Arts of Global Africa & the Diaspora

ABOUT THE COLLECTION

In 2020, the AGO established the Department of the Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora to address long-standing gaps in the representation of Africa and its diasporas. Building on years of work, the department focuses on exhibitions, acquisitions, and programming that confronts historic erasures and amplify overlooked voices.  

One of its first milestones was the 2019 acquisition of The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs, a rare archive of more than 3,500 historical images from across the Caribbean—made possible through the generous support of Toronto’s Black communities.  

Through its “Friends of Global Africa and the Diaspora” committee, the department continues to grow its collection of modern and contemporary art by African and diasporic artists. Recent highlights include works by Moridja Kitenge Banza, Andrea Chung, Myrlande Constant, Leasho Johnson, Christina Leslie, Sahara Longe, Bidemi Oloyede, Emmanuel Osahor, Marc Padeu, Naudline Pierre, alongside new commissions by Sandra Brewster and Zak Ové.

The Murray Frum Gallery of African Art, overseen by the department, is dedicated to modern and contemporary works by African and diasporic artists. Recent exhibitions include You Look Beautiful Like That: Studio Photography in West and Central Africa (2022); Re-Mixing African Photography: Kelani Abass, Mallory Lowe Mpoka and Abraham Oghobase (2023); June Clark: Unrequited Love (2024).

Refurbishment of the Gallery was made possible in part by the support from the Government of Canada. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLLECTION

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Global Africa supercard features

COLLECTION RESOURCES

Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre

Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre

This state-of-the-art facility is open to the public and dedicated to the study of prints, drawings and photographs. It houses a collection of over 70,000 works which date from the 13th century to the present day. Find out more about the AGO's prints and drawings collection.

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a lady wearing a dress and monocle

Image Licensing

Find the image you need from the Art Gallery of Ontario, one of the most distinguished art museums in North America. AGO Images licenses to scholarly and commercial clients worldwide. Be inspired by Tom Thomson, James Tissot, Kennth Noland, Walter Trier and many more amazing artists.

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artworks from the AGO collection in Fudger Rotunda gallery

Requests for Loans

The Art Gallery of Ontario is committed to broadening access to its collections and supporting educational initiatives that promote a new understanding of art, through a program of outgoing loans. 

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Conservation team and curators examining an artwork

Conservation at the AGO

Conservation is the care and protection of cultural objects. As the caretakers of collections, conservators examine, research, clean and repair artworks, while also taking action to prevent future deterioration. Here at the AGO, the Conservation Team includes conservators, mat makers, framers and mount makers. These specialists work together to ensure each work will look its best not only for today, but also for generations to come.

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Jan Asselijn, Landscape with Ancient Ruins

Provenance Research Project

The AGO is committed to investigating the provenance of works in its permanent collection, particularly as it pertains the ownership history of European painting and sculpture during the 1933–45 period. The purpose of this is to increase awareness and understanding of the spoliation of works of art by the Nazis and others.

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a number of objects on display

The AGO's Deaccessioning Policy

The Art Gallery of Ontario cares for its collections according to the highest standards. Its resources should only be devoted to works of art that serve its mission and are worthy of such care. This occasionally demands that works be judiciously and carefully deaccessioned from the collections. The proceeds from this are reinvested in new works of art.

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O'Brien's the Ocean's Bride

Artefacts Canada

Thanks to the important contribution of this country's heritage institutions, the Artefacts Canada database contains close to 4 million object records and approximately 800,000 images from Canadian museums.

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