Gardiner Museum
111 Queen's Park M5S 2C7 Toronto, ON, Canada

China and Japan have been mastering the art of ceramics since the Neolithic Period. One of the most well-known ceramic inventions is porcelain - made in its familiar form in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). Chinese porcelain is composed of two materials: kaolin (a white china clay) and petuntse (pulverised feldspathic rock, also known as china stone). When fired at temperatures in excess of 1250 C, the body and the glaze fuse together and the porcelain becomes vitrif...ied (meaning glassy and non-porous, and therefore able to hold liquids). China dominated the production of porcelain and its trade for thousands of years. However, the methods of its manufacture spread elsewhere in Asia, notably to Korea and Japan. OBJECT INFO: Bijin (Beauty), Arita, Japan, c.1680-1700, Porcelain with overglaze enamels, The Macdonald Collection, G07.18.17 Bianhu' (flask) with bajixiang or the eight Buddhist emblem, Jingdezhen, China, c.1736-95, Porcelain, underglaze cobalt blue, The Robert Murray Bell and Ann Walker Bell Collection of Blue and White Chinese Porcelain, G98.9.1 Flask, Hizen, Japan, c.1650-1660, Porcelain with overglaze enamels, The Macdonald Collection, G11.13.8

Introducing *drum roll please* The Sheridan College Graduate Show 2020! Meet the next generation of ceramic artists in this lobby exhibition showcasing this year's graduates of Sheridan College Ceramics Program. The Artists (in order of appearance): Chloe Shen Christy Chor... Emily Iseman Kleio Maher Zoë Pinnell Erin Roundsky Huen Tsui Shannon Weston Zipei Wu Special thanks to the RBC Emerging Artists Project for their support!

While we wait for the moment that we can indulge in desserts together again, you can use your imagination at our 18th-century dessert table! During this period, dessert was both a visual feast and a sweet post-dinner delight. Delectable ices, moulded jellied flummeries, rolled wafers, and sugar novelties accompanied dishes of fruits and nuts placed on the table in a symmetrical pattern around a mirrored stand ornamented with sugar and porcelain sculptures - all to impress the guests. Come visit this beautiful display Thursday - Sunday. Weekend admission is free!

Last chance to come see one of the most exciting and innovative exhibits in the city. RAW will be leaving us tomorrow! An emerging medium in contemporary art, raw clay is taking on new relevance as conversations around identity, visibility, and survival on our planet develop. Discover the work of Cassils, Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El Siddique, and Linda Swanson.

Take home a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece from the Gardiner Shop. Every object has an amazing story to tell. The stunning Raku jar and vessel pictured were crafted by Hamilton-based artist Shu-Chen Cheng. Her award winning Raku vessels have been exhibited in galleries and juried shows, including the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair. Raku refers to a low-firing process that was adapted in the West from a traditional Japanese technique. The pearl necklace was made by artist Mervi Haap...akoski. Originally from Helsinki, Finland, she now lives and works in Englishtown, Nova Scotia. Haapakoski is known primarily for her pearl jewellery and works in glass. Items pictured range from $80 - $200 each. Shop online or visit us in person during Museum hours from Thursday Sunday, and by special appointment on Wednesdays. https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/store/

We’re open Thursday-Sunday and make sure to take advantage of FREE weekend admission through 2020! Here's a rundown of what's on this weekend at the #GardinerMuseum: RAW - Four sticky, wet, dry, and powdery raw clay installations by artists Cassil, Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El Siddique, and Linda Swanson. Nurielle Stern: Fable - A fantastical cast of cats, mice, and mythical creatures made from clay with stained glass and polymerized gypsum. Take a look at this exhibit ...in our soaring 3-story staircase. The Gardiner Collects - Check out some new additions to our permanent collection hand picked by our Chief Curator Sequoia Miller, in our lobby. More info here: https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/exhib/current-exhibitions/

Come get that perfect Instagram pic with this captivating installation before it's gone! Spanning three levels of the Museum’s soaring staircase, Fable by Nurielle Stern showcases a fantastical cast of cats, mice, and mythical creatures. Stern’s innovative lattice-like components emphasize the vertical space of the gallery, marrying clay with stained glass and polymerized gypsum. More info here > https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/nurielle-stern-fable/

Happy Halloween We mined our collection for some of the spookiest sculptures we could find, and this piece by Quebecois ceramist (1959 - 1996) Jeannot Blackburn, titled "Black Widow Corsage", really gave us the creeps. It was donated to the Gardiner in 2019 in memory of the artist and is currently haunting our vaults waiting for its turn in the gallery. : Jeannot Blackburn, Black Widow Corsage, c.1991, White earthenware with glaze, Gift of Gregory Louden and Pierre Durand in Memory of the Artist, G19.4.3

It's Nuit Blanche Toronto (digital edition) and we're taking part by sharing video of a recent artist talk with Cassils. In connection to Nuit Blanche‘s curatorial theme, The Space Between Us, the conversation between Cassils and Chief Curator Sequoia Miller speaks to the ways that Cassils’ work and activism highlight and problematize physical and social spaces that separate us from one another. Their conversation pays special attention to power dynamics shaped by gender ...and citizenship status, encouraging us to continue to examine urgent issues of the present day. Following the talk, stay tuned for footage of two recent works by Cassils. Watch: https://youtu.be/3XVKicmt4PE #nbTO20 : Cassils, Up To and Including Their Limits (Gardiner Museum, Toronto), 2020. Photo: Cassils with Alejandro Santiago

In this live online event hosted by Chief Curator Sequoia Miller, artist Linda Swanson discusses three of her artworks in connection to the theme "Substance." Swanson is an artist and professor at Concordia University in Montreal whose interests are grounded in the metamorphic nature of ceramic materials and processes. Her work is currently on display at the Gardiner in the special exhibition RAW.

Happy #NationalCoffeeDay! This pair of octagonal purple ground coffee cups and saucers was made at the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory in Germany c.1735 and features intricate gold rims and handles. Just imagine enjoying your morning cup of coffee in one of these! : Pair of Coffee Cups and Saucers, Germany, Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, c.1735, Hard-paste porcelain with overglaze enamels, gilding, Gift of George and Helen Gardiner, G83.1.680.1a-b-2a-b

This year's Culture Days | Fête de la culture celebration has been extended to four full weeks of free arts and culture events, online and in person. We're participating by sharing a recent artist talk with Dame Magdalene Odundo DBE, part of our digital 3 Works series hosted by Chief Curator Sequoia Miller. Watch now: https://youtu.be/vcOR1nTXyrY Find more Culture Days events: https://culturedays.ca/en/events... : Sophie Green for Wallpaper* Magazine

What's better than enjoying a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning? This one's on us Coffee Spill by Victor Spinski is made entirely of ceramic (except the wood base). See it now in our lobby exhibition "The Gardiner Collects," featuring recent acquisitions to our modern and contemporary collection. Museum admission is free all weekend! : Victor Spinski, Coffee Spill, 1978-1979, Glazed ceramic with wood base, Gift from the Barbara and Philip Silverberg Collection, G19.9.2

Today is the last day for Gardiner Friends to take advantage of front-of-the-line access to our fall clay classes!* Choose from five adult classes including stoneware, combo, and tableware, and a wheel-throwing class for kids ages 9-16. Registration opens to the general public tomorrow at 10 am. We've reduced class sizes to allow for safe physical distancing. Register early to avoid disappoint as spots are limited and filling up quickly! Register for adult clay classes: http:...//bit.ly/adultclayclass Register for kids clay classes: http://bit.ly/kidsclayclass *Does not apply to Get Acquainted pass holders

Christy Chor is the recipient of Craft Ontario's 2020 Helen Copeland Memorial Award! Her latest work reflects on the causes and consequences of our current ecological crisis. She'll be featured in our Sheridan College Graduate Show opening on November 20. Congratulations Christy! Watch Christy discuss her work: https://youtu.be/UHqyeQRYS9g

Congratulations to the winner and all the finalists of the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery's 2020 Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics! The winner, Joon Hee Kim of Oakville, is celebrated in a digital exhibition alongside finalists and Magdolene Dykstra, Keeley Haftner, Grace Han, Toni Losey, and Jessica Sallay-Carrington. Joon Hee Kim's work is currently available in the Gardiner Shop and Magdolene Dykstra's work is part of the special exhibition RAW. We're delighted to be sh...owcasing the work of these two artists, and can't wait to see what all the finalists do in the future. Check out the digital exhibition: https://www.theclayandglass.ca//di/2020-shantz-exhibition/ : Joon Hee Kim, You Must Carry My Bones Up From This Place, Glazed Porcelain, gold luster, mother of pearl

In this live online event hosted by Chief Curator Sequoia Miller, artist Magdalene Odundo discusses three of her artworks in connection to the theme "Form". Odundo is an acclaimed ceramic artist, whose work references ancient making traditions from across the globe. Her work can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the British Museum, London; and the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Offering free admission on weekends is a way for us to give back to our city as we all struggle to regain a sense of normalcy. We want people to feel safe and welcome here, and to make this space their own." - Kelvin Browne, Executive Director & CEO Exciting news! We're continuing free admission weekends until the end of 2020. We'll also be holding free family art activities every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm. A big thank you to The Citrine Foundation of Canada, as well as The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and the Gardiner Volunteer Committee, for making our free Community Building Weekends possible!

Today's a perfect day to enjoy our collection from home. Explore our digital exhibition of modern and contemporary ceramics, including this teapot by Canadian ceramist Ruth Gowdy McKinley (1931 - 1981). McKinley raised the standards of Canadian ceramics with her technical mastery, and influenced a younger generation of potters, including Bruce Cochrane and Harlan House. In 1976, she became the first potter elected into the Royal Canadian Academy of Art. Learn more: http://bi...t.ly/modernandcontemporaryceramics : Ruth Gowdy McKinley, Teapot, 1978, Porcelain, wood-fired, Gift of Aaron Milrad in memory of Bella and Joseph Milrad