Moments in Modernism highlights the diversity and high quality of the AGO’s modern art collection, which has been built over time by generations of museum curators and patrons.

This installation will show collection strengths from artistic movements such as Pop Art, Abstraction, Realism, and Minimalism. An international approach in artistic styles will be presented, including a body of work from the AGO holdings by Brazilian artists, recognizing the global nature of modernism. A selection of contemporary works that respond to modernist movements will also be shown.

Many of the artists, including Andy Warhol, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Gerhard Richter, and Mark Rothko are well known while others are still yet to be broadly recognized such as Tomie Ohtake, Rubem Valentim, Gene Davis and Kazuo Nakamura. A particular focus will be Canadian artists including Alex Colville, Rita Letendre, Jack Bush, Agnes Martin, Guido Molinari and Norval Morrisseau.

Moments in Modernism features artworks that will form the cornerstone for the expansion of the new Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery, starting construction in 2024. The new building is being designed by architects Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architect to showcase the AGO's growing collection of modern and contemporary art.

The AGO's department of Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora is pleased to present Critical Views, a selection of recent acquisitions by six contemporary artists. Featuring works by Leasho Johnson, Marie-Hélène Cauvin, Sahara Longe, Myrlande Constant, Che Lovelace, and Marc Padeu, this installation illustrates their distinct ways of expressing a multiplicity of histories, contested identities and cultural perspectives. The broad range of visual tropes and subjects in these works offer a glimpse into the multifaceted contemporary experiences of Africa and its diasporas, and the complexities of Black life.

From the Bader Collection at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, the AGO welcomes a remarkable selection of seventeenth century Dutch paintings. Shown in dialogue with paintings from the AGO’s European Collection of Art, at the centre of this focused installation are seven artworks attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), shown together for the first time. Featuring intensely observed still life paintings, detailed interiors and mesmerizing portraits, these striking artworks offer a rare glimpse of Dutch artistry at work. This exhibition is co-curated by Adam Harris Levine, AGO Associate Curator European Art and Suzanne van de Meerendonk, Bader Curator of European Art, Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

Highlighting new acquisitions and unseen works from the AGO’s Photography Collection, this poetic exhibition takes visitors on a journey from Mexico to Argentina, from the 1920s to today. “Recuerdo,” which in Spanish can mean both “memory” and “I remember,” – reflects the exhibition’s unique display of collective and personal stories, while exploring what it means to consider art of and from Latin America. Juxtaposing photographs from press collections as well as works by artists once known and noted photographers, including Manuel Alvarez Bravo and Tina Modotti, this exhibition is curated by AGO Curatorial Assistant Marina Dumont-Gauthier.

Explore a selection of paintings and objects from the Museum Collections, highlighting how animals and natural environments have been celebrated in Islamic art and literature. As part of the Aga Khan Museum’s ongoing commitment to exploring the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through art and culture, Life on Land focuses on goals related to the Global Goal 15, which aims to start a conversation about protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.

This themed installation in the Museum Collections Gallery examines how the study of life on land has driven scientific advancement and how human activities have impacted wildlife, underscoring the importance of protecting these ecosystems. Browse through artworks that depict the mutual relationship between humans and animals, the role of domestication in shaping civilizations, and the historical and current impact of natural disasters on biodiversity and human communities.

Within the themed installation, Life on Land explores the symbolic importance of animals in literature and mythology, featuring captivating depictions of mythical creatures and fantastical beings from the Muslim world. Through these intriguing artworks, the highlighted objects within the Museum Collections promote awareness and respect for nature and life on Earth.