Art at Heart

Art Gallery of Hamilton

The inaugural exhibition of the Art Gallery of Hamilton showcased the work of Hamilton-born artist William Blair Bruce on June 28^th, 1914.  29 painting were donated by his wife, Caroline Benedicks-Bruce, his father and his sister…the one stipulation for the donated works: that ‘an appropriate venue’ be found to exhibit them.  And thus begins the history of the AGH.

Art Gallery of Hamilton (1952)

In 1952, the Art Gallery of Hamilton was situated on the grounds of the Royal Botanical Gardens.  With an exhibit space totaling 10,000 square feet, the gallery soon was in search on a new home, one better suited to the growing number of pieces included in the gallery’s permanent collection.  In the late 1960s, the City of Hamilton developed plans for what was known as the Civic Square Project.  The City had aims to house a theatre, a convention and trade centre, a library and an art gallery within the complex, creating a space for the arts to flourish and be enjoyed.  With this in mind, the AGH was asked to relocate to the downtown core with its permanent collection.  In 2003, modern renovations began on the building as designed by Hamilton-born architect Bruce Kuwabara.   2 years and $18 million later, the Art Gallery of Hamilton re-opened its doors to the public.

Art Gallery of Hamilton, Present Day

Currently on exhibit at the Art Gallery of Hamilton are:

Illuminations: Italian Baroque Masterworks in Canadian Collections

Robert Burley: The Disappearance of Darkness 

(tracking the demise of a century-old industry with the shift from analogue photography to that of its digital counterpart)

One-Eyed Rabbit: Jonathan Plante 

(an exhibit for children, designed to help “(re)discovery the mysteries of visual perception” and stimulate imagination)

One-Eyed Rabbit, Jonathan Plante

Art for a Century: 100 for the 100 

(selected masterpieces from the permanent collection, showcasing Canadian historical, Canadian and global contemporary and European styles)

Theatre Aquarius

Theatre Aquarius dates back to 1973.  Hamilton’s professional theatre was founded by Founding Artistic Director Peter Mandia.  In the humble beginnings, productions were primarily performed at the Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place (a part of the Civic Square Project).  But as the popularity of the productions grew over the years, there was an ever-increasing demand for access to a larger venue.  And so, through the generous donations of local businesses, private donors, government agencies and believers in the arts, Theatre Aquarius, now known as the Dofasco Centre for the Arts opened its doors in 1991.

Theatre Aquarius/Dofasco Centre for the Arts

Spamalot, April 15-May2, 2015

The 2014-2015 Season has a lot to offer to those looking for a thespian fix.  Running from April 15-May 2, “Monty Python’s Spamalot” will be hitting the stage – a “new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, from the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin”.

And for something completely different, you can catch the performance of “Quiver” on May 28-30^th – a solo show “performed by write Anna Chatterton in front of a microphone, creating and controlling the sonic landscape of three family members trying to keep up”.  The story follows Maddie, her sixteen year old sister Beatrice, and their “brassy single mom” Sheila.

You don’t get to know a city any better than by walking her streets and experiencing the life that its inhabitants breathe into her.  Hamilton is never short of this life, as is evident in the way the unintended theme of art weaves its way through these posts.  Whether you’ve a long-standing love for the dramatic world, are just getting into it or are just up for something totally different than what is used to, Hamilton offers something beautiful to experience.  Let’s hope that the curtain never closes on that.

See you there!

Larysa

For more information of the AGH and exhibits, visit: www.artgalleryofhamilton.com

For more information on Theatre Aquarius and productions, visit: www.theatreaquarius.org