VISUAL ARTS
BUILD . . . BUILD BETTER is a Gifts & Occupations Collective project that uses the Zion Schoolhouse to show guests the history of modernism, architecture as well as the teachings of Frederick Froebel, the creator of kindergarten. There are daily tours with the artists who worked on the exhibit, offering insights into their work. Multiples of each work of art are also available while supplies last. Historic Zion Schoolhouse (1091 Finch Ave. E., North York, 416-395-7435). Friday-Monday. Until Oct. 3. CAMERA ATOMICA takes a look at photography of nuclear weapons and energy. This exhibit covers the postwar period, from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, through to the current day, including the triple meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi in 2011. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W., 416-9796648). Until Nov. 15. GENERATIONS: ANNU PALAKUNNATHU MATTHEW features works created by contemporary artist Annu Palakunnathu Matthew between 1996 and 2015. Combining still and moving imagery, this photo-based exhibition explores the appeal of family photographs and how they shape national identity, cultural assumptions and memory. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park, 416-5868000). Until Oct. 18. HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARMIDE Ahead of Opera Atelier’s upcoming production of Jean Baptiste Lully’s Armide, the museum hosts this exhibition of items to be used in the play, including costumes, set designs and models. Armide is the love story of a Muslim warrior princess, Armide, and a Christian knight, Renaud, against the backdrop of the First Crusade. Aga Khan Museum (77 Wynford Dr., 416646-4677). Until Sunday. JOURNEY INTO FANTASY celebrates the first year of the Inuit art digitalization project with this interactive exhibit featuring the work of Inuk artist Pudlo Pudlat. McMichael Canadian Art Collection (10365 Islington Ave., Kleinburg, 905-893-1121). Until Sunday. MADE IN CHINA: CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS THROUGH EXPORT ART Although the world seems to be getting smaller by the year, this exhibit highlights a time when the divisions between Europe and China were much smaller. On display are more than 100 objects, including paintings, porcelain, lacquer, silver and photography, all produced in China during the 18th and 19th centuries. Taken from the ROM’s collections, many of the objects here are rarely displayed and highlight a period of history when Europe was hungry for Chinese art. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park, 416-586-8000). Until Aug. 1, 2016. OBSESSION AND INTRIGUE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY More than 400 new objects are on display and the new gallery highlights the late 18th-century dessert table with a temple, obelisks and urns made of sugar, rare Sèvres porcelain sculptures and a lavish period dessert served on the botanical dessert service. Admission to the gallery is free during this time as part of Culture Days. Gardiner Museum (111 Queens Park, 416-586-8080). Saturday-Sunday. POMPEII: IN THE SHADOW OF THE VOLCANO More than 200 objects never seen before in Toronto tell the story of Pompeii, an ancient Roman city captured in time by ash and debris that buried it during a volcanic eruption. Pompeii focuses on the people living in the city, revealing the fragility of life in the face of natural disaster. Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park, 416-586-8000). Until Jan. 3. SMARTER. FASTER. TOUGHER. AN EXHIBITION ON SPORTS, FASHION + TECH These categories have shared a close relationship as advances in what athletes wear have given subtle competitive edges in a number of sports. From wetsuits to parkas, this exhibition displays sportswear technology and how it has evolved over the decades. Distillery Historic District (intersection of Parliament and Mill St., 416-363-6121). Until Oct. 12. A THIRST FOR RICHES: CARPETS FROM THE EAST IN PAINTINGS FROM THE WEST Mid-17th-century Dutch paintings of Eastern carpets are paired with the actual carpets that inspired them to highlight the history of trade between the two regions. Aga Khan Museum (77 Wynford Dr., 416-6464677). Until Oct. 18. WALKING TOGETHER is based on the stories shared by survivors of the Mohawk Institute, a residential school from 1831 to 1969. On display is mixed-media artwork provided by First Nations students from the Pauline Johnson Collegiate Vocational School. Entrance to the exhibit is included with regular admission. Mackenzie House (82 Bond St., 416-392-6915). Until Nov. 15.