Arts
A First Look at the New AGO
Frank Gehry's re-imagined AGO officially opens today at 4pm with free admission all weekend, but yesterday hundreds of local and international media were welcomed for a chance to hear the star architect speak as well as tour the new space.
Initial reviews of the AGO have been very positive (the AGO Art Matters blog has a full round up of coverage) and the Toronto Star's Christopher Hume has gone as far as to call the building profoundly brilliant and a magnificent home for art.
With the positive buzz as a prelude it was difficult not to walk through the new front doors on Dundas West yesterday with some high expectations.
While I definitely agree the changes that have been made are stunning, what surprised me most was the extent to which so many areas of the AGO haven't changed. Many of the galleries in the middle showcasing art that predates the 20th century have only received minor upgrades leaving most of the wow moments to the front and rear of the revamped building.
The Dundas West facade is the part of the reno showing up in most of the initial media coverage. Here's a raw video I took as I walked from the Beverly St. end to the McCaul St. side that's home to the works of Henry Moore.
Much has also been written of the new tinted titanium and glass-faced five-story south wing that overlooks OCAD and Grange Park. When it comes to experiencing the art, this was my favourite addition to the AGO, especially the 5th floor which contains some wonderful work from the likes of Robert Indiana and Andreas Gursky. Here's a brief look at that space as well:
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http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/262308
That said, the Galleria Italia that faces Dundas is beautiful; the sensation of light and space is profound. But it's unfortunate that there's quite a wide ledge that separates visitors from the glass and it tough to see the street itself.
I liked the ROM crystal too (I'm in the minority there) and I'm glad to see more unique architecture come to Toronto.
I should always preview before I post . . .
From the video I've seen of the interior, the space has been dramatically reformed - the AGO used to suffer from the McMichael's problems, where every room was small and dark and tended to split up collections without rhyme or reason. I think this new layout offers a lot more curatorial creativity :)
I was at the opening today - got there at 3pm, and found myself lining up just outside the front doors of OCAD. Doors opened late (around 4:30) but the line-up moved swiftly.
The use of wood in the new space is very beautiful (although I wonder how long the pristine and un-scuffed condition of the wood will last, when foot traffic starts to increase.)
Downside: the main staircase located above Walker Court was not finished; people on the upper floors were forced to rely on elevators, which took a LONG time.
Upside: the second staircase overlooking the Grange was open, and the view was breathtaking. From there, I had an amazing view of the city, and I could see the AGO line-up snaking down McCaul, right across the Grange park, and continuing south on Beverly(?) towards Queen.
To answer someone's question: the gift shop was a bit of a letdown - same over-priced housewares combined with junky AGO-stamped trinkets. I used to love perusing their book section, but they've moved this downstairs, which is a bit confusing, as I don't think most people were aware of the lower level store. The book selection itself was underwhelming, and I'm hoping that it will improve once everything is in order and the entire gallery is completed.
It's worth a visit, although the weekend will probably be pandemonium. I recommend visiting when it's completely finished, and visiting on a Wednesday evening, as it's free from 6-8:30pm.