Art
Monthly Archive: December Art
Farms, Cities, Animals, and the Museum
Guest blog by Environmental Visual Communication student Teghan Dodds
Goats are not something you’d expect to see within the confines of the city, and especially not on Toronto’s Bloor Street with its upscale shops and prestigious historical buildings. Read this blog written by 2016 Environmental Visual Communication student Teghan Dodds to find out why we had goats out in front of the ROM, and what that has to do with nature, art, and the ROM.
A Story of Ghana: Exploring the Asafo Flags at the ROM
Since the beginning of the month, the Royal Ontario Museum has been host to a stunning display of historic Ghanaian imagery, in the form of the flags used by the Asafo fighting groups to send messages to friends and enemies alike. These flags document many of the events and histories that were of value to the Fante states and are expressive, powerful, and of great importance to understanding the history of the region as we know it today. As a collection, they make up a fascinating display of aesthetic storytelling that reveals much, and gives each viewer a sense of what was important to each community under each flag at various points throughout each one's history, right up to the present day.
Valentine's Day at the ROM: Unique Painting of Lovers
Guest blog by Sudharshan Duraiyappah, a scholar and instruction at the University of Toronto and the ROM
A cursory glance at the 17th century Kangra painting featuring Radha and her lover Krishna, who according to Hindu mythology is considered an incarnation of the god Vishnu, might elicit a double take. This miniature painting in the ROM’s collection portrays the fair – skinned Radha in her male lover’s attire and the dark- skinned Krishna wearing his female lover’s garments.
Imaging Longevity
By Ka Bo Tsang, Assistant Curator, Chinese Paintings & Textiles
This large painting done in a hanging-scroll format is from a royal hand, that of Cixi, the Empress Dowager (1835-1908). Directly or indirectly, this most powerful woman in China in the latter half of the 19th century was in full control of the Qing empire until the very end of her life.
A surprise photograph from India
Mystery portrait in the ROM's collection, later revealed to be Sunder Shyam Chadha in the film “Chhottii Babhi,” 1951
Fantastic Folding Fan Leaf
By Ka Bo Tsang, ROM Assistant Curator, Chinese Pictorial Arts
Wu Huizhang wrote Tang-dynasty poems onto this folding fan, showing exceptional levels of concentration, writing skill, and compositional skill.
ROM Walk: Sculpture and the City
By Valerie Fairclough, ROMwalks volunteer
Marla Mossman and her Peace Caravan Journey along the Silk Road: Afghanistan
On a recent trip to New York City, ICC Managing Director Francisco Alvarez met with artist Marla Mossman. While gallery hopping and deep conversations over sushi, Marla shared the details of her very intriguing current art project.
Let’s talk about this
The Friends of the Institute for Contemporary Culture are a group of ROM members with an affinity for the ICC and its activities. The ICC seeks to stimulate “diverse audiences to think creatively, understand and change the world,” and when the FICC committee first came together just under a year ago, we wanted to find new ways to support this intention.
