AG's annual report 2009 - Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery

KW|AG’s curatorial programming always begins as a
conversation or exchange of ideas. These conversations
begin just about anywhere (the gallery spaces,
outside, virtually) and with just about anyone (our
colleagues, artists, families, visitors). The most
rewarding conversations are the ones that evolve
from serendipitous beginnings into projects that
inspire engagement from a wider audience.
Exchange is a sequence: In May 2009, KW|AG’s
Curatorial and Collections Consultant of 7 years,
Allan MacKay, left the Gallery to pursue his own
artistic processes. I was fortunate to have assisted
Allan for four years before assuming the position of
Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. As a mentor,
Allan taught me to leave room for the unexpected;
in essence, to leave room for someone or something
else to contribute to our conversations. Under his
direction, curatorial activity championed the idea of
stories that unfold over time. In 2009, artists Susan
Coolen and Andrew Wright contributed the 6th and
7th instalments of our Parochial Views series of
commissions. These works join the Gallery’s permanent
collection for future generations to contemplate
and enjoy.
Exchange is a dialogue: 2009 was particularly rich for
exhibitions that shone a light on how a shared locale
informs our sense of identity, collective memory and
sense of agency. New projects under the aegis of our
River Grand Chronicles series explored communication
within our regional landscape. Whether assuming
the role of collector and interpreter of individual
narratives (Phil Irish) or crafting a taxonomy
equivalent to an alphabet (Susan Coolen), a desire
to connect and communicate is always a part of the
artist’s role. Part of our role as curatorial staff is to
cultivate and highlight the kind of dialogue that can
happen between individual artworks. Our 2009 exhibition
program included several group exhibitions
that addressed site as its curatorial thesis. Some Kind
of Wonderful: The 4th KW|AG Biennial, guest curated
by Nancy Campbell, assembled work by 11 regional
artists transforming our main gallery into a site of
wonder. ANTHEM: Perspectives on Home and Native
Land, circulated by Carleton University Art Gallery,
Ottawa explored diverse forms of nationhood that
make the concept of national accord complex.
Exchange is an action: 2009 was an exceptional year
for bringing the world to our region. Bringing together
11 Berlin-based artists from around the world,
Building Berlin focused on individual artists who
have helped cultivate the German capital’s dynamic
art scene. Our Art Talks, presented in partnership
with the Perimeter Institute, continued to bring
international artists to the region, with Janine Antoni
and Shirin Neshat presenting their work followed by
interviews with Robert Enright in Border Crossings.
2009 also marked a shift in how we involved the
community in meaningful conversations via art.
KW|AG partnered with Wilfrid Laurier University’s
Community Service Learning students for an interactive
project engaging the public in conversation
about the Gallery’s exhibitions. Look for more information
on how this partnership unfolded in next
year’s Annual Report. Other conversations with
exhibiting artists were captured in interviews posted
on our web site and in our exhibition catalogues.
Exchange is putting one thing in the place of another:
To be a site of exchange is to recognize that partnerships
amplify and extend the boundaries of our artistic
programming. nowhere if not here, a survey exhibition
of work by Guelph-based artist Will Gorlitz,
opened in fall 2008 and travelled to the Art Gallery
of Nova Scotia and Macdonald Stewart Art Centre
(Guelph). The importance of Will’s work resonates in
the comprehensive exhibition catalogue, published
in partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University Press.
KW|AG’s partnerships with arts organizations such as
CAFKA and Open Ears were celebrated in exhibitions
of work by Janice Kerbel and Janet Cardiff (on loan
from the Art Gallery of Ontario), each programmed
in conversation with the themes of these biennial
events.
Crystal Mowry
Curator of Exhibitions
and Collections
Curatorial Report
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