The lobby of the Remai Modern, 2017. Photo: Adrien Williams.
There’s more Remai Modern board controversy. Artist Alison Norlen is one of two former board members who went public in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix this week about their concerns. “It looks like we’re implicated in the (human resources) issues, which is insulting and defamatory to both of us,” Norlen told the StarPhoenix. “And that’s the part that’s massively insulting because we were doing our due diligence with everything that came our way as a board.” Ultimately, both Norlen and Victoria Gamracy are calling for a review of the governance model at the gallery, particularly as concerns the City of Saskatoon. (StarPhoenix)
The current Remai board chair says the City is not interfering in the gallery. “The City (of Saskatoon) is a crucial support to Remai Modern and we are grateful for its ongoing contributions to the museum,” Beau Atkins wrote in a statement to the StarPhoenix. “The mayor and council have been great champions for Remai Modern and we are all invested in the museum’s continued success.” Atkins also noted that regional artists should be presented at the Remai, as well as international artists (a frequent point of contention). (StarPhoenix)
Alootook Ipellie and Fiona Smyth will be inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame for Canadian cartoonists. The late Inuit artist and writer Alootook Ipellie is currently the subject of a touring exhibition, “Alootook Ipellie: Walking Both Sides of an Invisible Border,” which was at the Carleton University Art Gallery in 2018 and is headed to the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the University of Winnipeg. Smyth, who teaches at OCAD University, “has been exhibited in countries around the world, including the United States, Mexico, Berlin, France, Venice, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan,” says a release. (Doug Wright Awards)
Beaverbrook Art Gallery collection high and dry, safe from floodwaters. That’s the headline on a CBC News story about how flooding in Eastern Canada is affecting one of its longest-standing art galleries. “Staff at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery were busy over the holiday weekend keeping its art collection high and dry, safe from rising floodwaters,” says the story. “They moved all of the artworks from the lower level of the provincial gallery upstairs, said John Leroux, the manager of collections and exhibitions at the Fredericton gallery.” Leroux said: “We took precautions just knowing that the level was going to come up to close to last year’s level.” (CBC)
1.34 million visitors were at the Royal Ontario Museum this past year. A release says this continues to make the ROM the most visited museum in Canada. “The year also marked an important milestone for the ROM with the opening of the Daphne Cockwell Gallery dedicated to First Peoples art & culture as free of charge to the public,” says a release. It adds: “In addition to overall attendance growth, demand for memberships was higher than ever, with over 127,000 members, representing a 6 per cent increase from the previous year.” The attendance number refers to fiscal year which wrapped March 31, 2019, for the museum. (press release)
Vanessa Kwan is the new program director at grunt gallery in Vancouver. “Kwan has worked with grunt over the past five years as curator and will step into the program director position on June 5th, 2019,” says a release. “Her work at grunt has included a strong emphasis on community engagement, strategic planning and international outreach. As curator she produced important solo exhibitions by Julia Feyrer, Elizabeth Milton, Dominique Pétrin and Syrus Marcus Ware.” Kwan replaces Glenn Alteen, who recently announced plans to retire after three decades with grunt. (press release)
Michel de la Chenelière is the new chair of the board at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. He was formerly vice-president of the board, and was a firm supporter of the museum’s Art and Education Studio and the International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy, both of which bear his name. (press release)
Merray Gerges is the inaugural editorial fellow at C Magazine in Toronto. The Editorial Fellowship “is a unique ten-month residency for independent research and experimentation in the field of visual arts publishing and is the only such opportunity offered by an art magazine in Canada,” says a release. “By providing core space and resources to diverse voices from a variety of backgrounds and at various stages in their careers, the Fellowship aims to expand historical, social and cultural understandings of Canadian contemporary art.” Gerges was formerly assistant editor at Canadian Art, and has also written for MOMUS, Hyperallergic and other publications. (press release)
The winners of Fogo Island Arts’ ars viva prize are now out. The residency is a partnership with the Association of Arts and Culture of the German Economy at the Federation of German Industries and is awarded annually to three young artists based in Germany. The jury selected this year’s awardees from 49 nominated artists under the age of 35. The winners are Karimah Ashadu, Thibaut Henz and Cemile Sahin. (press release)
And in case you missed it: There’s a new, sometimes shocking, documentary being released this week about a Norval Morrisseau forgery ring. Esmaa Mohamoud led the TFVA Award wins this year. There are changes afoot to City of Vancouver arts funding, with a renewed focus on equity and access. And there’s some more details available on the new plan for a waterfront Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
