Behind the Scenes of Drama and Desire: Guest Designer Gerard Gauci
June 8th, 2010
Gerard Gauci in his studio
In less than two weeks the AGO’s major summer show, Drama & Desire: Artists and the Theatre, opens to the public.
Gerard Gauci, guest designer for the exhibition, has created a theatrical environment that brings the artworks to life with recreations of eighteenth and early twentieth century stage sets, sound and light effects, theatrical props and on-site performances.
“Visitors to Drama and Desire will experience the exhibition as audience members, actors and even stage hands,” says Gauci. “Designing this exhibition has been like designing an opera with an overture, a series of distinct acts, special effects and a grand finale.”
Gauci is not new to the AGO. He began his theatre career in 1986 designing and painting the sets for Opera Atelier’s first fully staged production in the Gallery’s Walker Court as part of the exhibition Vatican Splendours. Resident set designer for Toronto’s “Opera Atelier” – a period performance opera company that is respected around the world for its lavish productions of operas from Monteverdi to Mozart – he uses his extensive knowledge of early stage techniques and modern stage craft.
Gauci is known in Toronto as an illustrator, painter and theatre designer. After graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design, he created familiar poster images for local cultural institutions such as the Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet of Canada and The Toronto International Film Festival.
As a fine artist he has for many years exhibited his paintings at the Leo Kamen Gallery in Toronto and the Galerie de Bellefeuille in Montréal.
Stay tuned for more!
Behind the scenes of Drama and Desire: Artists and the Theatre
May 27th, 2010
Set painters preparing galleries for the Drama and Desire exhibition.
It’s a busy time at the AGO! Staff are putting the finishing touches to plans for our summer exhibition, Drama and Desire: Artists and the Theatre. The planning team has conceived a whole range of new and exciting ways of bringing the show to life.
The AGO has hired Opera Atelier’s acclaimed set designer Gerard Gauci to design the exhibition. Visitors will feel themselves transported back to the 18th century as they enter the exhibition through elaborately painted trompe l’oeil draperies and arches. Gerard has also recreated an intimate corner of the Paris Opera to house a dazzling selection of Degas’s ballet paintings. The room will feature red velvet drapes, crystal chandeliers and a plush Victorian banquette. You’ll want to relax, settle in and enjoy French ballet music, typical of the period, piped into the space.
Designs are overlaid with a grid, which is then replicated at full-size. The artwork is first drawn-in with chalk, then painted.
Installation plans for the ten Drama and Desire galleries have been finalized. New walls are being built; colours have been chosen for the walls; shipping arrangements for the works of art (mostly coming from Europe) are being negotiated; and posters are going up.
Over the next three weeks visit the Gelber Gallery on the AGO’s main floor and check out progress on Gerard Gauci’s stage flats for the show. Four painters – Richard Mongiat, Benjamin Oakley, Elizabeth Bailey and Karol Antkowiak are applying their talents to transforming particleboard into elaborate red velvet drapes and stone columns. It’s a magical moment.
Stay tuned. There’s more to come!
Curators Spotlight: “You Are Here”
April 26th, 2010
Now on display at the AGO, You Are Here is a project by the students of Inside the AGO – an innovative course offered as part of OCAD’s MFA program in Criticism and Curatorial Practice. It provides students with an extended opportunity to learn about curatorial practice in a large public institution. Instructed and mentored by the AGO’s curatorial and education staff, their residency culminates in an art project created in collaboration with individuals from across the museum.
Jordan MacInnis
Jordan MacInnis graduated with a first class honours degree from McGill University. She has worked in commercial and editorial photography in Toronto and New York.
Suzanne Morrissette
Suzanne Morrissette is a student of the Ontario College of Art & Design’s Graduate Masters of Fine Art in Criticism and Curatorial Practice. She has an Undergraduate degree in Fine Art from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design with a focus in ceramics, painting, and contemporary art history.
Sara Munroe
Sara Munroe is a graduating student from the University of Toronto’s Masters of Museum Studies program. She completed her honours bachelor of arts degree at the University of Guelph in 2008 with a double major in studio art (printmaking) and history. Sara has worked as an intern for the Textile Museum of Canada, a gallery assistant for Cambridge Galleries, a student archivist and an exhibit development intern for the Region of Waterloo. Her current interests include exhibit development and collections care and management.
Lisa Myers
Lisa completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Ontario College of Art and Design. In her art practice, Lisa uses photography, video and audio in the assemblage of materials to explore food, identity and how food experiences are conveyed through memory. Currently, as she works towards an MFA in criticism and curatorial studies at OCAD, Lisa can be found hanging around the snack tables at art openings pondering ideas around the intersection of food and art. She takes this time to imagine ways to convey cooking, eating and culinary form in an exhibition setting; all the while considering the dichotomy between the politics of food and the nurturing side of feeding.
Ebony Haynes
Ebony Haynes graduated with honours from the University of Toronto. As an MFA candidate at OCAD her research looks at issues of race and representation in the gallery, and in contemporary art criticism.
Contact 2010 Banners Replace Tut on Façade
April 13th, 2010
Update: The Barbara Kruger installation has been extended to October 3, 2010
The King Tut banners on the AGO’s front façade are being removed this week in preparation for a new installation. In partnership with the Scotiabank CONTACT Festival, the AGO has commissioned renowned American artist Barbara Kruger to create a large-scale public installation to be displayed along the Gallery’s signature glass skirt, which spans an entire city block between McCaul and Beverley streets.
Installation of Kruger’s work will begin April 19, and is part of this year’s Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, which opens May 1. The installation will respond to CONTACT’s theme for 2010, "Pervasive Influence," which considers how photography informs and transforms human behaviour, especially via the medium’s connections to mass media, advertising, consumerism, and propaganda.
Kruger’s installation, on view from May 1 through August 30, marks the first time the AGO has exhibited artwork on the exterior of its newly transformed Frank Gehry–designed building.
CONTACT fosters and celebrates the art and profession of photography with an annual month-long festival in May and newly initiated year-round programming in the gallery. For more information, visit www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com.
Staff Spotlight – Jen McGregor
July 21st, 2009
by Danielle Simpson, Public Affairs Intern
It’s a lively, loud world where the Group Sales & Program Registration folks sit. That’s where you’ll find Jennifer McGregor, Group Sales manager, in the office opposite the coat racks and the streams of school children coming and going on tours.
Many a GTA student has been to the Gallery with school. But how many of us, as adults, have visited in a group? It’s a popular and economical way to visit these days. Jennifer and her team of six people arrange visits from groups of all kinds, such as book clubs, churches, craft circles, retirement homes and once, a trout fishing club.
Corporate group tours are becoming increasing popular, especially with law firms and University Hospital Network groups. The number of conference companion tours, which are specially arranged tours for convention attendees, is also growing. There were few, if any, formally arranged group tours before the transformation. Since January 2009, 315 groups of adults have visited.
“People are always amazed at what we can offer them,” says Jennifer. “For example, we have seven specially designed group tours and these can be further customized. We also have special menus, meals at FRANK or wine and cheese offerings. ”
Jennifer began as the AGO’s Group Sales manager in January 2008 and in addition to managing group sales, she oversees the Program Registration department. Educational programming at the AGO is vast: from lectures to studio classes to summer camps to customized tours.
Jennifer’s team is certainly customer oriented; I saw proof as I waited to interview Jennifer. A mother was on the phone trying to find summer camp spaces in the same session for siblings. The team pulled together to help by sharing information about a computer glitch and camp spaces that had just become available but were not on the system yet.
Jennifer is no stranger to groups, tours or travel. She grew up in the tourism industry, working for her father’s tour companies and guiding tours at the young age of 15. Later she stepped off the tour bus and into the Peace Bridge Duty Free shop where she oversaw marketing efforts. After that she sold Niagara Falls – as a travel destination – to the world.
“Galleries are a great choice for tours. You don’t have to be art-oriented to enjoy it. There is always something to intrigue people; if it’s not the art, then it will be the gift shop, every time. The way art is interpreted here is perfect every visitor.”
The art doesn’t have to stop when the tour ends. Group sales also coordinate art-making workshops. One corporate group liked the art they made so much that it now hangs in their office’s reception foyer.
To download the Tour Groups Program Brochure please visit www.ago.net/groups.
Angelika’s Promise: Two Performances Only!
June 15th, 2009
War, a failed marriage, tragic death – the story of German artist Angelika Hoerle brings the adage of a tortured artist to a whole other level. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to check out the exhibition Angelika Hoerle: The Comet of Cologne Dada, but for the next two Wednesdays in June, a one-act one-woman play dramatizing the last moments of her life will be presented in AGO’s Jackman Hall. The show’s curator Angie Littlefield, has teamed up with the talent of Ryerson University’s theatre program to bring Angelika’s story to life.
I had the good fortune this morning of catching a glimpse of the behind the scenes action as they were running one of their last rehearsals, here are a few of my snaps showing Taryn Jorgensen, one of the two actresses playing Angelika.
To learn more, grab tickets, and see a very cute Youtube video of Taryn and Sochie click here.
Performance dates:
Wednesday, June 17, 7pm, Jackman Hall (Sochi Fried as Angelika), Pay What You Can (!! And the AGO is free Wednesday nights, so you can’t use the tough economic times as an excuse!)
Wednesday, June 24, 7pm, Jackman Hall (Taryn Jorgensen as Angelika), Members $15; General Public $18; Students $12.
David Milne Study Centre – Opening Soon!
June 12th, 2009
The crew in exhibitions services is putting the final touches on the new David Milne Study Centre, on the AGO’s second floor (or first floor if you’re from Europe!). David Milne was a Canadian artist who was a contemporary of the Group of Seven, but he developed a style that was completely his own. The study centre features artworks as well as archival materials, such as letters and sketchbooks, and objects, such as Milne’s paintbox. Not familiar with Milne? Or just want to learn more about this amazing artist? Not a problem. In the new study centre, you can explore Milne’s life and art by watching the NFB film on Milne, reading a timeline of his life, or looking through books about the artist.
AGO.net Gets a Facelift!
June 8th, 2009
You may have noticed that AGO.net, the website of the Art Gallery of Ontario, got a facelift today.
Why redesign?
Following the launch of the previous look (in September ’08) we received a lot of feedback about how the website looks and acts. You sent us email and posted comments on this blog, and we commissioned a usability study to identify the main issues people were experiencing.
What’s changed?
More colour. The most noticeable change is bolder use of colour. You told us you liked the color shards in the Bruce Mau-designed logo, so we incorporated that palette into the design as vertical strips. The blue band across the top brings the website closer to what you see on other AGO materials such as brochures and the Art Matters magazine.
Less scrolling. You told us there was too much white space and that pages were simply too long: The height of the navigation header at the top of each page has been reduced 45%, and the homepage has been substantially condensed.
Clarified navigation. You told us the navigation didn’t clearly indicate the hierarchy of pages within a section: This has been simplified. You told us you weren’t sure how to get back to the homepage: We’ve added a link.
We hope that these plus a handful of other tweaks make the site easier and more enjoyable to use.
Who dunnit?
The design was created in-house by the AGO’s New Media department, with feedback from the Design and Marketing departments. Our partners at Devlin eBusiness Architects provided technical support for the implementation and conducted the usability study on which it is based. Thanks guys!
What’s next?
This is only the beginning! More usability studies are in the works and we intend for this update to be the first of many. We are committed to continual improvement, listening to the feedback of our visitors and providing you with the best experience possible. Please help us by sending us your comments and feedback, either in the comments here or via email.
AGO Youth Council: Eleanora & Adib
May 29th, 2009
It is our pleasure to introduce the members of the AGO Youth Council.
Week 9: Eleanora Simmons and Adib Tanbir.
Eleanora Simmons
Since a young age, Eleanora Simmons has been interested in various forms of art and movement. She is very community based; spreading deep roots wherever she lands. She is a current member of The Beach Heritage Community. Attending Rosedale Heights School of the Arts for the past 3 years, Eleanora is involved in the RHSA Dance Company, Anvall Dance Performance Choreographic Workshop, and the Improv team at her school. She majors in art, strongly infatuated with photography, life drawing and non-traditional forms. Eleanor is interested in artists like Joseph Beuys, Kara Walker and James Nachteny. Interested in different cultures, Eleanor is mixed Bermudian and Welsh. Eleanor yearns to visit Egypt, India and Singapore.
Adib Tanbir
Adib is a high school student. He is in grade 11 and attends Birchmount Park C.I. Although he was born in Texas, and has spent a substantial portion of his life in Bangladesh, he currently resides in Toronto. Adib loves music and believes that it is a very strong form of art, i.e. music has the power to make changes in society. He likes to listen to music that has a message in it. Adib plays the guitar and tabla. Adib also enjoys volunteering at interesting places. Adib enjoys designing posters. He designs posters for various events held at his school by the student council. Adib wants to pursue a career related to the medical sciences in the future. He is a huge fan of Manchester United F.C, which is a soccer club based in England.
Find out about Youth Council projects and activities and how to get involved.
AGO Youth Council: Liselle & Kateryna
May 22nd, 2009
It is our pleasure to introduce the members of the AGO Youth Council.
Week 8: Liselle Sambury and Kateryna Shipir.
Liselle Sambury
Age 16. I have been drawing since I was 12 and since then have been expanding into different types of art. I really enjoy writing prose and hope to be published one day soon. Out of all the books I have read I would say that my favorites are all by Augusten Burroughs, who trumps over Stephanie Meyer as my favorite author. On the AGO Youth Council I hope to expand my knowledge of art and make a difference with the artistic talents I have now.
Kateryna Shipir
Defined by curiosity, imagination and ambition, this only child is a walking sculpture of randomness. She is spontaneous and loves show-downs with challenges of different sizes and forms that test her mentally and physically. Her most recent projects are DJ-ing her own radio-show, hosting her own television show and writing articles to numerous newspapers. She is a student at Glendon where she studies Business Economics and French. Her hobbies include planning, organizing, working-out and playing with her cat.
Find out about Youth Council projects and activities and how to get involved.