MOOSE JAW — From paint to plastic to ceramic, the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery (MJMAG) has acquired a vast catalogue of works that reflect the unique approaches their makers take with their hobbies.
To celebrate these pieces, the organization has launched a display in its Norma Lang Gallery from May 31 to Sept. 1 entitled “New Acquisitions 2019-2024.” The exhibition features a diverse selection of acquired items — fibre arts, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, bookworks, photography/digital art and drawings — that the MJMAG has added to its permanent collection during the last five years.
While the museum acquired some artworks for the permanent collection by purchasing them, most pieces came from generous artists and private donors from across Canada.
The artists whose works are featured in this exhibit include Lorne Beug, Victor Cicansky, Heather Cline, Martha Cole, Marc Courtemanche, Jonathan Forrest, Rob Froese, Gabriela Garcia-Luna, Dagmara Genda, Richard Gorenko, Marie Lannoo, Kenneth Lochhead, Jeannie Mah, Clint Neufeld, Laura Payne, Susan Shantz, Jack Sures and David Thauberger.
Furthermore, those who donated artworks include Cole, Mary Ann Czekanski and Rod Tyler, Cara Driscoll, Forrest, David Jim Jones, Lannoo, the estate of Kenneth Lochhead, Mah, Russell Mang, Shantz, Doug Townsend and David and Veronica Thauberger.
The MJMAG’s permanent collection reflects its dual mandate of presenting visual arts and local history with heritage collection — consisting of more than 7,000 artifacts — and art historical and contemporary art collections with over 3,000 artworks.
It uses these pieces for in-house and touring exhibitions and loans to other galleries.
In 1967, the organization began collecting artworks for the City of Moose Jaw from artists who were local, provincial, national and international. The goal was to support the work of the artists who had contributed to the historical development of Saskatchewan and Canadian contemporary art and preserve these works for present and future audiences.
Meanwhile, the MJMAG regularly exhibits works from its permanent collection in its main gallery, lobby, Discovery Centre and the public library to give Moose Javians and Saskatchewanians access to the collection.
Works not on exhibit are stored in the art vault, which maintains and complies with Canadian museum standards with temperature and humidity controls and professional practices of a category A museum.
Also, the organization gives access to the collection to researchers, curators and other interested parties to support their research purposes, while it loans works from the permanent collection to other institutions for research, presentation and travelling exhibitions.
The MJMAG also gives access to residents who make special requests for educational purposes.
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