After almost three years of construction, the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) has reopened to the public.
Located near the Mackenzie King Bridge and the University of Ottawa campus, the gallery opened on April 28. According to staff, about 7,000 people attended the inauguration weekend.
The OAG showcases artwork by local artists. The newly expanded gallery is five times its previous size, with five floors of gallery space.
“What’s less obvious is that we used to have only changing exhibition spaces, but now we can show our permanent collection for longer periods. So, we have more options for what we can show and when we want to turn it around,” Véronique Couillard, public and media relations manager at the OAG, said.
The renovated gallery also includes a café and open outdoor spaces.
“We have a café—which we didn’t have (before)—and for us, that is a symbol of the gallery being more than a gallery. It is a place for us to meet, for us to come here to spend time with friends—as well as to look at art,” Couillard said.
The inauguration exhibit focuses on stories about the history of art in Ottawa. The exhibition, We All Become Stories, focuses on four themes: bodies, bridging, mapping, and technologies. It features art from 181 artists and is aimed at telling the history of art-making in Ottawa and Gatineau over 6,500 years.
“It’s never been done before. You have artifacts, historical art and contemporary art,” Couillard added.
Couillard described the gallery as something for everyone.
“Really, the message is as many voices as we could include in this group show.”
Mayor Jim Watson praised the OAG, describing the gallery in a press release as “an exciting space to share these Canadian treasures with residents and visitors around the world.”
While the gallery has not changed its mandate of showcasing local art in a national and international context, it is more accessible and open to other activities.
“Our mandate is still to promote art, showcase art, exhibit art, but everything with art should be larger than that, and art is part of life and life is part of art.”
The OAG is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.
Photo by Aaron Hemens
