Contemporary Calgary Celebrates Grand Opening of the Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery with Inaugural Exhibition about Ethics of AI by New York-based Artist, Anton Ginzburg

Calgary, Alta (March 12, 2024) - Contemporary Calgary is delighted to invite the media and Calgary community to the grand opening of the new Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery, made possible by three key sources and totalling $2.5 million. The new gallery space housed in the former planetarium observatory addresses a need within the community for a flexible space that can be quickly transformed to ensure the programming serves audiences in a meaningful way. The inaugural exhibition, Surface, is New York-based Anton Ginzburg’s reflection on the use of technology as it relates to cultural labour, data aesthetics, and machine learning. Local Calgary philanthropists, Morris and Ann Dancyger, have committed to supporting the observatory gallery with an outstanding donation of $500,000 over ten years through their Dancyger (Morris and Ann) Philanthropy Fund at Calgary Foundation.

"As we introduce the Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery, located in the former public observatory of the iconic Centennial Planetarium, we pay homage to our city's rich history while forging a new path for community engagement and artistic expression. This space is designed to be a living, responsive entity that captures the essence of our surroundings through the eyes of incredible artists. This achievement could only have been realized with the generous backing of the City of Calgary, Calgary Foundation, and Morris and Ann Dancyger. Together, they have helped breathe new life into a cherished part of Calgary's heritage, ensuring it continues to inspire and engage future generations," says David Leinster, CEO, Contemporary Calgary.

The revamped Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery is a place to reflect on current issues and provides the opportunity to both preserve the building and foster meaningful discussion around contemporary events through art. "The privilege of growing up in Calgary, a community that nurtured us and allowed us to flourish, has inspired us to contribute back. We aimed to support art, culture, education, and inclusivity for Calgarians of all ages. It's with great pride that we provide this gift to Contemporary Calgary,” added Morris and Ann Dancyger.

Anton Ginzburg’s inaugural exhibition, Surface, showcases Film Forms, a body of work that includes 12 sculptural studies and a video based on a mathematical algorithm of surface curvature that he developed with the Technical University of Dresden. The exhibition demonstrates how artificial intelligence is used to interpret 12 iconic films in three-dimensional form. "This body of work is about exploring the use of surface in visual art. I've used algorithms to develop works in painting, sculpture, and moving images. All the works start from observation and then go through formal transformations, shaping and interpreting surface within defined context. If the surface were a landscape, my project would be a map guiding through it,” says Anton Ginzburg.

Calgary Foundation has generously donated $1 million through their ‘Major Grant Program’ towards the renovation undertaking. Contemporary Calgary is grateful to ‘The City of Calgary’ for graciously donating $1 million through the ‘Municipal Sustainability Initiative Program’. The CEO of Contemporary Calgary, David Leinster, Calgary philanthropists Morris & Ann Dancyger, and artist Anton Ginzburg are available for interviews on March 13, 2024, at Contemporary Calgary between 14:00 - 15:00 HRS MST. Interviews are also possible at the grand opening between 18:00 - 19:00 HRS MST. To book interviews with key spokespeople please email nikita@parkerpr.ca.