Peeps, you only have until March 6th to see Olympus: The Greco-Roman Collections of Berlin at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
What? You haven’t been yet? My friend, these priceless antiquities are simply stunning — a veritable pantheon of marvels from the ancient world, one could say.
The exhibit — which is on loan from the Antikensammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin (Collection of Classical Antiquities of the National Museums in Berlin) and which will only be making one other stop in North America — features life-size marble statues of the Olympians that you can get up close to so you can see the remarkable detail that has persisted over the centuries.
Photo by Myra Ramos via Winnipeg Art Gallery
There are over 160 items to be viewed, some of them dating all the way back to the 7th century BC — that’s when Solon was around (you know, the father of democracy). Now I drop this knowledge on you because it’s emblematic of what you can do for both yourself, and perhaps your kids, when you go to Olympus. There are so many educational elements to this exhibit, and I’m not just talking about learning about the Greek gods — which is super cool in itself; like come on(!), Athena was born out of Zeus’ head aided by Hephaestus, the blacksmith god!
In the words of the WAG, “Olympus links directly to the heartbeat of modern culture, from architecture, language, and law to medicine, sport, and theatre.” So stop repressing yourself and go see it today before it leaves on March 6th (we are also contesting some tickets in the comment section below).
And there’s so much more happening at the WAG this month.
For starters, the artsy party of the year — WAG’s Art & Soul: Clash of the Titans, takes place on February 20th, where all the cool cats from Winnipeg will be adorned in their finest Grecian godlike garb. Early bird tickets are sold out, but you can still get tickets here for $55. And you should, as surely this is the event to meet some of Winnipeg’s most interesting people.
Plus, Art & Soul is always such a great party, with all the proceeds going to the WAG so it can keep being awesome. There will be DJs spinning, the dance floor will be bumping, and The Lytics are going to be playing. Just check out the above video and see what I mean; it’s one heck of a party.
Back to art, there are some really exciting things happening and about to happen at the WAG. For one, there is the Inuit Art Centre Initiative, the new building that will eventually house the WAG’s collection of contemporary Inuit art — which is the world’s largest collection with over 13,000 works.
Kiugak Ashoona, Natturalik, 2000. stone (green serpentinite). Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Gift of Bob and Marlene Stafford, 2012-67
It will be a beautiful architectural addition to downtown; a four-level, 40,000 square foot facility that will be representative of the Arctic landscape while celebrating Inuit and indigenous art. In the meantime, you can see the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art for yourself, including The Inuit Art Centre Project, an exhibit that will outline the key aspects of the projects.
Other Canadian art is also well represented at the WAG, including our most famous artists, The Group of Seven. The exhibit Tom Thompson and the Group of Seven is also on only until March 6th, and has an array of works that beautifully portray Canada’s diverse landscapes.
Tom Thomson – Early Snow, 1916 oil on canvas 45.5 x 45.5 cm Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery Acquired with the assistance of a grant from the Canadian Government
There are also some incredible international pieces in the WAG, dating from the Gothic and Renaissance periods, along with a great selection of photography and ceramics.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday, (but will be open this Monday for Louis Riel Day). For full hours of operation, tickets, and an upcoming list of events, click here.
For your chance to win two complimentary passes to Olympus, tell us who is your favourite Olympian in the comment section below. We’ll randomly draw a winner on Tuesday, February 16th.
