Reflection on Visiting AGO- Maharaja Exhibition

I know my post is very different from the other ones but here is a small reflection of my visit to AGO. Academic perspectives of things are great but so as the more personal ones.

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Arts objects are created and exhibited because of the high relevance and responsiveness to the specific ethnic group community. They are deeply tied into history, an example would be, Maharaja’s patronage. And no matter what, arts objects are ultimately designed for opulence & appreciation.

There are a few things which are adjusted to make the exhibition display more socially acceptable especially in this place with great diversity, like Canada. 6 guiding principles are used to justify before an art object can be exhibited. Passive voice is not used for exhibition display to prevent the misconception of presumption. Another example for adjustment would be having no boundary between Pakistan and India on the map because of some political reasons. All of these adjustments are helpful to describe the objects in a way that connects people and groups together. In this context, it will be for the South Asians especially as their history is very fragmented. The setting in which the object is important too in displaying authenticity of the piece of art.

This style of writing for exhibition is beneficial in focusing on diversity in culture rather than diversity in arts and achieving the state of unity in the midst of diversity. The terms are also defined by the curator to make sure the visitors that are coming are content with the materials. All of these give reason for expanding the definition of arts and also representing the museum as a sign of money as well as power. This will thereby give strength to the exhibition. And through this exhibition, the South Asian culture in Toronto has been greatly addressed and acknowledged. This is a great step in celebrating multiculturalism in Toronto. An example given by the curator from AGO is how “In the search for mother’s garden”, using guilt, cooking and gardening to express has spoken volume to South Asian community because this art is described and expressed in a way that connects South Asian community.

From understanding how objects can be used to connect ethnic groups together to the museum, the exhibition can further build and sustain the special relationship between the community and the museum. The art store opposite to the museum provides an alternative angle to see arts in a contemporary manner.

Besides art objects, concepts like “colonialism” can be something in common that connect people together. “Victoria Albert Museum” is the world’s greatest museum of art and design. This is a kind of museum that

Personally, I find this trip to AGO extremely fruitful. This is my second time going to Maharaja Exhibition and it is very different from the first time because this time I went to see this exhibition from a curator’s perspective instead of just having my own and my friends’ some minimal perspectives. It is different in a sense how the curator’s perspective has helped in expanding my view from a personal appreciative one (E.g. How I am learning to appreciate the Indian Maharaja’s culture especially), to a wider (E.g. How it is connecting museum and community together as well as uniting the ethnic groups together) appreciative one. It has given a greater meaning in looking at the arts that expand from benefiting an individual to a community level. This view has been rewarding as I have been studying Diaspora and Transnational Studies so far.