ALL THAT GLITTERS

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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Who wants to see some glittering gems and jewels?

The Royal Ontario Museum's newest exhibition, Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India showcases the treasures and wonders of India's greatest former kingdom. 

Anklets (or necklace when put together). Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom invites visitors to delight in the wonderful, incredible, and rich history of the Rathores. Many of the objects that are on display in the exhibition come directly from the fort-palace of Mehrangarh. The exhibition, located in the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, tours visitors through this rich history and culture. 

The exhibition highlights everything from art, to warfare, to court, religion and more, travelling through time to experience these treasures first hand.

Grand Palanquin (Mahado). Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Portrait of Maharaja Ajit Singh. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition has something for everyone. It highlights all kinds of different treasures, including art, religion, clothing, as well as the gems and jewels I know you're all dying to see. Even the kids will have something to enjoy. Treasures of a Desert Kingdom uses interactives that will entice and engage adults and children alike. 

Move the iPad around and tap on the figures in the tent to learn more about court life.
Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Play a (simplified) game of Chaupar. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition, while filling an enormous space, is never overbearing. It was light and colourful and felt more personal than the average museum space. The exhibition never felt rushed and instead encouraged visitors to take their time, read the text, and give each object a chance to speak for itself. There was also music and sounds playing at different points throughout the exhibition, which I found to be enjoyable and heightened the experience. 

I also enjoyed the content. There were plenty of objects to ohh and ahh over, but it was fascinating to learn about the history of the Rathore dynasty. One aspect that stood out to me, was a small timeline that highlighted what was happening concurrently in the 15th century, when Jodhpur was being established. I'm always a sucker for timeline. 

Woman's ensemble (Poshak). Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom features incredible masterpieces from the royal family, and takes visitors on an amazing journey through one of the longest continuous royal lineages in the world. The exhibition has something for everyone to enjoy, and even has some inventive ways to keep the kids (and adults) entertained. The glittering gems are sure to dazzle and delight any visitor.

This intoxicatingly beautiful exhibition has also captured the hearts of other Musings writers. Musings contributing editor, Samantha Summers, was able to attend the media preview for Treasures of a Desert Kingdom and has written a beautiful account of the exhibition opening. She also mentions an interesting run-in with a stranger. Who could this stranger be? Read her article to hear all about it!

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India opened March 9, 2019 and runs until September 2, 2019, so be sure to head over to the ROM to gaze at all these royal wonders.

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WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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The beginning of February saw the opening of a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

Being Japanese Canadian: Reflections on a Broken World  offers visitors a poignant, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking view into the injustices suffered by Japanese Canadians during the 1940s.

REIKO, ALBERTA 1945- Lillian Michiko Blakey. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Being Japanese Canadian features artworks from eight contemporary Japanese Canadian artists, whose works are interspersed throughout the Sigmund Samuel Gallery of Canada. These incredible artists are Lillian Michiko Blakey, David L. Hayashida, Emma Nishimura, Steven Nunoda, Laura Shintani, Norman Takeuchi, Marjene Matsunaga Turnbull, and Yvonne Wakabayashi.

These artists reflect on the exile, dispossession, and internment that 22,000 Japanese Canadians faced during the 1940s. From those who experienced the history first hand, to those who are still coming to grips with the experiences of their parents and grandparents, these installations provide visitors with an intensely emotional, and often overlooked, piece of Canadian history.

Ghostown & Ladder to the Moon- Steven Nunoda. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

In a similar fashion to the Zodiac exhibition at the Gardiner Museum, Being Japanese Canadian is spread out within the Canadian gallery. This encourages visitors to confront these histories and stories within the larger narrative of Canadian history. Visitors can use a guide map that is on the entrance panel to find the artworks, or they can wander the gallery and find them on their own.

Interior Revisited- Norman Takeuchi. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard. 

Located in the center of the gallery is a space where visitors can watch short video clips regarding the internment of Japanese Canadians, as well as flip through different books on the subject. I found this to be an excellent touch, as it gives visitors the chance to better educate themselves about the topic while in the space.

Also on display is the official acknowledgement from the Government of Canada to Japanese Canadians that the events of internment were wrong and unjust. Other objects from the 1940s, such as drawings, photographs, a cedar chest, and poetry are also on display to better articulate this awful piece of Canadian history.

The Reading Station. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The Enemy That Never Was. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

And now time for a shameless plug-in. Laura Shintani and Lillian Michiko Blakey are also on display at my own exhibition at Campbell House Museum. This exhibition, as my capstone project for the Master of Museum Studies program, is entitled Redefining Home: A Story of Japanese Canadian Resettlement in Toronto. This project was put together by myself, Meghan Drascic-Gaudio and Hailey Graham.

This exhibition follows the story of Harold and Hana Kawasoe, a young Japanese Canadian couple who lived in the attic of Campbell House from 1948-1951. Redefining Home follows their story as they strove to make new lives in Toronto, and includes contemporary artwork from Lillian Michiko Blakey and Laura Shintani who reflect on their own experiences of being Japanese Canadian.

Redefining Home runs from March 1- April 1, 2019.

Original Artwork from Lillian Michiko Blakey. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Redefining Home. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard. 

Being Japanese Canadian allows the artwork from these incredible artists to speak more than a thousand words. Each work speaks to a horrid history that is often overlooked, and encourages visitors to reflect on the generational ramifications that have come as a result of this great injustice. These artworks also ask visitors to reflect on what it means to be Canadian.

Being Japanese Canadian opened February 2, 2019 and is on display at the ROM until August 5, 2019.

Canadian Born, Alberta 1943- Lillian Michiko Blakey. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard. 

ALL HAIL ZUUL

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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There's a new dinosaur on the block, and its name is ZUUL: The Destroyer of Shins.

ZUUL, in all its 2.5-ton, plant-eating glory, was discovered in 2014 by ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) palaeontologists in Havre, Montana. Named for its resemblance to the 1984 Ghostbusters monster, this horned, "gnarly-faced" beast has now been put on display in ZUUL: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur.

A fight between ZUUL and GORGOSAURUS. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

This ROM original exhibition asks the question, what was life like for ZUUL nearly seventy-six million years ago? ZUUL takes all you aspiring palaeontologists on a trip back in time to see how this well-protected dino handled life in the Cretaceous period. With its spiked tail club, ZUUL definitely earned its name as Destroyer of Shins.

ZUUL provides visitors with interactive, hands-on activities alongside information about ZUUL, its life, death, and discovery.

Ankylosaur trail. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Who doesn't love learning about dinosaurs? This exhibition definitely had a little bit of something for all visitors to enjoy. Kids and adults alike will enjoy walking amongst the different dino skulls, and learning exactly what it is that makes ZUUL, ZUUL. Fossils of different ankylosaur skulls introduce visitors to the different species in the family that ZUUL belongs too. This dinosaur walkway ends with visitors getting the chance to come face to face with ZUUL.

Meet ZUUL. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Now, one element that really stuck out to me was the interactive components. I know it's super tempting to reach and touch the fossils on display, but DON'T! Instead, ZUUL has bronze copies of different bones, and parts of ZUUL and GORGOSAURUS (uncovered near ZUUL) that visitors can touch to satisfy their desire to run their fingers over ZUUL's spiked back.

Bronze shin from GORGOSAURUS. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

There were also different games for kids and adults alike to try. My favourite game was the Duel ZUUL game. Controlling your own ZUUL, players try to defeat three different types of dinos. I beat the GORGOSAURUS by the way.

Duel ZUUL game. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

ZUUL is informative and fun, but sometimes text can be overwhelming. Even though I love to stop and read everything, I understand that not everyone does, especially when you have to wrangle kids away from the fossils on display. That's why I really liked the little comic panels that guided visitors through the space. These little comics gave visitors information in a fun and campy way.

What's in a name? Panel. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Finally, the best part, hands down, is that visitors get to see the actual body of ZUUL! These aren't reproductions. ZUUL has one of the most complete skeletons ever found, and visitors get to see his massive tail and body. This was easily the best part, knowing that you're standing inches away from something seventy-six million years old! It's definitely an experience!

ZUUL's shin-destroying tail. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

ZUUL's real body. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard. 

ZUUL: The Life of an Armoured Dinosaur reminds visitors of the massive beasts that roamed the earth ages ago. Mixing games, interactives, comics, fossils, and information, ZUUL covers all its bases and makes sure that there's something there for everyone to enjoy. But staring into the face of this "gnarly-faced, horned armoured dinosaur with a sledgehammer-like tail" is sure to make anyone's day.

Visit the ROM soon to travel back millions of years, and be sure to bring something to protect your shins, because ZUUL is only here till May 20, 2019.

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AND HERE WE WANDER IN ILLUSIONS

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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It's time to get optical!

Toronto has welcomed a new museum into its midst, and this one is pretty special. It's dedicated to the wonderful and weird world of illusions! 

The Rotated Room. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The Museum of Illusions Toronto truly baffles the mind and tricks the senses! That's why this exhibition review is going to be a little different. The Museum of Illusions is so cool, that instead of focusing on one exhibition, why not review the whole thing? That, and also it's pretty small, so get ready to hear about some of the trippy and Insta-worthy things you can find here. 

The Ames Room. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The Museum of Illusions has definitely lived up to the hype, and gives visitors an immersive experience into the world of illusions. They have several rooms to give visitors those wildly, head-scratching pictures for the Instagram feed. These rooms include a Clone Table, an Infinity Room (so check that out if you missed Kusama), and even a Vortex Tunnel! Similar to Kusama, the Museum of Illusions offers you a breathtakingly immersive museum experience. 

While these rooms do give you some great pics, they also put you into the illusion. The space, while small, does a great job of encouraging visitors to participate in these illusions and think about how their eyes are deceiving them. 

The Ani-Gravity Room. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

These optical rooms are definitely fun to play around in, but don't miss the different installations along the wall. These installations will make your mind spin. Visitors are encouraged to look at the image, with instructions from the label, telling you "What to do," such as look at the image for 30 seconds, then look at your hand. After you've participated in the illusion, the label beside the installation gives you a brief understanding of what's going on and why you're seeing what you're seeing. 

Turntables. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

I personally loved the blend the Museum of Illusions has, of giving a space for visitors to snap some awesome pics, while also teaching you about the world of illusions. This is a museum that may attract  those of you who are intimidated by those bigger, more sophisticated museums. That isn't to say that I don't also love my traditional museum experience, but sometimes it's great to be able to run around and touch things, especially when the museum is encouraging you to do so. I think the Museum of Illusions accomplished exactly what they set out to do, which is to offer visitors an intriguing visual, sensory and educational experience.

Hypnotic Vibes. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The Museums of Illusions is not only a museum, it's also a playground. It encourages you to explore and interact with the material around you. It's the perfect combination of informative and fun (and you'll get some great pictures out of your trip).

Cafe Wall Illusion. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

A quick note, the space is very small. So if you want to avoid the crowds, definitely go earlier in the day when it'll be less busy. I would also recommend buying your tickets online in advance. Tickets are sold for scheduled times, so it might be best to plan your trip and buy tickets ahead. And of course, make sure your phone is charged to take those sweet, sweet pictures. 

The Museum of Illusions is now open to one and all, so wander on over to get lost in the wonderfully weird world of illusions.

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THEY HIDE, YOU SEEK

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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So, what's your zodiac sign? I'm a Sagittarius, which I guess means that I'm generous, idealistic, and have a great sense of humour. I like to think that's pretty accurate.

Sagittarius. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

On Friday, the Gardiner Museum welcomed a new exhibition dedicated to the twelve Zodiac signs. David R. Harper: Zodiac explores the twelve signs of the Zodiac through the medium of ceramics. The exhibition is inspired by the astrological imagery associated with each sign. These works create a rich way of looking at and interacting with the Zodiac. The artist explains the works are "not based on what we typically read for a certain sign, but how those characteristics translate into the world." 

These original works were commissioned as a part of New + Now, which is an annual celebration of emerging artists and contemporary ceramics, both in Canada and internationally.

Leo. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Now, you're probably wondering, "what on earth does hide and seek have to do with this exhibition?" Well, I'll tell you. Zodiac is one of the more interesting and unique exhibitions I've been to recently and that is because each piece is spread out throughout the entire museum.

That's right, the exhibition is not in one place! Pieces are interspersed around the museum, intervening in the regular gallery spaces and encouraging visitors to participate in this museum-wide scavenger hunt.

Aries. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibition and was totally invested in going through every single gallery and finding the Zodiac pieces. I would recommend grabbing the Zodiac pamphlet at the beginning of your tour (which you can grab at the counter when you purchase your ticket). This way, you can see what each piece looks like, but it won't tell you where to find them. That's all on you. 

Make sure you check every. single. room. And maybe bring a pen to check off pieces that you've found, which I did to make sure I saw every single piece. I missed Cancer and had to go back through to find it.

Zodiac map. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition encourages you to walk through the museum and enjoy the wide variety of ceramics on display. These pieces are meant to be found and enjoyed with the rest of the works in the galleries. When you're looking around the galleries, keep an eye out for the little sign beside the works that indicate the piece is a part of Zodiac. It was really enjoyable to walk through a gallery and spy that little sign and know that you've found another piece.

There are no labels to tell you about the piece, but I actually enjoyed that pieces stood alone and stood out to the visitor. All the information you need is in the pamphlet, and it allowed visitors to take their own meaning away from the works. 

Zodiac label for Aquarius. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Zodiac offers visitors a fun and unique experience. By dispersing the pieces throughout the museum, visitors are encouraged to embark on their own scavenger hunt. You become responsible for finding the pieces and seeing the complete exhibition. It also promotes visitors to hit every single room, to check and see if there is a Zodiac piece there. There are some spaces that I might not have been interested in seeing if I wasn't looking for the different signs. It was rewarding to find the installations, but to also experience the whole of the museum, instead of picking and choosing only some galleries to see. 

Pisces. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Zodiac opened November 16, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, so wander on over to the Gardiner Museum to find your own Zodiac sign.

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DO YOU BELIEVE?

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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What do you believe in? 

To welcome you to their new industrial building, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is displaying BELIEVE, an exhibition featuring 16 artists, exploring the beliefs and systems that shape our values and behaviours.

BE:LIE:VE by Kendell Geers. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

MOCA has found a new 55,000 square foot home in the Lower Junction. With all this new space, MOCA is able to further their collection and exhibition of contemporary art. BELIEVE utilizes this new space, spanning floors two and three of the building, with one installation on the first floor. The exhibition includes works from 16 Canadian and international artists: Can Altay, Matilda Aslizadeh, Carl Beam, Dineo Seshee Bopape, Awol Erizku, Meschac Gaba, Kendell Geers, Barbara Kruger, Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Jeneen Frei Njootli, Rajni Perera, Jeremy Shaw, Nep Sidhu, Maya Stovall and Tim Whiten. 

Kendell Geers neon installation BE:LIE:VE is located on the first floor of MOCA, giving visitors their first glimpse of the exceptional art they will see throughout the exhibition as they enter the building. Artists installed on the second floor explore the past and the future. These installations look into the artists' experiences and cultural identities while also analyzing the histories, stories and technologies that help to shape our current beliefs. As the introductory panel states "We are what we believe."

The Columbus Suite by Carl Beam. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The third floor of MOCA hosts artists exploration of how beliefs are created. Artists dig at the question of how belief systems shape how we perceive the world, but also how these perspectives influence our behaviours and relationships, both individually and within the community. 

(Untitled) Doubt + BELIEF by Barbara Kruger. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Before seeing BELIEVE, I will admit that I was a little intimidated. I am the first to admit that I don't know a lot about art, especially contemporary artwork, but this exhibition blew me away. There was one reason in particular that this exhibition can speak to the artistically versed and the artistically illiterate-- and that was the labels!

The labels truly made the experience more enjoyable since there were artist statements attached to each piece of artwork. These statements got to the core of what inspired the artist and what message their artwork was trying to convey. This meant that for people who don't understand art (i.e. me) there was an opportunity to look through the artists' eyes and see what they saw. The labels also allowed those who might want the art to speak for itself to just enjoy the installations, as they were located near the installations but did not intrude visually. This means that visitors can easily skip over the labels and experience the artwork on their own.

And-In. The Light of This._, by Dineo Seshee Bopape. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition also hosts a large number of artists but the space never felt cramped or crowded. Spreading the exhibition across two different floors and separating by theme, allowed for each piece to speak for itself and not be infringed upon by other installations. I also felt it gave me more time to look at the works. I could spend more time with each work before moving on and it didn't feel rushed. There was a natural flow to the space.

Each piece had its own story and perspective to share and each piece resonated differently. I was interested to see what drew me in and what confused me. There were definitely pieces that will stick with me for a long time. One piece in particular was "The Island" by Tuan Andrew Nguyen. The message resonated with me, but the video captured me. I was entranced by the story and the accompanying music was both hauntingly beautiful and unsettling.

The Island by Tuan Andrew Nguyen. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

BELIEVE gives visitors a chance to confront and question their beliefs. These 16 artists captured the past, the present and the future through different mediums and methods. Fans of contemporary art and those new to the field can find something that resonates and speaks to them. BELIEVE is an open and understandable exhibition because of the artists' ability to make us think about the beliefs that shape us.

BELIEVE opened September 22, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, so head over to MOCA to confront your own truth.

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SOME NOT SO ITSY BITSY SPIDERS

EXHIBITION REVIEWS

BY: MADDY HOWARD

Some not so itsy bitsy spiders have managed to find a new home at the Royal Ontario Museum this summer, in the Spiders: Fear & Fascination exhibition. We love to hate these creepy crawlies, but this exhibition encourages visitors to face their fears and immerse themselves in the fascinating world of these web-slingers.

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Spider Specimens. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Spiders: Fear & Fascination is making its North American debut at the ROM this summer. The ROM also added a little more information about the spiders closer to our doorstep, by including an examination of spiders in North America. Spiders also examines our fascination with these arachnids from a cultural and artistic point of view. The exhibition takes our fears and breaks them down by engaging with visitors in a unique and informative way.

Spiders allows visitors to come face-to-face with these eight-legged creatures. The exhibition features more than 200 live and preserved specimens to encourage people to get up close and personal with some of their greatest fears.

Live Black Widow Spider. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Both adults and children can enjoy this seemingly terrifying ordeal. The exhibition combines real and virtual experiences, which opens up the world of spiders in a way that has never before been experienced. The melding of technology and information was incredible and offered something for adults and children alike. It also allowed visitors to better connect with the information given and made the experience enjoyable for those who might struggle with the subject matter.

Some notable interactive games included, hunting down spiders in a virtual garden, a peacock spider dance-off, and seeing through the eyes of a jumping spider. A live specimen demonstration occurs daily in the Spider Lab, which is another unique feature to this informative exhibition. In the Spider Lab, guests can watch the Spider Wranglers talk about the different species and might get to see them milk some venom!

Kids try to catch their "prey" with spider-like pincers. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

There are different sections around the exhibition, including "What are Spiders?" "Diet, Jaws & Venom," and "Spiders & Us" to name a few. Each section focuses on a different aspect of the arachnid world. Each section is also given an interactive game for parents and children to partake in.

However, while the virtual and augmented reality aspects are a great inclusion, there is still tons of information available to the visitors. There is a lot of text, which might seem overwhelming, but the exhibition spreads it out and intersperses the information with games and live species, so visitors can engage with information hands-on.

Facts are interspersed around the exhibition, which is a fun way to entertain and educate visitors as they travel through the space. For example, did you know that spider silk is used in heart surgery? Or that spiders are over 300 million years old?

Spiders doesn't just focus on the spiders. It also explores how our culture interacts with these critters and how beautiful these creatures can be.

Spider silk cape made from silk from the golden silk orbweaver. It took three years to make and took silk from over a million golden silk orbweavers. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition ends with "Spiders & Us" where visitors can look at spiders in our everyday lives and how we incorporate these creatures into our stories. Webs and spiders are common literary and symbolic features, and are present in many cultures from around the world. This section offers visitors a chance to think about the way they engage with spiders in their daily lives.

Mirror of Dearth. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Of course no exhibition about spiders is complete without a visit from your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Spider-Man closes out the exhibition with an oversized comic book for people to flip through, and a display about other Spider-themed superheroes (i.e. Black Widow). This was an appreciated addition to the exhibition and reinforced that maybe spiders are not as bad as we make them out to be.

Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Spiders: Fear & Fascination forces visitors to confront their fears and to learn about the eight-legged creatures in a fun, interesting way. Through interactive and augmented reality, live specimens and boatloads of information, visitors are able to drop their pre-concieved notions and engage with this new and exciting world of spiders.

The exhibition opened June 16, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, so swing on over to the Royal Ontario Museum to hang out with some spindly spiders.

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