Founders Achievement Award
Dr. Gerald McMaster

I am very pleased to announce that this year’s Founders Achievement Award goes to Dr. Gerald McMaster, whose central role in contemporary Indigenous art makes him a most worthy recipient.

The Founders Achievement Award of $15,000 acknowledges a person or group who, over time, has made an exceptional contribution to the visual arts community in the greater Toronto area.

In choosing the candidate, the Founders Achievement Award Committee researches suitable candidates and solicits the expertise of the TFVA membership by asking for nominations. The candidates are considered on their positive contribution and also on a “subtractive” basis—if a candidate’s work were removed from the visual arts community, what would the impact be? The influence of the recipient’s contribution may be local to Toronto and/or may serve to position Toronto within national and international art contexts.

Dr. McMaster has curated for over 40 years and been involved in Indigenous art in various ways for some 50 years. He has engaged in local, national, and international work in contemporary art, critical theory, museology, and Indigenous aesthetics. Throughout his career, he has championed the mainstream value of Indigenous art and played a key role in its evolution from ethnographic to art museums. He has served in several curatorial positions— in Canada at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Art Gallery of Ontario and, as adjunct curator at Remai Modern in Saskatoon. In the United States he was a curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of the Indian American. He has also had a distinguished academic career as professor at OCAD University: he held a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Visual Culture and Curatorial Practice; and directed the Wapatah Centre for Indigenous Visual Knowledge at OCADU.

Among his many distinctions, Dr. McMaster is an Officer of the Order of Canada and the recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Art and the OCADU Distinguished Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award. He holds Honorary Doctorates of Letters from University of Saskatchewan and Emily Carr University of Art & Design, Vancouver.

I would like to thank the Founders Achievement Committee for its excellent work in choosing Dr. McMaster.

March Gallery Walk 

We have just added a new Gallery Walk that you won’t want to miss!. We visit three galleries, including a TFVA Project Support Winner.

Date: Wednesday March 12
Time: 1:00PM
Place: St. Helens Ave – south of Bloor St., one block west of Lansdowne.
Gallery TPW, #170; Daniel Faria Gallery, #188; Clint Roenisch Gallery, #190. Meet at #170.
Price: No charge
Maximum attendance: no maximum
Organized by suemlkidd@gmail.com 416-454-9502

The walk begins at Gallery TPW to view Smoke Signals x Reflections, curated by Jesse King and generously supported by TFVA’s Project Support. “The Celestial Collective is a contemplative journey into the realm of Indigenous identity grounded through a desire for connection and joy.”

Then it’s on to Daniel Faria Gallery* to view Start Over Every Morning by artist, Steve Bishop, Toronto-born and UK-based. This is the first exhibition of Bishop’s work in Canada. We are excited to explore this installation.

At the Clint Roenisch Gallery, you will see Anna Torma’s The Eden Project, textile and embroidery works, dense with imagery.

REGISTER

NOTES
* The exhibition at Daniel’s is SHOES OFF – get a pedicure or wear nice socks!
Parking
There is street parking
TTC
From Lansdowne Station – walk south on Lansdowne to Bloor, west on Bloor to St Helens, south on St Helens.

Spring Lecture Series

Our Spring Lecture Series, The Sky Never Lets You Down, highlights Canadian Artists of the Prairies. I look forward to seeing you in person—the snow will definitely be gone!

The dates are Tuesdays, April 15, 22, 29 and May 13. Watch for details in our next Programs at a Glance.

Annual General Meeting

We have heard over the past few years that, while members love the Hunt Club venue once they’re there, the drive is too long. So, we have looked at other options and have decided that we would try the Granite Club for this year. Part of the reason for choosing it is that they are offering us two opportunities to tour their art collection, free of charge. There will be a choice to tour before the AGM or following lunch.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR June 2, 11AM at the Granite Club! Details will follow in April.

Rita 

Rita Daniel, President
President@tfva.ca