On Sunday i went to the Art Gallery of Ontario for the member's preview of the AGO renovation by superstar architect (and Canadian) Frank Gehry before the official public reopening. It's not quite done - the big new stairwells weren't ready, and there are various other things still to be done (video installations not complete, not all elevators functional yet, the front still not cleaned). I specifically joined the AGO as a member to see this (plus to enjoy it on a regular basis - i go to the ROM a lot more since i became a member). The official opening is tomorrow and it is open free to the general public November 14th (4 pm-midnight), the 15th (10 am to midnight) and the 16th (10 am to 5:30 pm).

Even though it was members only, it was still pretty crowded, so i went up to the top floor (5th) to work my way down. The 4th and 5th floors are all contemporary art, and though sometimes contemporary art can be hit or miss with me, overall it was pretty spectacular. I tend to like a lot of 1950s-60s stuff like Les Automatistes or Painters 11, or colorfield works. One of the more interesting works i saw was a modern one - i forget the artist's name, but it was a cartoonish giant sculpture of a face, stretched and distorted. Unfortunately you can't take photos inside the AGO (unlike the ROM), so i have to rely on the Gallery's own pics.

Photo doesn't do it justice.

There was one piece that was small models of architectural pieces, and other items, laid out like a city block. The labels said things like '5 centavos CUBA' - so it dawned on me that the models were from images on money. So, i saw the model of the Library of Parliament - i checked my wallet, and discovered the artist screwed up. The Library is on the 10, not the 20, ha ha.

There was no way to get to the 3rd floor (just as well, as it doesn't have galleries). I ended on the first floor, looking at the Prints and Drawings and Photography collections (which includes 9000 photos from the Klinsky Press Agency before WWII).

Young Country Girl Dancing

By the time i got through those, it'd been over 3 hours of walking and standing, so called it quits for the day, and made it down to the Queen Mother for lunch (pear and arugula with blue cheese salad, and decadent French toast stuffed with fresh berries, covered with yogurt) and manga. Also, i bought a new winter coat (50% off at H&M).

I finished class in Tuesday at 2, marked until 5, and went into the city since the AGO's free preview went to 9:30. This time i ate before, at Jules (sauteed chicken & frites, greens salad and creme brulee).

Anyway, this time i started on the second floor. I went through the Inuit sculptures and prints, the Oceanic collection (all Australian aboriginal work, actually), African collection (which is a major new collection), which is connected to modern movements and works directly influenced by African art (Picasso, Matisse, Brancusi). I also started on the Canadian collections, including part of the Thomson Collection (the enormous donation by the late Ken Thomson to the AGO). I was awestruck by the Krieghoffs - 145 of them - i didn't even see them all. Also, i walked partway along the Galleria Italia, which is this enormous open window/atrium that faces Dundas - the street is just wide open, what a gorgeous view. I wish i could take photos from there.

I'll have to wait until the clean up is finished to photograph the exterior of the AGO.

I'm pretty much caught up with marking at school. Just one assignment came in this week, and a handful of resubmissions.

So, on Wednesday, i treated myself to a movie (after getting the week's comics). I saw Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, which actually was better than the original, which i was a little iffy on. It seemed a little contrived, but the new one is a little sharper and funnier (although there's a certain predictability to the story, which is "Madagascar meets The Lion King".

I was impressed by the animation too, at least with the main characters - i caught myself watching their eyes, which were never dead, always slightly darting back and forth from eye to eye (watch someone's eyes closely). Although, there's something weird about the human characters (which hasn't changed since way back in the original Shrek) - they behave very cartoony, but look too human (i think that's it). I liked the references to other movies, some obvious, some subtler, like Twilight Zone (the gremlin on an airplane wing episode), West Side Story, Born Free (the music, and, well, the story i suppose), Flashdance (yeah, i caught those moves), and Planet Of The Apes - plus the Barry White-ish Hippo, and the kids game Barrel Of Monkeys. Plus, you have to keep you're eyes out for the little things happening behind the main action, like as the plane is crashing, the penguin flight attendant finally handing someone his drink, and as a penguin fumbles a piece of equipment he mumbles, "Darn you, Darwin!"

"Alright, but you're so darn ugly!"

Today, i bought presents for my friends' kids for tomorrow, and saw Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa again. I used a coupon my Dad gave me to pick up some KFC for supper, a useful reminder of why i shouldn't eat KFC.