Mark Rothko’s No.1, White and Red on view when exhibition opens June 14
In advance of new Dani Reiss Contemporary & Modern Gallery, exhibition features Canadian, American, Indigenous and Brazilian modernist artists in dialogue
TORONTO —Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, from Toronto to São Paulo, painters began rejecting figuration and perspective, embracing colour, scale and line, in pursuit of a more expressive and immediate experience. Opening on June 14, 2024 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Moments in Modernism presents more than 50 works from the AGO’s collection of modern art, ranging from Minimalism to Pop Art, by some of the era’s most influential artists, including Jack Bush, Alex Colville, Jim Dine, Helen Frankenthaler, Ellsworth Kelly, Rita Letendre, Norval Morrisseau, Tomie Ohtake, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol.
Offering visitors the unique opportunity to see influential Canadian, American, Indigenous and Brazilian artists in dialogue across time, Moments in Modernism is organized as a series of encounters, between individual artists and styles. Co-curated by Stephan Jost, Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO, AGO and Debbie Johnsen, Manager, Modern & Contemporary Collections, AGO, highlights of the exhibition include conversations between Agnes Martin and Kazuo Nakamura, Rita Letendre and Jack Bush, and a meeting of Mark Rothko and Norval Morrisseau’s signature styles.
Moments in Modernism, marks the return to view of several AGO masterworks, including Mark Rothko’s No.1 White and Red, which since last fall has been on view in Paris, a jewel in the celebrated Rothko at The Fondation Louis Vuitton. Also, back on view for the first time in more than a decade are large scale works by Jack Bush, Robert Motherwell, Jules Olitski and Gerhard Richter.
“Seeing a great Warhol, Rothko or Letendre in person can be a very powerful experience,” says co-curator Stephan Jost. “When we look back, it is clear that the AGO acquired the right works by the right artists.”
“In pursuit of a new, expressive style of painting, these artists pushed the limits of what we think of as art,” says co-curator Debbie Johnsen, AGO Manager, Modern & Contemporary Collections. “Modernism takes many forms and it’s a privilege to showcase that here, through these larger-than-life paintings from Brazil, Nova Scotia, New York, Quebec and Toronto. The brilliance that produced modernism’s biggest moments, requires so much space and thought – we so are excited to share these landmark paintings with audiences.”
On view through autumn 2025, Moments in Modernism anticipates the forthcoming Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, which is currently in the initial stages of construction. When completed in 2027, the expansion will increase exhibition space for the museum’s growing modern and contemporary art collection.
Moments in Modernism opens to AGO Members on Friday, June 14 at 5 p.m., and to Annual Pass holders and the public on Tuesday, June 18. Admission is free for all Ontarians under 25, all Indigenous Peoples, AGO Members and Annual Passholders. Same day tickets can be booked in person and online. For more details on how to become a Member or Annual Passholder, visit ago.ca.
Art Bash, the AGO’s signature fundraising event—and the city’s premier celebration of art, culture, and community—returns Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. Inspired by the energy and colour of Moments in Modernism, Art Bash is presented by Tricon Residential. Tickets go on sale June 18, 2024. For more details and to purchase, visit ago.ca/art-bash-2024.
Additional programming – including talks and courses – will be announced in the autumn.
Moments in Modernism is organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Supporting Sponsors
Baker Tilly Toronto
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Generous Support
Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin
Jay Smith & Laura Rapp
Marion & Gerald Soloway
Anonymous
@AGOToronto | #SeeAGO
ABOUT THE AGO
Located in Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest art museums in North America, attracting approximately one million visitors annually. The AGO Collection of more than 120,000 works of art ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art to significant works by Indigenous and Canadian artists to European masterpieces. The AGO presents wide-ranging exhibitions and programs, including solo exhibitions and acquisitions by diverse and underrepresented artists from around the world. The AGO is embarking on the seventh expansion it has undertaken since the museum was founded in 1900. When completed, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will increase exhibition space for the museum’s growing modern and contemporary collection. With its groundbreaking Annual Pass program, the AGO is one of the most affordable and accessible attractions in the GTA. Visit ago.ca to learn more.
The AGO is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts, and generous contributions from AGO Members, donors, and private-sector partners.
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