The Morning Borealis

A brilliant new day dawns for Edmonton’s art scene as the Art Gallery of Alberta adds a glittering, swirling constellation to the Arts District

By Gregory Kennedy

“Wow! This is something else….”

These words were the delighted reaction of Gilles Hebert, new executive director of the new Art Gallery of Alberta, when he first laid eyes on the swirl of glass, steel and zinc that’s designed to put some high-energy paddles to the heart of the visual arts scene here.

“I was amazed. Absolutely amazed. It’s not only a very courageous design … but the gallery spaces are absolutely first-rate.”

In comparison to the 1960s Brutalist-style concrete building it replaces, the new AGA is thinking so far outside its old box that — as it slips into a curvy chameleon skin of patinaed zinc, high-performance glazing and stainless steel — it actually shifts colour from a greenish hue through gray to soft blue as daylight and the seasons evolve.

Very much alive visually, this $88-million icon by L.A. architect Randall Stout — an award-winning protege of Frank Gehry — breathes new beauty into Sir Winston Churchill Square and adds an animated soul to Edmonton’s Arts District and government core. It opens to the public on Jan. 31 with a two-day free public event.

“This is a remarkable facility. It will allow us to showcase the artists of Alberta and beyond,” adds Hebert. “The gallery spaces themselves are absolutely remarkable. We also have unbelievable arts education and program facilities. We’ll be able to operate in this community like never before. That’s very exciting to me, to have a purpose-built facility that is state-of-the-art and beyond…. Come on down!”

Twelve years in the making, the newly renovated/expanded AGA totals 85,000 sq. ft., adding 27,000 sq. ft. of new public spaces and galleries and includes about 24,000 sq. ft. of interior exhibition space. 

“The features and flexibilities of the new building’s exhibition spaces allow us to deliver the most exciting range of historical and contemporary art experiences,” says Catherine Crowston, deputy director and chief curator. 

“Exhibitions and programs at the new AGA will provoke, inspire and surprise. The AGA will be a place where people of all ages can connect with art, artists and ideas in an atmosphere intended to stir the imagination and encourage creativity and critical thinking.

Opening shows will include major works by the famous Edgar Degas, celebrated Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh and internationally renowned Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and Georges Bures Miller.

“I am thrilled to start my tenure as the AGA’s new executive director by sharing this remarkable lineup of opening exhibitions,” says Hebert, newly arrived in River City from a five-year stint at the Art Gallery of Windsor in Windsor, Ont., as well as earlier leadership roles at the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon and the Manitoba-based St. Norbert Arts Centre.

Founded in 1924, the Art Gallery of Alberta is the province’s oldest cultural institution and the only museum in Alberta strictly devoted to the exhibition and preservation of art and visual culture. It keeps a collection of more than 6,000 objects and actively engages all ages through its shows and community educational programming.

By any standard, the AGA’s new home has planted a provocative seed in the city’s landscape. Architect Stout recently told a Winspear Centre audience he’s hopeful his creation will stir Edmonton’s architectural imagination. “It might open the door to architecture that might otherwise have been business as usual.”

Perhaps its most striking feature, the sinuous Borealis — the metal ribbon that curves fluidly throughout the building, inside and out, as if the rings of Saturn had been given a sharp twist — was inspired by the flow of the North Saskatchewan River through the city. Even as it engages the viewer, the Borealis guides the public through entry points, wraps event and gathering spaces and leads on to the galleries.

Hebert’s voice rises in excitement as he relates the fact the new AGA ties directly to heated city pedways year-round. “The other thing’s that so fantastic is that we sit on top of an LRT station…. It delivers people to our door.”

“The Art Gallery of Alberta is truly an outstanding example of Edmonton’s vision and creativity,” says Mayor Stephen Mandel. “I am amazed at the attention to detail and artistic flow…. From the moment you walk through the doors, you will be as wowed as I was.”

For Hebert, the outreach into the community and provincial centres is imperative. 

“We have multiple classroom spaces and studio spaces for school kids so we can double our capacity; we can have three or four schools here at the same time without bumping into each other. The private and public sector can come here for meetings and special events.

“This building was designed for multiple uses, concurrently. You can come to the building, go through the galleries, have lunch, take an art class, do a studio tour, tour an exhibition area, while at the same time, there can be a function taking place on the main floor. We’re a multi-faceted centre of activity.”

Upon entering the building, visitors will find themselves in a four-storey, light-filled main lobby defined by curvilinear architecture overhead and a grand stair that rises through this central space. The Gallery Great Hall nearby will offer a double-height viewing area. The ground floor is also home to the Special Collections Gallery and the Ernest J. Poole Galleries, as well as a cafe and museum store. A theatre and education suite can be found on the lower level.

Up the grand stairs, visitors arrive at the second and third levels, dedicated to the display of art and media. The third level boasts an indoor events sculpture concourse that opens onto an outdoor sculpture terrace.

The fourth and uppermost level features the “floating” Members Lounge, with its expansive glass-walled view down to the lobby below and out to Sir Winston Churchill Square. This level is also home to gallery administration, boardroom and outdoor sculpture terrace.

“It’s a fun building. It’s absolutely amazing to walk into. Even for me, this many times later, I’m still amazed by it,” says Hebert. “I’m hoping, and we’re counting on, it being a very open building and a very fun building.”

“Not only is the Art Gallery of Alberta the perfect home for exquisite art from around the world, the building itself is a stunning piece of art,” adds Mayor Mandel, “it’s an architectural showpiece for the city of Edmonton and will become an internationally recognizable building. This gallery will certainly be a point of pride for generations of Edmontonians to come.”

What They’re Saying

“I love it. I like the loops. It’s something that identifies Edmonton. If a picture were to be shown of that particular building anywhere — people will say ‘that’s Alberta’s art gallery.’ It’s easily identifiable by its unique and innovative style, like the Chrysler Building is to New York. I think it will beautify the city.” — Agnes Bugera of Agnes Bugera Art Gallery

“Having a new gallery, with a new spin, will get people more interested here as well as internationally.” — Matthew Hudon of West End Gallery

“It’s important we show what the locals are doing along with the huge, well-known artists in the art world.” — Brent Luebke of Lando Art Gallery

“Before they even open the building it’s being noticed nationally and internationally. It’s a very interesting building. It’s putting us more on the map for the visual arts. Really, despite the building, I think (the AGA’s future success) really depends what they do on the inside to keep people coming. They’ve got a big mandate to fill — I wish them luck.” — Jim Corrigan, curator, University of Alberta Art Collection

Exhibitions:

Edgar Degas: Figures in Motion features 40 Hebrard sculptures of ballet dancers and horses, dating from 1865-1911, together with a selection of paintings, prints and drawings. The exhibition includes the famous sculpture Little Dancer, which is the largest and rarest of Degas’ sculptures. 

Karsh: Image Maker presents the life, influence and work of legendary Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh who created iconic portraits through brilliantly crafted images of the likes of Andy Warhol, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, Princess Elizabeth, Alfred Hitchcock and Audrey Hepburn, to name just a few.

The Murder of Crows by internationally celebrated Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and Georges Bures Miller, recipients of the prestigious La Biennale di Venezia Special Award at the 2002 Venice Biennale. The 30-minute piece presents a dreamscape of voice and music transmitted over 98 speakers.

Storm Room: Cardiff and Miller, whose careers began in Alberta, have also created a new work specifically for the opening of the AGA.

The AGA’s children’s gallery, a long-time favourite space for families, returns with an architecture theme for 2010, designed by local architects Shafraaz Kaba from Manasc Isaacs and Group2’s Laura Plosz and Troy Smith.

The AGA has commissioned a series of photographs of the construction of the new building by renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.

Works by Alberta artists Peter Hide and Ken Macklin will be installed on the Gallery's new sculpture terraces.