Visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario

Travel Toronto, Canada and Discover Art and Architecture at the AGO

Apr 9, 2009

The redesigned Art Gallery of Ontario is quickly becoming Toronto's favourite museum. See famous paintings and contemporary sculptures in the downtown core of the city.

Following a year long renovation and a new building design by famous architect Frank Gehry the AGO reopened in November 2008.

With more than double the gallery space to fill, the AGO finally has enough walls to display their fabulous collections. Now the museum is almost too large to see in a single day.

There are more than 4,000 works of art here and 110 different galleries that feature Canadian as well as international artists.

Highlights, Art Bites and Mini Tours, All Tours are Free with Admission

With so many galleries to choose from, it is a good idea to take advantage of the knowledgeable staff here. Included in the admission price are a variety of tours that focus on the different genres and styles of art represented at the AGO.

The tours are led by volunteers, most of whom are retired professors and art historians. This can lead to some interesting discoveries that might otherwise be overlooked.

Taking a 25 minute Mini Tour through the Italian Baroque gallery with Virgina, the discovery is Jacopo Tintoretto’s brilliant brush work in the painting Christ Washing His Disciples’ Feet.

“Tintoretto painted fast,” she points out “look at the single brush strokes in the clothing.”

Then she has the group stand at one end and walk slowly along the length of the canvas.

“Watch the floor… notice how it changes direction.” Sure enough, Virgina is right. It may take a few passes along the painting to see it, but the floor does in fact completely change direction. The effect is seamless, so without Virgina mentioning it the illusion is unnoticeable.

Another plus side to these tours is that most of them are no longer than 30 minutes and run at varying times during the day. All tours begin in Walker Court. Look for the volunteers with the name tags.

Fine Dining and Canadian Wine at FRANK in the AGO

The high profile restaurant attached to the gallery is also a Gehry design and features a sculpture installation by contemporary artist Frank Stella, hence the name FRANK.

The menu and décor is minimalist in design but don’t expect the prices to match this theme. While the food is unbelievably tasty and beautifully presented it is expensive, yet trying to get a table here is near impossible. Reservations are definitely required. It is also very interesting to see an entire wine list comprised of only Canadian wine.

Frank Gehry’s vision of the AGO is smooth wood, spirals and a labyrinth of galleries. What’s interesting about his design is that around each corner is another treasure and yet somehow it is impossible to get lost. All paths seem to lead right back to the center nucleus of the museum Walker Court, making it surprisingly easy to navigate.

Visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario is an enlightening way to spend the day in downtown Toronto.

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