Mark Rothko. No. 1, White and Red

Mark Rothko. No.1, White and Red, 1962. Oil on canvas, Overall: 259.1 x 228.6 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Gift from the Women's Committee Fund, 1962. © Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / CARCC Ottawa 2023. 62/7.

Moments in Modernism

June 14 , 2024 - September 1, 2025

Located on Level 4

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EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

Moments in Modernism highlights the diversity and high quality of the AGO’s modern art collection, which has been built over time by generations of museum curators and patrons. 

This installation will show collection strengths from artistic movements such as Pop Art, Abstraction, Realism, and Minimalism.  An international approach in artistic styles will be presented, including a body of work from the AGO holdings by Brazilian artists, recognizing the global nature of modernism. A selection of contemporary works that respond to modernist movements will also be shown. 

Many of the artists, including Andy Warhol, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Gerhard Richter, and Mark Rothko are well known while others are still yet to be broadly recognized such as Tomie Ohtake, Rubem Valentim, Gene Davis and Kazuo Nakamura. A particular focus will be Canadian artists including Alex Colville, Rita Letendre, Jack Bush, Agnes Martin, Guido Molinari and Norval Morrisseau.

Moments in Modernism features artworks that will form the cornerstone for the expansion of the new Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, starting construction in 2024.  The new building is being designed by architects Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architect to showcase the AGO's growing collection of modern and contemporary art.


ARTWORKS FROM THE EXHIBITION

Andy Warhol. Elvis I and II, 1964. 4 Figures stand holding a gun out in front of them

Andy Warhol. Elvis I and II, 1964. Silkscreen ink and spray paint (silver canvas); silkscreen ink and acrylic (blue canvas) on linen, Panel: 208.3 × 208.3 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Gift from the Women's Committee Fund, 1966. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., Artists Rights Society, New York / CARCC, Ottawa (2023). 65/35

Moments in Modernism artworks slideshow
Rita Letendre, Klingit

Rita Letendre. Klingit, 1973. Acrylic on canvas, 152.4 × 101.6 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Purchase with assistance from the Beryl Ivey Fund, 2017. © Estate of Rita Letendre. 2017/11

Moments in Modernism artworks slideshow
Alex Colville. Woman in Bathtub

Alex Colville. Woman in Bathtub, 1973. Acrylic polymer emulsion, 87.8 x 87.6 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Purchase with assistance from Wintario, 1978. © A.C. Fine Art Inc. 78/124

Moments in Modernism artworks slideshow

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