What’s not to love about Exhibit Residences? It’s located in one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Toronto and is close to some of the best shops and restaurants in the city. But probably one of the greatest things about Exhibit, is that it’s right across the street from the Royal Ontario Museum. Read on to find out how you can win two tickets to the ROM!
There are always several interesting exhibitions and galleries at the ROM but here are three of our current favourites.
- Mesopotamia: Inventing Our WorldUntil January 2014 – Free for ROM members, $27 regular admissionMesopotamia is considered “the cradle of civilization” as this is where the first cities like Babylon were established. It can also be credited for urban planning and city life as we know it today, so naturally this is a subject matter that we are actively interested in. The exhibition explores more than 3,000 years of Mesopotamia’s history through almost 200 ancient artifacts and priceless treasures drawn from the collection of the world-famous British Museum and museums in Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit.Be sure to check out the Cuneiform tablet, Stela of Ashurbanipal (below) and the Ram in the Thicket.
- Until Fall 2013 – Free for ROM members, $16 regular admission – Next on our list is the BIG exhibition showcasing textiles and costume that made it BIG in one way or another, whether it was because of their historical importance, or the designer behind the piece. The BIG exhibition highlights fashion from all around the world from Egyptian clothing to 19th-century Western costumes and today’s hot fashion trends, featuring every textile one can imagine. Fashion-lovers take note: the centrepiece for the exhibit is a 21st-century reworking of Dior’s 1947 New Look that took 500 hours and $100,000 to make (below). Other big names featured include Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. The exhibit also displays several artefacts paying homage to various cultures and nations in the world, including Canadian quilts, Indian chintz and French woodblock print.
- Sebastião Salgado: GENESIS Until September 2013 – Free for ROM members, $16 regular admissionWe can’t help but love the Genesis exhibit, showcasing the beautiful work by internationally renowned photojournalist Sebastião Salgado. Genesis is the result of eight years of work, where Salgado photographed the material for his “love letter to the planet” in 32 countries. The exhibit features the “raw beauty” of people, landscapes and seascapes that have not been touched by modernity.The exhibition is described by the Toronto Star as a “glorious celebration” of nature, and was inspired by Salgado’s prior mini project of restoring his property in Brazil. He had “lost faith” in humanity after he saw so much brutality and violence when photographing for his Migrations photo essay. It was when him and his wife restored and brought life back to their Brazil cattle ranch that he decided to celebrate the beauty of the earth.There are over 200 black and white pictures on display, including images of the baobab trees in Madagascar and our favourite, the Nenets of the Siberian Arctic (below).
Contest: We’re giving away two tickets to the ROM! All you have to do is follow us on Twitter and tell us what exhibit you’re most excited to see. Contest ends August 28 at midnight.