Ottawa Galleries Start Reopening After Truck Protest
The National Gallery of Canada reopens its doors to the public Saturday, a week after police removed an unruly truck convoy protesting outside the Parliament Buildings.
"We are thrilled to welcome visitors back to the gallery," said director Sasha Suda. "We have an inspiring series of exhibitions, installations and art experiences that will bring joy, light, inspiration and connection to the many communities we exist to serve."
The gallery was allowed to reopen Jan. 31, when the Ontario government lifted public health restrictions imposed Jan. 5 to limit the spread of COVID-19. But, like other major museums in Ottawa's central core, it chose to remain closed during the protest against pandemic restrictions.
Meanwhile, the Ottawa Art Gallery reopened on Wednesday and the Canadian Museum of Nature on Friday. The Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Que., will also reopen Saturday.
The National Gallery's latest exhibitions include Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons, with more than 100 works by 36 artists from across the country.
Also showing is Snobird: A Public Sculpture for The 1984 Miss General Idea Pavillion, an installation by the Canadian collective General Idea, the subject of a major retrospective this summer. The work is a parody of Michael Snow’s Flightstop – a permanent installation of 60 fibreglass Canada geese at Toronto's Eaton Centre. General Idea's version also depicts a flock of birds, but they are made from plastic bleach bottles.
