Man Eating Tigers and War Rugs! Oh my!

The recent transformations of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario have placed them at the top of Torontonians' to do lists but there are two lesser known museums in Toronto that I recently visited and highly recommend: the Gardiner Museum and the Textile Museum of Canada.

The Gardiner Museum, located across the street from the ROM at 111 Queen's Park, unveiled a transformation of its own in 2006. If the Museum's focus on ceramics does not compel you to visit, the building's architecture should. The minimalist style of the expansion makes the most of the attractive surrounding neighbourhood and natural light with strategically placed windows. On the top floor, visitors can do lunch at the swanky Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner.

Man Eating Tiger and Other Staffordshire Figures was the featured temporary exhibition at the Gardiner Museum during my visit. The title of the exhibition refers to the ceramic piece shown above, "The Death of Munro." Gruesome and hilarious at the same time, I found it appealing in a way that I never thought possible for early 19th century English ceramics. The rest of the show was equally entertaining, all of the ceramic works exuding a cheerful naivete while depicting scenes ranging from bull baiting and spousal abuse to reading. Unfortunately, the exhibition ended on April 20. Still, with less traffic than the ROM across the street and a beautiful, new building to explore, the Gardiner Museum is a civilized way to spend an afternoon.

Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan recently opened at the Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre Avenue, Toronto) and will run until January 27, 2009. The exhibition shows the influence of thirty years of war on Afghan weavers who recreate disasters, mines, and political martyrs in the fabric of their work.

The collection is quite extensive but suffers from the dim lighting - probably a protective measure for the rugs. The space itself is rather strange; the Museum occupies three stories of a condominium highrise. As a result, it lacks the polish of the Gardiner Museum. However, the Museum's exhibitions have been consistently interesting, challenging traditional notions of what should be covered under its mandate. One memorable exhibition back in 2006, A Terrible Beauty, featured domestic wallpaper and textile designs composed up of thousands of tropical insects.

The ROM and the AGO will probably hog the limelight for years to come as both locals and tourists check out the renovations. Avoid the crowds by supporting smaller yet worthwhile institutions like the Gardiner Museum and the Textile Museum of Canada.