Art Gallery of Ontario Opens it's Doors Again

The Art Gallery of Ontario is opening it's doors again after having closed them for many months of renovations. I believe renovations have been going on for about 18 months and the doors have been closed for over one year.

The final result of all of the renovations and work put in by staff and volunteers is truly an art gallery to be proud of. When I went in during member only preview days on Tuesday November 11th, it appeared they are still working on finishing up some last bits of the gallery but still an exceptional experience.

Now imagine going to visit for the Andy Warhol exhibit, then imagine visiting for the Emily Carr exhibit, then being told the Art Gallery of Ontario is having a special showing of Pablo Picasso's work and being told that Yoko Ono is showing her work at the AGO also. Now imagine being able to experience all of this art all at once and so much more.

Welcome to the grand opening to the transformation of the Art Gallery of Ontario. I began my visit to the Art Gallery after a few minutes of trying to get my bearings in the huge gallery at the History and Her Story exhibit on the first floor. There I was given the great pleasure of seeing a number of works of great artisits side by side, art of women created by men and art of women created by women and given the opportunity to examine how each of the sexes depicts women at various times in history.

Some of the work I saw there included Pablo Picasso's crouching woman, Emily Carr's Portrait of Shirley Bennett, James Tissot's The Shop Girl, Lauran Knight's Tights and Tarlatan, Edgar Degas's Woman At Her Bath and Betty Goodwin's Vest.

As I continued through the gallery, I was amused with caricatures by Walter Trier, elated by the work of Iain Baxter&, in particular his work Telivison Works on the 5th Floor where together with the 4th Floor, much of the contemporary art can be found. I was also wowed by a piece called Stretch #1 by Evan Penny on the 5th Floor. The materials listed for Stretch #1 are silicone, pigment, hair and fabric, assiting to make the piece to me both awesome and weird.

On the 4th Floor you can find some of Andy Warhol's work including Elvis I and Elvis II as well as a 4 minute silent Andy Warhol Film called Elvis at Ferus. Also on the 4th Floor is Yoko Ono's piece, Forget It. It is a stainless steel needle on a plexiglass pedestal.

On the first floor of the AGO you can find what I interpret as mini Nuit Blanche in the Art Gallery, including a movie called Analog and the Urban Disco Trailer #3 that you are invited to come into and hang out in.

Let me not ruin all of the surprises of the new AGO. Check it out if you can. The Art Gallery of Ontario is well worth a trip. With the regular price of admission being $18 for adults, take advantage of the 3 free days this week end if you can..... and then of course visit again and again.

I am planning another visit this Saturday and Sunday with friends who are not AGO members yet. I am hoping after they visit, they will agree the AGO is awesome and membership is well worth the price.

I think we can all assist the Art Gallery of Ontario by being members of the AGO and visiting the AGO to exhibit our appreciation of the AGO's effort to provide the city with a truly exceptional art experience.

Thanks for the effort of all of the Art Gallery of Ontario's staff, volunteers, members, and other donors who assited in making the improved Art Gallery a reality.

You can visit the The Art Gallery of Ontario's official website by clicking here

Check out a couple of my videos below recording the interest in the Art Gallery of Ontario during the last of the three public free days as the Art Gallery of Ontario opened it's doors to the public again and an additional 2 videos below about the Art Gallery Of Ontario opening it's doors again.

Art Gallery of Ontario Line Up on November 16, 2008

Art Gallery of Ontario Line Up on November 16, 2008 Continued

Transformed AGO About to Open its Doors To The Public by YouTube member CitytvToronto

Welcome to your new AGO by YouTube member wyliepoon

After having visited the transformed AGO again on November 16th, 2008 I have to reiterate what a wonderful job everyone has done who was involved with the transformation of the AGO into the new AGO. I also have to mention the staff of the AGO is awesome.

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Art Gallery of Ontarion opening it's doors again.

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