The launch of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s new show, Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time will be drawing an audience in a new way — by literally drawing names in a lottery for tickets to the February 7 public opening.
The lottery is “an unprecedented event,” says the press release, as the organization tries attracting new people who might not know much about the gallery.
“The AGO finds artists like Basquiat or Ai Wei Wei resonate with youth audiences,” says Judy Koke, chief of public programming and learning at the AGO.
With 3000 tickets available for the event, 2000 have gone to youth and community groups, and the remaining 1000 are being distributed via an online lottery, which opened yesterday (January 13). It closes Jan 19.
“It’s a free opening and our building can only hold so many people and we anticipated a large number of people, so this is a way to manage that. It’s also an experiment in raising awareness and excitement,” said Koke.
Featuring break dance and hip-hop from the 80s, the opening party will bring the look and feel of New York at the time Basquiat was active to Toronto.
Basquiat is one of New York’s most famous artists, despite an early death due to a heroin overdose at age 27, with work looking at subject matters still very much at the forefront of cultural debates including race and police.
“His art is very socially engaged and issue based,” Koke adds. “Our experience is that youth audiences are really responsive to socially engaged artists.”
The lottery could also have something to do with the already sold-out First Thursday event being held before the public launch, featuring hip hop legend Grandmaster Flash and local favourites Bonjay. There will also be a panel discussion in collaboration with social justice coalition Black Lives Matter TO. Art and music lovers alike tweeted their disappointment at not being able to secure a ticket.
If you don’t score a ticket to the opening through the lottery, the exhibition will be open to the public starting Sunday, February 8, for which tickets are already available online for members. Tickets for non-members go on sale January 23, and some Fridays in February have extended hours to allow for later viewings.
