Art Gallery of Hamilton

[SteelTown]

AGH to get donation 'of lasting effect' today

January 14, 2010
Jeff Mahoney
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/704637

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is expected to make a major announcement this morning to disclose details of what some are suggesting is the biggest donation the AGH has ever received.

The announcement is scheduled to come at an 11 a.m. media event during which the AGH will preview its Vital Africa program of events and exhibitions throughout 2010.

Louise Dompierre, executive director of the AGH, would only say the donation will "not be a matter of indifference. It will have a lasting effect."

There has been speculation that the donation is from the Tanenbaum family in Toronto. One of the featured events of the Vital Africa year is a summer show of the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum collection of African art at the AGH.

In 2001, Joey Tanenbaum donated a painting to the AGH valued at almost $2.5 million.

Joey Tanenbaum's connection to Hamilton goes back to 1971 when York Steel acquired control of Bridge and Tank Company of Canada Limited.

The company operated a major steel fabricating facility on Gage Avenue.

Tanenbaum served as Bridge and Tank's president and chief executive officer until York Steel sold the company in 1983.

He is also a past member of the Hamilton Club.

[SteelTown]

Art Gallery of Hamilton plans $30-million reno

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/42...-million-reno/

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is about to embark on a two-year fundraising campaign to help pay for a $30-million renovation project.

The facelift involves a renovated wing on its east side, street-level studios, expanded food services, fresh landscaping and a new sculpture on the Main Street plaza.

CEO Louise Dompierre told city councillors Wednesday the estimated cost of the project is $30 million.

Dompierre said she hopes the AGH can generate the cash for the project through fund-raising, but didn't rule out returning to council for help.

"It would be normal, I think, for the city to make some sort of contribution," she said.

The city makes an annual contribution about $1 million to the art gallery.

Dompierre was before the general issues committee Wednesday to present the results of the project's feasibility study and ask for permission to begin fundraising

Civic leaders agreed to endorse the fundraising campaign. That was required because the project involves city property, which the AGH leases from the municipality.

That initial nod must be ratified at council.

Based on a two-year fundraising campaign, the project should be completed by 2019, Dompierre said.

The garden project, which will be complemented by a new piece of public art, is to be the hallmark feature of the renovation, she noted.

"The garden is the driving part of the project."

The competition for the outdoor art will likely be international in scope, Dompierre said.

The art gallery should make a more dramatic statement, Councillor Maria Pearson said in support of the project.

"We needed for the art gallery to have a presence on Main Street, which we haven't had."

In 2012, the art gallery drew 290,000 visitors, which was a record, she noted.

The gallery now has 10,000 works of art but there is demand for more space for additional works, Dompierre said.

That's a welcome dilemma, Councillor Brian McHattie said.

"I guess it's a nice problem to have: to have more art than you can actually display."

Dompierre said a conceptual design will be brought before council and available publicly before anything is etched in stone.

[thistleclub]

Roughly 10 years since groundbreaking on the AGH's last blockbuster reno.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Yeah, I suppose this is a good problem to have. A $30mm reno shortly after the $18mm KPMB job seems a little mental, though. Hopefully they can raise the funds.

[SteelTown]

My memory is a little fuzzy but I think they had plans to renovate Commonwealth Square after or during the reno of AGH. Obviously it never happened.

I'd love to see that whole section of Main St renovated. As I already said before my dream would be to tunnel Main St from Bay to MacNab and connect City Hall forecourt with Commonwealth Square to make a new large civic square.

[ihateittoo]

I was surprised that the zucker sculpture court and that whole pavilion had been barely touched during the previous renovation. If this is primarily a fund-raising effort that includes private, cooperate and government money then all the power to them if they raise the money.

It will help the current "hamilton = art and artists" portion of our branding. Put a nice ribbon on it for brochures. I do like the gallery as it is now, but if they are focusing on the sculpture court or grander plans: take some/all of that HWSB parking lot property, expand, and place a condo/offices on top then it makes sense to me.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by ihateittoo

If this is primarily a fund-raising effort that includes private, cooperate and government money then all the power to them if they raise the money.

For the 2003 renovation, federal and provincial governments contributed $5 million per, while the City of Hamilton committed $2.5 million towards the project (plus $1.5 million in transition funding). The remaining $5.7 million came from corporate donors and private fundraising.

From a 2004 FAQ:

What’s in store for the Irving Zucker Sculpture Court on Commonwealth Square?
Less concrete. More green space. Thanks to the generosity of the late Mr. Zucker’s children – Martin, David and Susan – the Irving Zucker Sculpture Garden will contain grass, trees, water features, a staging area, and sculptures from the Gallery’s Collection within a fenced enclosure with gates that open onto Commonwealth Square. As the Sculpture Garden will be located beside and accessible from the Gallery’s new multi-use Pavilion, the Garden will become a natural extension of the Gallery experience for visitors.

[thistleclub]

Funny to see John McEwen's Search Light, Star Light, Spot Light in the rendering, at Main and Summers. (McEwen's Breath joined the Zucker Sculpture Garden in the '90s.)

Notably absent from the render is Kosso Eloul's iconic Canadac, a child of 1977.

[davidcappi]

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/42...-at-city-hall/

Wow that stretch of Main Street is really going under a facelift! How exciting is this?!

[thistleclub]

http://virtualvaults.artgalleryofhamilton.com

[drpgq]

Seems a little weird for this reno, considering they've switched recently to new big exhibits every six months rather than four months. I guess having more permanents space for their more popular works that are usually hidden away makes sense though.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

Wow that stretch of Main Street is really going under a facelift! How exciting is this?!

Definitely a lot of changes happening and in the works. And it is exciting.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I'd love it if they opened up Summers Lane as part of this project. Largely dark and dead, it's not unlike a rabbit hole - blank walls; doorways to God knows where. The AGH could then have a street presence along that route. Dare to dream...