
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters candidate in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and is an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
The work on At Work continues! The research phase is over (the amount of time I have spent in the AGO library is truly alarming), and now we move on to the planning stages. This entails many, many meetings, brainstorming sessions, and flow charts (basically I get to channel my inner kindergartener and use brightly coloured markers and flip-chart paper). The curators, interpretive planners, and myself, the illustrious Interpretive Planning Intern, do all of this to figure out how we can make At Work the most engaging and interesting exhibit it can be.
You may well ask – what on earth is interpretive planning? This is not a silly question; a year ago I couldn’t have told you either, and now I am looking to make it a career! Interpretive planners basically act as liaison between gallery visitors and curators. We map out how to best present the art, which the curators so carefully select, along with all of the incredible knowledge curators have, in a way that makes you, the visitor, excited to see and know more.
Doing this involves asking questions: What do visitors already know about a particular artist, style or subject? What information do we want to present in the exhibition? And, most importantly, how can we help you have a satisfying experience in the gallery and be as captivated and excited by the art as we are? Many of these questions are answered by you, our visitors. On a visit, you may have seen staff members, or interns like me, standing in galleries. Perhaps we pestered you with questions, hoping to hear your feedback. We’re always curious to hear what you like, what you don’t like, and what you think could be improved upon in our exhibits, and what you tell us, along with all this other information, informs how we create and design upcoming shows.
I have had the opportunity to talk to a number of visitors in the past few weeks, and one of the things that many people really seemed to enjoy was hearing artists talk about their work in their own words. Video interviews or documentaries playing in the gallery allowed them to learn more about that artist’s background and inspirations. So, some of the things we are considering as we move forward in planning At Work are, do we use videos in the exhibit? If so, which ones, and where do we put them? How can we best provide information on the lives of Eva Hesse, Betty Goodwin and Agnes Martin so that you, the visitor, can have a fulfilling experience engaging with their art?
Some of our past in-gallery videos are posted on here on the Art Matters blog – you should check them out, and let us know what you think! Do you watch videos in museums and art galleries? What are you interested in finding out about artists and their work? What helps you better engage in the process of interpretation that you as a visitor undertake when you visit an art gallery? I really want to know!
To give you an idea of some of the art that will be featured in this show, here is a video clip of curator Briony Fer discussing the studiowork of Eva Hesse, at the Fruitmarket gallery in Edinburgh, where these pieces are coming to us from.
Work In Progress: Behind the scenes of At Work
June 25th, 2010
Kendra Ainsworth is a Masters candidate in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto, and is an Interpretive Planning intern at the AGO.
Work is a learning experience, a process of self-discovery, whether you are an artist, student, CEO, or an intern like me. Everyday you are improving your skills, contributing to your field, and (hopefully!) making a name for yourself.
These are concepts that the artists featured in an upcoming exhibition have grappled with, and which play out in their art. The show, appropriately titled At Work, opens September 22nd, and focuses on the artistic practice of three seminal female artists active during the 60s and 70s: Eva Hesse, Betty Goodwin and Agnes Martin. These three women were incredibly dedicated to their work, and were constantly pushing the boundaries of their respective fields, and of their practice. This exhibition presents a unique opportunity to peer into the inner world of their lives, studios and art.
Before anyone gets a chance to see the show, I’d like to show you what goes on behind the scenes – the work that goes into the making of an exhibition. With this weekly blog series, I’d like to share my perspective on the processes involved in creating an exhibit for the AGO, as I learn about them.
Although I am an intern here at the AGO, I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, an art expert. And when I was first informed that I would be working on this exhibit, I was a little terrified! Much like many visitors to the AGO, visual art and art history are not my background, and although I appreciate art, there will always be more for me to learn. The first step for me in the process of developing this exhibition was to learn about these three artists, and study their work, in much the same way that curators do. I went to the library, took out stacks of books, read artist profiles, looked at images, and made notes, all the while trying to gain insights into the inspiration, drive, and processes of these women that allowed them to create paintings and sculpture as arresting as the ones that you will see in this exhibition.
I hope that you will follow along with me through my work on this exhibition, and get an insider’s view on what goes on behind the scenes at the AGO. Perhaps you will get inspired yourself, whether to do something creative, to come see the exhibit when it opens, or just to think about the work you do in your day to day life, and what it teaches you about the world, and about yourself.
Sneak Peak: Stage Props and Theatrical Effects in Drama and Desire (Video)
June 17th, 2010
Designer Gerard Gauci, together with a team of set painters, has created a seductive entry into Drama and Desire: Artists and the Theatre. It’s based on 18th trompe l’oeil painting techniques used in the theatre. The arches behind the lush draperies were inspired by the most famous painting in the exhibition‚ Jacques-Louis David’s Oath of the Horatii.
If you look carefully, you can see the way these recreations of 18th century stage flats were constructed and how they would have appeared to performers. In-house painters have aged the new plywood to give visitors a real sense of what it was like to be on stage over 250 years ago.
The AGO is borrowing stage props from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the Canadian Opera Company, Canadian Theatre Museum and Opera Atelier to enliven the lobby as well as the exhibition itself. Alec Guinness’s sword from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s 1953 production of Richard III and the head of John the Baptist from a COC production of Salome are just a few of the surprises in store for visitors.
The AGO has negotiated the loan of archival books and a toy theatre from the University of Toronto’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The Toronto Public Library is lending personal memorabilia of the most famous actress of the late 19th century, Ellen Terry, to complement the startling portrait of her as Lady Macbeth by American painter John Singer Sargent. We’ve also borrowed jewel beetles (dead ones that is) from the Royal Ontario Museum to replicate the ones sewn into her very controversial costume.
In the 18th century several different machines were used to create sounds effects in the theatre. This is an authentic recreation of a wind machine. Visitors can turn the crank and create a really believable simulation of howling winds.
Lighting and sound technicians are busy concocting a storm with waves crashing, thunder, and lightning bolts to bring an English landscape painting to life. 18th century style stage machines that make the sound of rain and wind have already been constructed and only await visitors to activate them. The sound of rain is made from putting beads in a drum and rotating it, while the sound of wind is created from canvas passing over wood.
French painter Edgar Degas loved to hang out at the Paris Opera House observing ballet dancers both on and off stage. Elaborate red velvet drapes and crystal chandeliers will evoke the atmosphere of a reception room at the Opera and create an appropriate setting for seven wonderful Degas paintings of dancers. (We intend to move the sky-jack before the show opens!)
Drama and Desire starts with a recreation of an 18th century stage set and concludes with one from the early 20th century. Englishman Edward Gordon Craig designed this set for Hamlet in 1911. At the time, its stark white forms made it the most revolutionary of the day. It still looks remarkably contemporary today. Hamlet’s voice performing the famous “To be or not to be‚” soliloquy will be heard as visitors approach the columns. A strong light from behind visitors will cast their shadows onto the set and make them feel they are part of the drama.
Drama & Desire: Artists and the Theatre opens this Saturday, June 19, with an exclusive Members’ Preview on now!
Behind the Scenes: Live Performances in Drama and Desire
June 15th, 2010
Actors Geraint Wyn Davies, James Blendick, Sara Topham and Yanna McIntosh
Four celebrated actors from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival –- Geraint Wyn Davies, James Blendick, Sara Topham and Yanna McIntosh — have made their mark on Drama and Desire. To bring the paintings to life they’ve recorded speeches which will be featured in the show: Titania and Bottom (Midsummer’s Night Dream), King Lear and Cordelia (King Lear), and Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)in her infamous mad scene.
On select weekends throughout the summer Canadian Stage will perform excerpts from High Park’s version of Romeo and Juliet. Opera Atelier will feature ballet demonstrations in their production ‘Degas and his Dancers’. Single Thread Theatre Company will highlight key moments in Shakespeare’s dramas.
All performances will take place in the exhibition.
Alex Dault
Summer student Alex Dault, from George Brown Theatre School, has been hired to perform short excerpts from famous plays featured in paintings in the exhibition. Visitors to Drama and Desire are certain to encounter Alex in full costume as he performs in various locations throughout the exhibition and across the AGO.
Drama & Desire: Artists and the Theatre opens on June 19, with an exclusive Members’ Preview June 16 and 17.