Archivist, Interchange42 and Urban Shocker do the AGO
A few pics from the AGO visit earlier today. Lovely to see all the art again, and the building is a stunner. Though none of the fun staircases are open yet, and there are occassional gaps in lighting and installations, the spaces are amazing, the flow is massively improved, and the gallery seems to me about twice the size of what it used to be. The materials used are rich and elegant, and the art is displayed beautifully.
It is strictly forbidden to take photos inside, so these 60 or so are somewhat blurry for the most part.
Outside the Gallery in the line to get in, and a few shots on the small winding ramp just inside the main entrance. You can see that we are giddy with anticipation.
The Walker Court and its new staircase. Not open to the public yet, but beautiful and works nicely in the space. I did find some of the views upwards from the promenade that surrounds the court and looks down into it to be cluttered (some ungraceful metal supports here) - and the skylight into the court is still partially covered. But you really do become aware of the court as you move through the galleries and it becomes a means of orienting yourself in the gallery.
The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre is largely unchanged, but it was lovely to be back in the space again.
Here are some views inside and out from the Galleria Italia. The artwork on display here is still being installed. When you are inside, it's all wood, almost like a solid wall on the outside, just gorgeous.
Various shots on Level 2 in the Canadian Galleries. We really loved the railing in two of the galleries that supports you as you peer closely at the works. They are installed with geometric precision, if you pay attention you will note that there are all kinds of balances between the positioning and numbers of paintings. The Gehry chairs are handsome but not truly comfortable. Skylights peek out of the rootop at odd and pleasing angles.
The African gallery was stunning and sparsely populated with art, giving each piece room to breathe. I was taken by the small angled windows that opened to other rooms in the gallery. Here, the floor is dark coloured wood, and there is metal used throughout, quite different from other galleries in the area.
Up the elevator to the contemporary galleries. Staircases not functional yet.
Views out the louvres towards Grange Park and glimpses of OCAD on a dreary day.
Some art and your correspondence in front of the louvres. This artwork was dropped into Lake Ontario for a period of time, the better to become encrusted with mussels. How clever is that?
Contemporary galleries on the uppermost floors were great spaces, broken up in intriguing ways, with a kind of zaniness to them which was pleasingly disorienting after the mathematical precision of the Canadian galleries. Lots of amazing new art on display, almost overwhelming. There was a large cube of iron filings that I took to be fabric, and touched it, leaving quite visible imprints of my fingers. I was mortified until I saw that many others had made the same mistake. A fabulous, confusing work of art. It will need some repairs, shortly, however.
This charming little room has its own balcony.
By the time we finished the two contemporary floors, we were exhausted and overwhelmed, though happy. Still, we returned to ground level for a quick pass through of the older European art. Again, beautiful galleries with stunningly displayed works, great colours, a variety of materials used, beautiful lighting against deeply threaded cloth. Interchange initially took the Massacre of the Innocents for a projection of the piece, so intense was it's lighting.
One blurry shot in the Members Lounge in the Grange and two of a sculpture in the restaurant.
I laughed, I cried. I ran and dug my arms deep into the arms of my fellow UTers and dragged them to see works. It was lovely for all of us to be reintroduced to old favourites, and to see so much new art, in a glorious new setting. For Interchange, even his envy over the Tate Modern has been assuaged somewhat. We all left, wanting to return.
