THE MEMORABLE FASHION OF THE ROARING 1920’s

Sew What | Natalie Heaton

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Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton

Last month marked a century since the beginning of the roaring 1920s. This decade was marked by the end of the First World War, flappers, women’s liberation, and a booming economy. The fashion of this era is often portrayed through novels and movies, like The Great Gatsby, focusing on the edgy style of the flapper fashion. The museum sector is one of the best places the fashion of the 1920s is remembered, represented, and recognised.


Since the 1920s was a very prosperous time for the economy and many individuals, it is not uncommon for museums to represent this lavish era. The Spadina House Museum is an example of such a museum. In the house, there is an Art Deco feel, and women's dresses from the different time periods are placed strategically. The dresses that are displayed represent different trends of the decade, with dropped waists, raised hemlines, and overall, showing more skin. These dominated 1920s fashion, as they represented the new women.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton

Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton

Today, the fashion of the 1920s makes for a great Halloween costume or party theme, these trends were deeply tied to what was happening in Western society. During the First World War, women entered the public sphere. After the First World War, the number of women in post-secondary institutions was on the rise,  and they had opportunities that had not been available to them prior to the war. Women needed clothing that would be practical for work and allowed freedom of movement. This newfound liberation is reflected in the clothing, head to foot. This decade saw the exile of corsets, hair being cut into short bobs, and women drinking, smoking and dancing. If only their grandmothers saw them, oh the scandal!


With women’s style being so distinct during this decade, it is a favourite topic mentioned or on display in exhibitions on the 1920s. The City of Toronto Archives currently has an exhibition focusing on the 1920s. This exhibition looks at everything from advertising, old photos of Toronto, people living their day-to-day lives, and fashion trends. While looking at all the photos of old Toronto and the people that use to call this city home, it is hard to not notice the distinct fashion trends.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton

LEST WE FORGET: HOW WE WILL REMEMBER

Muse News | Michelle Wright

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In honour of our past, present and future soldiers, today’s article will take pause to look at Remembrance Day and how you can pay your respects to their sacrifice. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Remembrance Day.

 

War Memorial by Wiborg. Source. 

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany in Compiègne, France, marking the end of hostilities of the First World War. This armistice took effect “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” and on November 11, 1919 the first annual Armistice Day Ceremony was observed at Buckingham Palace. During World War II many countries changed the name to Remembrance Day. Ceremonies happen today all over the world in honour of the brave men and women who gave their lives and those who continue to serve in areas of conflict.

But where do these ceremonies take place? They happen at cenotaphs, in schools, community centers and parks, but they also take place in museums. Museums that first come to mind are military or war museums, for example the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, which has events all day today. There is a growing concern that once the generation who can remember the war firsthand pass on, how will their stories be told and how do we preserve them? Museums call upon those who remember and their descendants to help tell stories. Two examples of this are right here in Toronto at the Mackenzie House Museum and the Spadina House Museum, with another coming to Museums of Mississauga in September 2020.

From now until January 31, 2020 the Mackenzie House will host the exhibition Eaton’s Goes to War: Family, Memory & Meaning. The exhibition shows the lives of some of the 3327 employees of the T. Eaton Company from Toronto and Winnipeg who enlisted in World War I. John Craig Eaton, the president of the company, offered to pay his employees wages to enlist. Each time one of these employees did so, their photo was taken and displayed in the Toronto store. About 2000 photographs of these men survive and are preserved in an online gallery created by the Archives of Ontario. Last year, a call was put out to the public to visit the collection and share personal stories of these soldiers and their families. The response was overwhelming and the museum could not display all of them, however the Archives of Ontario are working to publicize them through their stories online.

Eaton's Goes to War, Mackenzie House Museum. Source.

Today from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm the Spadina House Museum is hosting a pop-up museum-style event, inviting the public to bring mementos and stories about conflict to share them with others. This type of event is an invitation to the public to become a part of the museum. All are welcome, even if they do not have a keepsake or story. Following the event, there will be a special tour of the Spadina House’s involvement in World War I, particularly Percy Austin's experiences as a solider and Margaret Constance Austin's experiences as a nurse.

Coming back to the GTA September 15 to December 15, 2020 the Museums of Mississauga will be host to the traveling exhibition called WAR Flowers. This exhibition made its way to Toronto  January 24 to March 16, 2018 at the Campbell House and was written about by Serena Yplaar & Amy Intrator as a Weekend Edition called INTERPRETATION IN BLOOM: WAR FLOWERS AT CAMPBELL HOUSE MUSEUM. The exhibition is a collection of letters and pressed flowers from Lieutenant-Colonel George Stephen Cantlie sent to his infant daughter Celia during World War I. Cantlie would pick a flower, no matter where he was on the front, whether it was a dandelion, rose, or a poppy, and press the flower to send to his daughter. The letters that accompanied them were often short with a small description of where the flower was from and he would sign it to his “Wee Celia”. The collection was passed to the Stewart Museum by Celia’s niece and has become the center of a multi-sensory experiences, telling this story along with that of ten other Canadians who were involved in the War. These stories show the ability to find beauty and hope, even in the darkest of times.

One of the original flowers featured in the WAR Flowers exhibit. Photo courtesy of Amy Intrator.

These three exhibitions are just the tip of the iceberg for what is going on today. For other ceremonies and events you can visit the Cit of Toronto, Ontario.ca, or google events near you.

I will leave you with some well known words;

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly 

Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. Short days ago 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie, 

In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields. 

                                                       -In Flanders Fields, John McCrae 

WHY REPEAT THE PAST: SPADINA HOUSE'S GATSBY GARDEN PARTY

PROGRAM REVIEWS

BY: SAMANTHA KILPATRICK

The Great Gatsby Garden party hosted by the Spadina House Museum is an era-appropriate bash held in a beautiful outdoor garden every year in late June. Running since 2014, this event has exploded into a success for the museum, as well as a social media phenomenon in its own right. This year, the weather was damper than preferable for an event that advertises itself as a picnic as much as a party, but the drizzle didn’t stop hundreds of people turning up for the event.

Attendees at the grey and cheerful Gatsby Garden Party (Spadina House). Photo courtesy of Samantha Kilpatrick.

The main event is a bring-your-own-food-picnic in advertising, but in truth is a meandering, cheerful wander through Spadina House’s grounds, doubling back and back again. Dotted across the grounds were vendors and historic society booths, offering to take your picture or quiz you on the uses of historic silver wear implements. Spadina House also had a pair of bands playing music, as well as an array of vintage gramophones playing to make the event sound the part of a party in the 20s.

One of two bands playing the Gatsby Garden
party, trying to stay dry (Spadina
House), photo courtesy of the Samantha Kilpatrick..

For the more involved, there was also a gambling den, a chance to learn several 20s dances on the dance floor under a tent, a screening of several silent movies courtesy of the Toronto Silent Film Society, and the opportunity to play croquette.

Vendors sold food and drinks, and many of them offered themed items. Chau offered, among others, ‘Daisy’s Dainty Tea Sandwiches,’ and Crystal Head Vodka, a sponsor of the event, offered several themed drinks, including the ‘across the bay’ cocktail. This, of course, was green. Throughout the entire event, there were also those who brought their own food, and had set up picnic blankets and were enjoying the event in jackets and dresses and headbands and hats.

I would like now to dwell on the other attendees because the other attendees are worth remarking on. Of the hundreds of people I saw at the party, only a dozen or so made no attempt to dress for the event at all. To be fair, my perhaps generous definition of ‘dressing for the event’ runs the gamut from ‘wearing an old-fashioned dress and a necklace as a headband,’ all the way to button-perfect recreations of suits and dresses. Some of the more creative and adventurous party goers came dressed as 20’s police officers, or aviators, (and one Charlie Chapman) and many were chattering happily with others about how they created their costumes.

The dance floor at the Great Gatsby Garden Party, where the wide array of costumes can be seen. (Spadina House). Video curtosy of Samantha Kilpatrick..

Again, the vast majority made some effort- this is not to say that everyone came in pink suits with straw hats, but that even most of the men found a pastel collared shirt and a pair of khakis to take pictures in. It created an atmosphere not only of a party but also a shared, secret experience, common only to the hundreds of other people at the party. I should, now, admit that I was one of these costumed attendees. There seemed no better way to experience the event than enthusiastically, without reservation, and with an additional dozen hours of work to create an era-appropriate costume before the event itself. 

The author (left), and Elizabeth Patti, maker of these dresses, and companion to the event (right). Photo taken on Spadina House porch, by fellow attendees. Photo courtesy of author.

A side effect of this mass costuming is the feeling that the experience of this party starts well before the event itself. For one thing, there is always the delightful ride on public transit in period dress, and the attempt to suss out whether or not your fellow passengers are simply dressed well or attending the same event. If you have never ridden public transit in costume before, I recommend the experience highly. It is in my experience, an event that brings you much closer to those who you are riding with, and makes you acutely aware of how comfortable you are with being stared at. As you draw closer and closer to the party, you begin spotting more ropes of pearls, and boater hats, and long dripping 20s shawls. It creates an atmosphere of anticipation and mutual excitement, this spotting of other partygoers, that is difficult to describe except to someone who has experienced a similar event.

Even before the ride itself, of course, there is not inconsiderable effort if you are one of those attending in more dedicated period dress. There is the effort of looking up historic photos, illustrations, or advertisements to attempt to find inspiration and ideas. There is the scouring of thrift stores, fabric stores, flea markets, or the back of one’s closet in search of a material you can wear or transform into something era-appropriate. There is the negotiation of ‘close enough’, where compromises are made to make outfits more fun, or flattering. Drop-waist 20s style dresses have the same tendency that high-waisted regency gowns do, to make the wearer look slightly pregnant. Many attendees opted to nip the actual waist of the dress in slightly, to create a more modern silhouette while maintaining much of the look of the 20s.

This pre-event energy is something that Spadina house plays into quite consciously. Spadina Museum has an incredibly robust social media presence, and their Instagram, as well as their Facebook page, has been promoting the event with great humour and success. Pictures from previous years, two-minute etiquette guides, and daily posts meant to run a countdown to when the tickets went on sale all served to heighten the excitement. It’s an annual event that’s a roaring success, and Spadina House has seized it as their blockbuster event of the year.

The event this year was a delight to attend, and I can’t wait to see how Spadina house harnesses this energy again next year.

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: KELLY MANIKOTH

Welcome to the December edition of What's Happening Wednesdays! As snowflakes begin to flutter and chilly weather sneaks its way into the forecast, holiday preparations in Toronto are in full swing! I personally think it’s never too early to start planning for the most wonderful time of the year and I am so excited to spend the holidays in the city. Here's a selection of festive-inspired events, from markets to exhibitions, to celebrate the end of a very busy semester!

A Roaring Twenties Christmas at the Spadina House Museum

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This holiday season, the Spadina House Museum is hosting 20s era-inspired guided Christmas tours! Experience the holidays through the memories of the Austin family grandchildren and see the historic house fully decked in festive décor. The tour includes Christmas treats from original family recipes and traditional mulled cider.

This event is presented as part of the Toronto History Museums Holiday Programming.

When: November 21, 2017 - January 7, 2018
Every Tuesday - Friday, 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Every Saturday & Sunday, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
(Museum Closed on Mondays)

Where: Spadina Museum, 285 Spadina Rd

Cost: Child: $5.75, Adult: $8.85, Youth: $7.08,  Senior: $7.08

12 Trees: Let There Be Light Exhibition at the Gardiner Museum

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Since 1990, the The Gardiner Museum has reinterpreted the modern Christmas tree through its annual exhibition, 12 Trees. The theme of this year’s exhibition is Let There Be Light. Curated by Canadian writer and artist Douglas Coupland and Vice President of Public Art Management Ben Mills, it captures how light is used as a symbol of hope by many cultures during the holiday season. Some of the installations include a disco ball Christmas tree and a tree made up of illuminated blocks!

The featured 12 Trees artists are: Evan Biddell, Julia Callon, Connor Crawford, Christine Dewancker and Katherine Strang, Amit Kehar and Kanika Gupta, Alex McLeod, Polymetis, Jon Sasaki, Jordan Soderberg Mills, David Trautrimas, Julia White, and Vivian Wong.

In addition to the twelve artist installations, there will be a 42-foot white spruce bedazzled in neon lights on the Gardiner's front plaza. The tree is designed by the Presenting Sponsor, Nordstrom, and donated by Ontario Wood and Forests Ontario.

When: November 17, 2017 – January 7, 2018; 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where: The Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, 111 Queens Park, Toronto

Cost: 12 Trees: Let There Be Light is included in general Museum Admission : $15 Adults, $9 Students, $11 Seniors, Members free. The museum is half price admission every Friday, and FREE on Tuesdays for post-secondary students with a valid photo ID.

Swedish Christmas Fair

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There are always a multitude of Christmas fairs to enjoy in Toronto during the holidays. A special one to check out this year is the Swedish Christmas Fair. The fair is a two-day extravaganza where you can experience all the charming traditions of a Swedish Christmas. Listen to choirs singing carols at the Lucia Pageant, learn about Sami culture, folk dance, and sample Scandinavian food, such as 'risgrynsgröt', a rice porridge that's eaten with 'hallonsylt' (raspberry jam) and glögg, a special Swedish sweet mulled wine. This is also the perfect opportunity to pick up unique, specially imported gifts such as Swedish décor and textiles.

When: Saturday, November 25, 11am–5pm and Sunday, November 26, 11am–4pm

Where:  Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto

Cost: Free

Nazar by Turkwaz at the Aga Khan Museum

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Experience a beautiful concert at the Aga Khan Museum that unifies a myriad of cultures. This concert series features Turkwaz, a group of four vocalists, Maryem Tollar, Brenna MacCrimmon, Sophia Grigoriadis, and Jayne Brown, who take inspiration from Arabic, Balkan, Macedonian, Turkish, and Albanian folk songs. The quartet is joined by four guest musicians, Demetri Petsalakis (oud), Naghmeh Farahmand (percussion), Ernie Tollar (sax, flutes) and Andrew Downing (cello).

The concert is linked to the museum’s contemporary art show HERE (which runs from July 22^nd 2017 to January 7^th 2018).  The exhibition reflects the complexity and multifaceted ideas of Canadian identity.

When: Saturday, December 2^nd, 8pm

Where: 77 Wynford Drive, located one light north of Eglinton off Don Mills Road.

Cost: $40, $36 for members. You can purchase tickets here. This event includes same-day Museum admission.

Create Miniature Scenes in Glass Globes at the Toronto Botanical Garden

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The Toronto Botanical Garden is a beautiful place to explore year-round. This December, visit the gardens in Don Valley Ravine and discover a new skill as well! On Saturday, December 2^nd, learn how to design miniature Christmas scenes inside a glass globe. Taught by Gabriela Delworth, a lifestyle Blogger, DIY author and crafts industry designer, these globes will make the perfect ornament for holiday decorations or unique gift for a loved one. All materials are included in the cost!

When: Saturday, December 2, 2017, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Where: Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario

Cost: Public $48, Members $40. You can purchase tickets online here. 

Celebrating Hanukkah 2017 with Light Up the Night 

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This year, Hanukkah begins on Tuesday, December 12^th and ends on the evening of Wednesday, December 20^th. On its first night, attend a Menorah Lighting at Mel Lastman Square, hosted by the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Toronto. Festivities include a fire show, live music, hot latkes, donuts, Chanukah Gelt (chocolate coins), a dignitaries greeting and a giant menorah lighting. For more information, checkout Public Menorah Lighting.  

When: Tuesday, December 12^th, 6pm

Where: Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St.

Cost: Free!

Hot Docs Free Screenings of Holiday Classics

One of my favourite holiday movies, White Christmas Source.

One of my favourite holiday traditions is to curl up with a hot chocolate and watch some of my most-loved seasonal films. This year, I'm switching it up by catching the classics on the big screen! Hot Docs is showcasing free screenings of iconic holiday movies, such as A Christmas Story, Love Actually, and National Lampoon’s Christmas. The first of the free screenings is my all time favourite holiday movie, Michael Curtiz’s White Christmas. I watch this timeless musical every year at home, so it will be a treat to see it in a cinema.

When: White Christmas plays on Saturday, December 16th, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

The rest of the classics play between December 17th – 24th at various times. Click here for the calendar listing of showings

Where: Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Cost: Free! Hot Docs will be accepting donations to The Stop (dried beans, rice or monetary donation).

Members: tickets are available for pick up at the box office and online now. Tickets for non-members available for pick up at the cinema box office beginning December 3 at 1 p.m. Maximum of two tickets per person. A limited number of same day tickets will be available.

Pick up a Christmas Tree at the Distillery District Christmas Market 

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A Torontonian's holiday to-do list is simply not complete without checking out the Christmas Market at the Distillery District. This year, start a new tradition at the market and cut down your own fresh tree! Forests Ontario will sell trees at the market during the first two weekends in December (Friday December 1st - Sunday December 3rd, and Friday December 8th - Sunday December 10th).
For every tree that’s purchased and cut at the Toronto Christmas Market, a new tree will be planted. You'll also get one free entry into the market and a locally crafted reindeer ornament to decorate your new tree! For more information, visit torontochristmasmarket.com

When: Dates to get a Tree: Friday, December 1, 2017, 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Saturday, December 2, 2017, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sunday, December 3, 2017, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM Friday, December 8, 2017, 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Saturday, December 9, 2017 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sunday, December 10, 2017 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

The Christmas Market runs from Thursday, November 16 - Saturday December 23, 2017

Where: Distillery District, 55 Mill St Rd, Toronto, ON.

Cost: The Toronto Christmas Market charges a $6 admission fee on weekends, starting at 5pm on Fridays. You can buy tickets online in advance here .

Jane Austen’s Birthday Ball

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To commemorate Jane Austen's 242nd birthday in December, The Jane Austen Dancing Group is hosting a Regency-era ball! The elegant ball will be as authentic as possible, with live music, historical refreshments, door prizes and toasts to the King!

The Group is offering a pre-ball dance workshop, clothing and hair makeover for those lacking nineteenth century attire and dance skills. No partner or dance experience needed, but the pre-ball basics workshop is a prerequisite for those new to English Country Dancing. The workshop is designed for all skill levels. For more details, registration forms and to buy tickets, visit the Jane Austen Dancing website .

When: Saturday, December 16, 2017, Ball prep session: 1:00  – 5:00 PM, Ball: 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Where: Afternoon (1:00 -5:00): Clothing and hair session, dance workshop: Trinity St Paul Centre, 427 Bloor St W one block west of Spadina subway.

Evening (6:30 – 9:00) : Ball with live music and refreshments: Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave in Yorkville

Cost: Ball package (includes both afternoon workshops, ball and refreshments): $55 / $45 students and seniors. Ball-only tickets for experienced English or Scottish Country Dancers (available only by prior arrangement): $35 / $30 You can purchase tickets here. Payment can be made either by cheque or electronic transfer.

New Years in the 6ix

The year is drawing to a close, and there is certainly no shortage of New Year's Eve parties as Toronto prepares to ring in 2018! Here are two cool NYE bashes to check out if you're downtown:

ROM New Year's Eve

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#ROMNYE will be extra chic this year, inspired by the glamorous Christian Dior exhibit (running from November 25, 2017 to March 18, 2018). Guests have the option to enjoy a three-course gourmet meal, wine service with dinner, and a complimentary welcome cocktail, as well as early entry at 7:00 p.m., exclusive cash bar service in c5 all night long and exclusive access to Christian Dior from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The entertainment includes performances by the St. Royals and DJ Matthew Romeo.

#ROMNYE also includes a Christian Dior-inspired photo booth, party favours, hors d’oeuvre, complimentary sparkling wine toast at midnight and complimentary coat check.

When: Sunday, December 31st, 2017, 9:00 PM – 2:00 AM Christian Dior exhibition access from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Where: ROM, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto

Cost: Party only: Early bird tickets are $90 for General Public. Members receive a 10% discount. Regular Tickets are $100
VIP Dinner and Party: $250 for General Public. Members receive a 10% discount.

#ROMNYE tickets must be purchased in advance online at rom.on.ca; there will be no tickets available at the door.  #ROMNYE is a specially ticketed event for adults 19+.

Dwayne Gretzky Infinity Ball: New Year's 2018

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Ring in the new year with amazing musical performances and art installations of mirrors and diamonds at the Dwayne Gretzky Infinity Ball! Dwayne Grtezky is “a super group party band”, or a collective of Toronto musicians that remixes contemporary and classic music. Some of the artists featured are lighting designer and creative director Matt Mansion and media artist Karl Skene.

The Enercare Centre will be transformed into a large reflective dance floor for guests to waltz the night away. There will be plenty of food, drinks and special 'photo opps' to celebrate 2018. Head to dwaynegretzkynye.com for more information.

When: December 31, 2017, Doors open at: 9PM

Where: Enercare Centre @ Exhibition Place, 100 Princes' Blvd #1, Toronto

Cost: $75. You can purchase tickets online here.

With the stunning 100 ft tree finally revealed in the Eaton Centre and the opening of the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District, Toronto is truly in the holiday spirit! I hope you enjoy the festive events in the city along with all the light, warmth and hope that this season brings. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday with family and friends. See you in 2018!

CELEBRATING CANADA 150

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: EMILY WELSH

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the January edition of What's Happening Wednesdays! Today is #MuseumSelfie Day! Are you celebrating? Post your selfies on social media and continue reading this edition to explore five upcoming Canada 150 events and the resources you can use to stay up to date with events taking place throughout the year.

Throwback to one of my favourite selfies - on the roof of St. Peter's Basilica. 

1. Canada on Screen - Toronto International Film Festival 

Start the car! This commercial for Ikea Canada is included in Canada on Screen's list of 150 essential works of moving-images. Source.

TIFF and their partners are celebrating Canada's moving-image heritage through Canada on Screen, a program of FREE events, screenings, guest talks and more all based on a list of 150 essential works. This list, compiled from polls of industry professionals, includes animation, commercials, documentaries, features, shorts and television series. The program began in January, with works from the list included in TIFF's Canada's Top Ten Film Festival which runs from January 13th - January 26th. The events will continue throughout the year in Toronto and in other cities across Canada.

To learn more visit http://www.tiff.net/canadaonscreen/?tab=about

Click here to download the full press release detailing when events will take place and the complete 150 list.

2. Winterlicious - City of Toronto

This year's Winterlicious includes culinary events celebrating Canada 150. Source.

The City of Toronto's winter celebration of all things food takes place January 27th - February 9th at more than 220 restaurants. As part of 2017's celebration, diners are invited to explore Canada's history through food, with ticketed culinary events such as Casa Loma's Celebrating 150 years of Canadian Cuisine and FUSE's Elements of Soul - 150 years of Caribbean Influence. At Casa Loma, visitors will enjoy Canadian dishes of the past and present while at FUSE diners will explore "contributions made by generations of Black Caribbeans to Canada's soul food and music offerings."

To learn more about the restaurants participating in this years Winterlicious and the special culinary events available visit http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=e0e8a417e9dd2410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

3. Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience - University of Toronto Art Centre

Kent Monkman's exhibit, Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience, begins at the University of Toronto Art Centre on January 26th with a reception from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Through Monkman's artistic works and historical artworks and artifacts from other collections, the visitor explores Canada's history, from the present to 150 years before confederation, and First Nation's resilience. The traveling exhibit will premiere at the centre until March 4th.

Public lecture by Kent Monkman: February 1st, 2017, 4:30pm - 6:00pm, University College Room 140

Curatorial tour with Kent Monkman: February 4th, 2017, 2:00pm.

To learn more visit: http://www.artmuseum.utoronto.ca/
and http://canada150.utoronto.ca/event/kent-monkman-shame-prejudice-story-resilience/

4. Our Journey - Spadina Museum

Spadina Museum asks visitors to contribute to Our Journey, on at the museum from February 4th - December 31st 2017. Source.

From February 4th - December 31st, 2017, the Spadina Museum invites visitors to contribute to Our Journey, an exhibit exploring the diversity of Canadians. Visitors are invited to share their family's origin and share some of their family story by creating stories and/or art that answers questions including: "When did you or your ancestors first arrive in Canada? What does indigenous Canadian mean to you? What is the best thing about living in Toronto?"

*The art map is free but there is a charge for admission to the museum.

To learn more about Spadina Museum and the project visit here and here.

5. My City My Six - Cultural Hotspot 2017  

This year, from May to October, the Cultural Hotspot program is highlighting and celebrating the arts, heritage, cultue, businesses and communities of East York. As part of the program comes My City My Six, a public art project celebrating Canada 150 and the diversity of Toronto. Torontonians are invited to submit six word stories that describe essential aspects of themselves and their lives. Submissions will be accepted from January through May after which a jury will select submissions to be displayed in the fall exhibit; the exhibit will take place city-wide in transit shelters, on billboards and in other public spaces.

To learn more about the Cultural Hotspot program and My City My Six visit here.       

Canada 150 Online Resources

Canada 150 events will be taking place across the country throughout the year! Here are some of the resources you can use to keep track of what's happening:

TO Canada with Love is the city of Toronto's Canada 150 program with information on exhibitions, celebration and commemorations. Check their event calendar throughout the year.

Ontario150 will give you details on how Ontario is celebrating it's and Canada's 150th anniversary.

The Government of Canada's Canada150 page will give you information on events, programs and social media links.

The University of Toronto has a website for it's Canada150 events, history and programming.

And of course there is social media! 

Source.

City of Toronto Historic Sites has released this summary of Canada 150 hashtags to help us follow along and participate with Canada 150. You can also follow the Government of Canada's Canada 150 accounts on twitter, instagram and facebook.

City of Toronto Historic Sites has produced this summary of Canada 150 hashtags. Source.

If you know of any additional upcoming Canada 150 events, online resources, or hashtags, please add your comments below!

EXPLORING TORONTO IN THE 1920s AND 1930s WITH THE AUSTIN FAMILY

WALK OF FAME

BY: AMANDA BARBOSA

If you are as interested in the period between the two World Wars as I am, then Spadina (pronounced Spa-dee-nah) Museum is the place to be. The 20,000 square foot manor, once home to four generations of the Austin family, perfectly captures what it was like to live in Toronto during the twenties and early thirties.

A grandiose home, sometimes overlooked next to neighbouring Casa Loma. Source.

For a period of about 10 months, I volunteered as a docent at Spadina, where I spent a lot of time getting to know the social and more intimate lives of Albert and Mary Austin and their five children. There is an abundance of documentations such as letters, photographs, magazines and even receipts, believe it or not, either left behind by the family or researched by museum staff. Not to mention, extensive research and archaeological excavations have been performed on many occasions. For this week’s Walk of Fame article, I want to share with you the significance of a particular historic home through two very influential and active individuals.

A young Mary Austin. (Screenshot from video at 2:15) Source.

Mr. Albert Austin himself. Albert would later become president of the Dominion Bank and the Consumers Gas Company, after his father. (Screenshot from video 2:11) Source.

Let me first start off with a brief history of the manor. The original Spadina was built by James Austin in 1866 on the foundations of the manor built by Dr. William Baldwin, who was a reform politician in Upper Canada. James was a successful businessman who became president of The Consumers Gas Company and was founder and first president of the Dominion Bank (otherwise known as TD Canada Trust). With his passing, one of his sons, Albert and his wife, Mary, inherited Spadina. Between 1898 and 1913, Albert expanded and updated the house to suit his family’s needs.

Spadina today reflects these changes in architecture and offers a variety of programs and events, from after hours speakeasies to Gatsby Garden parties, which are really quite fun! You get to dress up and party like they did in the 1920s. The guided tours are also very engaging and help to place everything in context. I especially appreciate how each room tells a different story about each family member. In the Drawing Room, visitors are told of Mary’s influences in the art and music world. She was the vice-president of the Women’s Art Association and president of the Women’s Committee of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. A strong believer in the healing power of music, she often set up concerts and other performances for charitable organizations. In the Palm Room, some favourite pastimes of Albert are highlighted, such as his interest in farming and science. In many rooms, visitors are reminded of the role of the servants. There are secret buzzers hidden all over the house, which allowed the Austins to request a service without having their guests noticing. But shh, don’t tell anyone!

The Drawing Room. This is where you might have had tea with Mary had you been invited to the Austin’s home in the 1920s. Notice the intricate detail on the ceiling. Photo credit: Amanda Barbosa.

The beautiful assortment of plants in the Palm Room. Photo credit: Amanda Barbosa.

During my time working as a docent, I found that as I learned more about the family and the house, I was able to get a sense of some of the social, economic, and political atmospheres and conditions of Toronto during that period. Spadina Museum is a sample of how lower- and upper-class people lived and it connects those people with the broader issues and events occurring in Toronto and all over the world during that time. I often find myself reflecting on certain questions whenever visiting a historic site or museum in hopes of better understanding and appreciating its value. What are the connections or maybe even disconnections to our current century? How and why did it become a historic home?

If you haven’t been to Spadina Museum, I highly encourage you to and perhaps check out the website, where there is a list of exciting events happening not only at Spadina, but also other museums run by the city of Toronto.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonlyvgnextoid=7899606b4d301410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD 

Sources that were consulted:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonlyvgnextoid=821276b330c41410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=5aecd342acb31410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonlyvgnextoid=d1a882426db62410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=919d2271635af310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonlyvgnextoid=5b2028d6c7231410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=919d2271635af310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

A DÉCOR WHODUNNIT AT SPADINA HOUSE

MUSEUM MYSTERIES

BY: MADELINE SMOLARZ

One of my favourite aspects of the Master’s of Museum Studies program has to be opportunities we have to visit and learn from institutions outside the classroom. Roughly a week and a half ago, my Public Programs and Education class (MSL 2332, for all of you eager prospective students) took a field trip to Spadina House Museum. I had visited in the early fall of last year with Musings’ social media co-ordinator Janine, but armed with much more museum knowledge and a new perspective as a Musings contributor, I was able to see the house with fresh eyes. It also helped that Professor Castle had arranged for us to listen to presentations specifically prepared for our group given by the museum’s staff, which included two short lectures and a tour that highlighted how the museum designed its Downton Abbey program last year.

Spadina House's exterior, looking North from the back lawn. Source.

During the tour, our guide pointed out a mysterious feature of the billiards room in the house that I had to share. Perhaps through this post, the mystery can be finally solved! (Okay, perhaps I set the bar a little too high…)

The billiards room, viewed from the door opening into the main hallway. Source.

The billiards room was a largely male-dominated space during the history of the house, which served as a home to the Austin family, the building’s last official occupants. Offering a large billiards table, fireplace, and plenty of comfortable seating, it was the setting for many entertaining hours for the Austin men and their guests. The unique décor adds to the room’s welcoming ambiance. Looking up, you can spot one of the room’s best features: the large painted mural which extends towards the floor from the ceiling. The only thing is, nobody knows for sure who painted it.

A closer look at a portion of the mural in the billiards room. Photo Credit: Madeline Smolarz.

The strongest lead the museum has thus far is an artist named Gustav Hahn. He was a recognized pioneer of the Art Nouveau style in Canada, and the style of Spadina House’s mural happens to closely align with his artistic inclinations. In addition, when Hahn immigrated to Canada from Germany, he was hired by large interior design company in Toronto and produced other similar murals in historic homes and public buildings throughout his career. Furthermore, he made Toronto his Canadian home, passing away in the city on December 1, 1962 at the age of 96. These 3 major pieces of evidence point to Hahn as the hand behind this local work of art.

The Flavelle Ceiling in one of the University of Toronto's law buildings was painted by Hahn. See any similarities? Source.

So what is holding Spadina House’s staff back from openly recognizing Hahn as the mural’s creator? The artist did not sign his work when it was completed, an unfortunate omission.

Undated photo of Gustav Hahn. Source.

Other notable mysterious features of the home include a fireplace behind a wall in the library, which historical interpreters will gladly swing open to reveal for you if there is time, and a trapdoor in floor of the sun room, which allowed the gardener to come water the plants without tracking through the house in his outdoor shoes. However, the beautiful mural held the most interest for me and is the true “mystery” of Spadina House Museum. It just goes to show how small details such as the artist behind this painting can be easily taken for granted and lost between generations. I hope one day the mystery will be solved definitively and future guides will be able to include another unique tidbit about the house’s rich history with visitors. In the meantime, I strongly recommend a visit to see the intriguing artwork yourself.

A special thanks to the Spadina House Museum staff for making MSL 2332’s visit so memorable and for the inspiration behind this post!