Major galleries in Alberta are starting to reopen after the provincial government eased public health restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19.
The Art Gallery of Alberta has announced it is opening June 19 for members and their guests and June 20 for the general public.
The Edmonton gallery's exhibition line-up includes The Scene, Black Every Day, Anna Hawkins: Blue Light Blue and Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Genius Loci.
Meanwhile, in Calgary, the Glenbow also plans to reopen June 19, with the special bonus of free admission until June 26.
Visitors must reserve timed tickets at museumvisit.ca before arrival to maintain physical distancing. The museum is limited a third of its maximum occupancy.
Exhibitions include Maud Lewis, featuring colourful paintings by the popular Nova Scotia folk artist, and Mapping Worlds, with large-scale pencil crayon and ink drawings by Shuvinai Ashoona, who is based on Baffin Island.
Also in Calgary, the Esker Foundation reopened Thursday. Exhibitions by Louise Bourgeois, Chris Curreri and Fin Simonetti are on view until June 27. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"As per provincial restrictions we will be limited to 30 per cent of our capacity," the Esker says. "Masks remain mandatory, along with physical distancing measures."
Contemporary Calgary, meanwhile, will open June 17. Visitors can check out shows Thursday to Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The mandatory mask policy remains, but no advance booking is necessary.
Contemporary Calgary has two exhibitions, Everywhere We Are and Notes for Tomorrow. With more than 60 local, national and international artists from 22 countries, the exhibitions bring together diverse perspectives.
"Both exhibitions challenge historical narratives and expand boundaries around notions of identity, collective memory and spirituality," the gallery says. "The works express potentiality during a time of uncertainty, when renewed relationships between people – and with art – feel urgent and paramount."
Source: AGA, Esker Foundation, Glenbow, Contemporary Calgary
