My friend and I emerged from the underground steps of Union Station, eager to explore what Toronto had to offer. This was the first time we would explore the city together, differing from the normalcy that we had grown accustomed to as suburbanites.
Varying levels of excitement jolted through us as we marvelled at the vibrant billboards and one-of-a-kind architecture that stood before us.
Having been fairly acquainted with the city while studying at Toronto Metropolitan University, I assumed the role of tour guide with one mission running rampant in my mind: ensuring we made the most out of this day.
Curating a fun day while staying within our budget proved to be daunting, but I was up for the challenge.
Enter: The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).
Located in Toronto’s Grange Park neighbourhood, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest and most renowned art museums in North America. It houses more than 120,000 works of art, ranging from cutting-edge contemporary art to historical pieces created by Indigenous, Canadian, African, and European artists.
The AGO offers free admission to all visitors under the age of 25, making it the perfect space for tourists (like us) or Toronto natives to become enthralled with art and culture.
From the moment we stepped foot in the gallery, we were completely blown away. As we ventured through each wing and engrossed ourselves with the art standing before us, I kept reminding myself that I was witnessing hard-fought moments in history that are now encapsulated by delicate brushstrokes and countless hours spent finely sculpting clay.
So, even if I didn’t fully grasp the techniques used to craft each print or the underlying truths and morals hidden in each painting, I found myself appreciating every moment in that gallery. After all, it doesn’t take an artist to appreciate art.
But my wondrous trance and fascination came to an abrupt halt when we looked at the sign for the AGO’s next section: modern.
That’s when the preconceived notions and doubts slowly started to creep in.
While the vast majority of art is deemed daring, meaningful, and innovative, modern art is perceived as “dull” and “boring”— nothing worthy of a museum as grand and picturesque as the AGO. And we have social media to thank for that.
On digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram, users regularly share their distaste for modern art. Most of these posts showcase canvases coloured in monochrome colours.
Popular videos like this fuel the negativity surrounding modern art. This content has become so influential that it prevents people from forming their own opinions on modern art before they have stepped foot in a gallery (me included).
As I skeptically scanned the paintings on the walls, I searched for paintings like the ones on social media but came across something totally different: Andy Warhol’s Elvis I and II paintings.
Created in 1963, the painting depicts four different variations of rock and roll icon Elvis Presley as a gunslinger from his 1960 film Flaming Star. Through this piece, Warhol explores the themes of reproduction and commodification of popular imagery.
Warhol is famous for his striking, colourful pop art, and this piece was nothing short of exceptional.
The dichotomy of the bright colours on the left, contrasting the achromatic colours on the right, captured my attention instantly. For a couple of seconds, my friend and I stood in silence, knowing that we were witnessing something great before our eyes.
Though the painting wasn’t from the early Renaissance era, it felt timeless to me. It was almost as if Warhol could replicate many other paintings similar to this one, and I would still find something unique and fascinating each time.
As we continued to venture through the halls of AGO’s modern section, Warhol’s painting never wavered in its effect on me. I slowly started to open up to the idea that modern art could be captivating — a notion that felt like foreign territory to me.
As I continued to explore this newfound fascination, we came across Pablo Picasso’s Femme Assise (or Seated Woman).
Made between 1926 and 1927 in Paris, Picasso meticulously overlaps the facial features of three people to morph them into one figure. The three figures are a combination of Pablo Picasso on the left, Paulo (Picasso’s son) on the right, and Olga Koklova (Picasso’s wife), who is the head in the center.
The connection between each family member is woven throughout the painting in such an intimate way. Initially, I didn’t know what to make of it, but through deeper analysis, I found myself resonating with the work, especially as someone who comes from a family of three.
With his name attached to many pieces of work in some of the most iconic museums and art exhibitions, it’s no secret that Picasso is a skilled artist. But this was the first time I saw his modern art, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
These paintings and prints opened my eyes to the realm of modern art — one that doesn’t just harp on the “plain” contemporary art popularized on social media.
If people give modern art a chance, they can connect with it as they do with classical art — I know I did, and I have the Art Gallery of Ontario to thank for that.