In honour of International Sculpture Day, ERA will be taking a look at the two sculptures currently situated at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO): Henry Moore’s Two Large Forms and Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill.
John Parkin’s late-1960s masterplan for the AGO proposed a bold urban gesture: demolishing all buildings along the south side of Dundas from University to Spadina to create clear sightlines to the gallery, a move reminiscent of Haussmann’s Paris. While it’s unclear how far this idea progressed, the 1975 Shore Tilbe design of the Police’s 52 Division station respected the proposed setback, dutifully aligning with Parkin’s vision
Though hindsight reveals the demolition plan as deeply flawed (echoing the destructive clearance of the Ward for New City Hall), it shaped how the AGO’s east face was viewed. The east corner site became the home of Henry Moore’s Two Large Forms, which was deliberately placed to be visible from University and Dundas.
As time passed and Frank Gehry’s expansion added complexity to the AGO’s Dundas facade, including its dramatic Dundas overpass, the Moore sculpture’s site became less fitting. Artist Charles Pachter, in a humorous presentation titled something like “There’s No Bad Public Art, Just Public Art Badly Located,” first floated the idea of moving the Moore piece to Grange Park. I remember discussing the idea with Dennis Reid, one of the AGO’s leading curators at the time: I believe that Dennis played a key role in negotiating the relocation. There were initial concerns from City heritage staff about the sculpture as they pictured it being dragged across the park, but we pointed out that it was hollow, not solid, and the move wouldn’t damage the park’s lawns. With approval from the Henry Moore Foundation, the sculpture eventually found a new, beautiful home in the grassy setting of Grange Park.
Its absence left a void — eventually filled by Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill. The sculpture is inspired by the story of Jumbo, a circus elephant who died in St. Thomas, Ontario, in 1885. The bronze replica of Jumbo the elephant is modelled on pieces of discarded and repurposed leather furniture that one might find on Toronto streets. The elephant balances itself on a ball, as if to suggest its conciliatory nature within the tight space. Canadian diplomacy at its finest.
Henry Moore’s Two Large Forms
Brian Jungen’s Couch Monster: Sadzěʔ yaaghęhch’ill
Photography by Mina Markovic
