Libeskind and Renoir Take Center Stage in Ontario Museums

(The works of Renoir, "Renoir Landscapes, 1865-1883," will be seen at The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa beginning June 8, 2007)

Two of the brightest stars in the cultural firmament will shine magnificently in Ontario, Canada this summer, one in Toronto, the other in Ottawa.

One is famed 19th century impressionist painter, Pierre-August Renoir; the other is celebrated 21st century architect, Daniel Libeskind, who shapes futuristic buildings with glass and aluminum.

Libeskind Designs Addition to Royal Ontario Museum

Polish-born American architect Libeskind has created a striking addition to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto. It will open in June 2007 and will offer the public a unique opportunity to visit the new galleries while they are still empty.

The dramatic new wing of the ROM is clad in 25 percent glass and 75 percent aluminum. It brings seven spectacular gallery spaces on four floors, two special exhibitions, new retail and dining facilities and the museum’s new entrance.

The official dedication is June 2, 2007. Then, for a special period until June 10, 2007, enthusiasts of contemporary design have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy Daniel Libeskind’s architecture in its purest form. During this period only, most of the building’s unique spaces will be empty and open to the public before installation of permanent exhibits.

The ROM is the fifth-largest museum in North America and contains more than six million items in more than 40 galleries.

The National Gallery of Canada Hosts Renoir Landscapes

Hosting the Renoir show is The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Canada’s capital. “Renoir Landscapes, 1865-1883” is the first major exhibition of the artist’s landscape paintings. It runs June 8-September 9, 2007 and features some 60 paintings on loan from art museums and private collections around the world.

Subjects range from a windswept field in Chatou and an old private garden in Paris, to a mosque in Algiers to a hillside in the Channel Island of Guernsey flooded in light. Currently enjoying its opening run at the National Gallery in London, England, the exhibition will be shown at the single location in Canada before moving on to Philadelphia for its third and final stop.

For information on these and other cultural events in Ontario, contact Ontario Tourism at 1-800-ONTARIO, or visit www.ontariotravel.net.