Bold winter programs

Mickalene Thomas, Naomi Sims #2, 2016. Silkscreen ink and acrylic on mirrored acrylic mounted on wood, 152.4 x 182.9 cm. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, and Seoul. © Mickalene Thomas / SOCAN (2018)
Mickalene Thomas, Diahann Carroll #2, 2018. Silkscreen ink on acrylic mirror mounted on wood panel, 182.9 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris/Brussels. © Mickalene Thomas / SOCAN (2018).

With amazing film screenings, interactive performances and powerful talks by local and international artists, the AGO is the place to be this winter. Complementing our new exhibition Mickalene Thomas: Femmes Noires, our winter season of programs centres the perspectives and experiences of Black women artists.

We recently told you about our upcoming screenings, but did you know literary critic Donna Bailey Nurse will host a series of conversations with prominent women authors? Here's who we're super excited to hear speak this winter:

Donna Bailey Nurse
Columnist, essayist and influential critic, Donna Bailey Nurse knows the Canadian literary scene. A frequent contributor to CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, she’s also the author of a new collection of essays called Black Girls: Women of African Descent Write Their World. In this collection, Nurse explores the cultural impact of Black women writers, a perspective she'll bring to her role as host of our exciting talks.

Esi Edugyan
The series begins on January 23 with acclaimed Canadian author, Esi Edugyan. Currently living in Victoria B.C., Edugyan is the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants and writes powerful pieces of historical fiction. Her 2011 novel, Half-Blood Blues and her 2018 novel, Washington Black each won a Scotiabank Giller Prize, making her only the third person ever to win the prize more than once. Tickets are on sale now.

Angie Thomas
Next in the series is a talk with New York Times bestseller Angie Thomas, author of the award-winning young adult novel The Hate You Give. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Thomas's fiction stories shine a light on the daily struggles faced by Black women. On February 24, join us to hear her powerful messages about Black girlhood and get a copy of her new book On the Come Up. 

M. NourbeSe Philip
Originally trained as a lawyer, Toronto-based writer M. NourbeSe Philip is now a full-time author, publishing works of fiction and poetry. Philip joins us this winter to discuss her most recent work Bl_k: Essays and Interviews where she explores questions of race, timeliness, art, and the "so-called multi-cultural nation". Stay tuned for more information about Philip's talk.

Excited? Us too! Get the full list of winter programs at AGO.ca/programs and check back for updates as tickets become available.

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