A painting of me

The AGO

   25 February 2009, mid-morning

Shima and I have memberships at the AGO now. I’ve been three times since joining. I am trying to make it a point of going often in order to make the most of my membership purchase. (Though, I suppose supporting the gallery is worthwhile in and of itself.) The gallery is big enough it will probably take several trips to figure out where everything is, and see everything worth seeing.

The AGO renovation is amazing, and seems like what the ROM renovation should have aspired to. I like the Crystal, but once inside the museum it seems clear that it doesn’t work that well. Gallery space is poorly utilized, and the interior just doesn’t look that nice. There is all sorts of infrastructure jutting out here and there, which ruin the the interior elements of the design. The AGO on the other hand seems like a perfectly executed renovation. The exterior is certainly nice, but the interior is where things really shine. Everything seems neat and tidy and just right. The ROM’s big success is moving its entrance to Bloor, and the new lobby which is quite stunning. Beyond that I think the renovation wasn’t a success. It certainly doesn’t seem to have captivated Torontonians the way the AGO renovation has.

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Comments

  1. We should make I heart the AGO t-shrits and wear them when we go. I can’t wait to go again. It’s soooo beautiful! We can go hang out in the membership lounge next time! :)

  2. Les and I went back to the AGO for the first time in 5 years last week. We were hoping to see the giant hamburger. Since 2003, it’s been in storage! When I used to work there in the 90s, their modern art collection was so wicked. Now, not so much. I’ve also been hoping to see these giant face portraits that they used to have… which were done by Chuck Close

    Here’s a facebook group for getting the hamburger back.

    [ed. merge two of tiff's comments.]

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