Remai Modern

{{Infobox museum

| name = Remai Modern

| native_name = Art Gallery of Saskatchewan

| native_name_lang =

| image = Remai Art Gallery Exterior (42300899864).jpg

| caption = Exterior of Remai Modern

| alt =

| map_type =

| map_caption =

| former_name =

| established = {{start date and age|2009|07|09|df=y}}{{cite journal|journal=The Saskatchewan Gazette|publisher=The Queen's Printer of Saskatchewan|volume=105|number=32|page=1620|date=7 August 2009|location=Regina|title=Corporations Branch Notices: The Non-profit Corporations Act, 1995}}{{notetag|The art museum was incorporated on 9 July 2009. However, the art museum did not formally open to the public until 21 October 2017.}}

| dissolved =

| location = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

| coordinates = {{coord|52.1229|-106.6674|type:landmark_region:CA-SK|display=inline,title}}

| type = Art museum

| visitors =

| ceo = Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/about/leadership-staff|title=Leadership & staff|publisher=Remai Modern|accessdate=17 November 2019|year=2017|website=remaimodern.org}}

| director = Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh

| president =

| curator = Michelle Jacques (chief curator)

| publictransit =

| architect = Bruce Kuwabara{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/about/the-architect|title=The Architect|publisher=Remai Modern|year=2017|accessdate=25 September 2019|website=remaimodern.org}}

| website = {{URL|http://www.remaimodern.org}}

| network =

| imagesize =

| map_alt =

| collection = 8,000+{{notetag|name=col}}

}}

Remai Modern is a public art museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The art museum is situated along the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River, at the River Landing development in Saskatoon's Central Business District. The museum's {{convert|11,582|m2|sqft}} building was designed by Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects in association with Architecture49.

Plans to create a new art museum in Saskatoon emerged after plans to renovate the Mendel Art Gallery were abandoned in 2009. The new art museum was formally incorporated on 9 July 2009 as the Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. In 2016, the institution was rebranded as Remai Modern by the Saskatoon City Council; after Saskatoon-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Ellen Remai announced a donation of {{CAD|30}} million on behalf of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation to fund the construction and programming for the museum. Construction for the art museum took place from June 2013 to 2017, and was opened to the public in October 2017.

The museum's permanent collection features over 8,000 works from Canadian and international artists.{{notetag|name=col|As of March 2020, the museum formally had only 547 works in its permanent collection, although it has over 8,000 works when including the Mendel Art Gallery Collection at Remai Modern. Plans are in place to formally integrate the Mendel collection into the Remai Modern's permanent collection. However, the Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation formally maintains custodianship over the Mendel collection; with the formal transfer of the Mendel collection to the Remai Modern dependent on the art museum receiving certification from Heritage Canada.}} Its collection includes the collection of the former Mendel Art Gallery; and a collection of more than 400 linocuts and ceramics by Pablo Picasso. In addition to exhibiting works from its collection, the museum organizes exhibitions and hosts a number of travelling exhibitions.

History

Plans to develop a modern and contemporary art museum began in the late 2000s and early 2010s.{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/saskatoons-remai-modern-gallery-breaths-new-life-into-the-art-world-of-thewest/article36677148/|title=At the arrowhead of art itself|work=The Globe and Mail|publisher=The Woodbridge Company|accessdate=16 November 2019|date=20 October 2017|last=Lederman|first=Marsha}} These plans originated from expansion and moving plans of the former Mendel Art Gallery, which announced its intention to move to the River Landing development in April 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/mendel-art-gallery-gets-makeover-in-saskatoon-new-home-new-name-1.802135|title=Mendel art gallery gets makeover in Saskatoon: new home, new name|accessdate=20 November 2019|date=3 April 2009|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}} However, in November 2009, the city council of Saskatoon voted to establish a new art museum at the River Landing location.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/now-theat-the-remai-modern-it-s-built-will-they-come-1.4360295|title=The Remai Modern is complete — but will they come?|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=16 November 2019|date=20 October 2017|first=Charles|last=Hamilton}} The art museum was formally incorporated on 9 July 2009 as the Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Inc. The new art museum is not considered a direct continuation of the Mendel Art Gallery, although it did inherit its permanent collection after its closure in June 2015.{{notetag|name=col}} The assets of the Mendel Art Gallery were split between the City of Saskatoon government and the Art Gallery of Saskatchewan following the Mendel's closure.{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/uploads/SGCCfs2018%20Signed%203.28.2019.pdf|title=Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation Financial Statements|date=20 March 2019|accessdate=17 November 2019|publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers|page=8}}

In 2011, lead patron Ellen Remai donated $15 million toward construction costs of a new art museum, $15 million to support international exhibition programs,{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/family-donates-30m-to-saskatoon-art-gallery-1.1067319|title=Family donates $30M to Saskatoon art gallery|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=3 June 2011|accessdate=9 March 2015}} and also donated the most comprehensive collection of Picasso linocuts to the future art museum's permanent collection.{{cite web|last=Trembath |first=Sean |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/Appraising+Picasso+What+million+collection+means+Saskatoon/10716872/story.html|title=Appraising Picasso: What a $20 million collection means to Saskatoon|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.|work=The StarPhoenix |date=10 January 2015 |accessdate=9 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114015541/http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/Appraising+Picasso+What+million+collection+means+Saskatoon/10716872/story.html |archivedate=14 January 2015}} As a result of the donation, the museum announced it was rebranding as the Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan.

File:Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan.jpg

The inaugural director and CEO of the museum, Gregory Burke, was appointed in May 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/former-toronto-power-plant-director-to-take-helm-of-saskatoons-mendel/article8383553/|title=Former Toronto Power Plant director to take helm of Saskatoon's Mendel|first=James|last=Adams|work=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=9 March 2015|publisher=The Woodbridge Company|date=8 February 2013}} Construction for the museum building began on 7 June 2013. Funding to build the museum building came from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, as well as private donors.{{cite web|url=https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2013/june/07/remai-art-gallery-of-saskatchewan-construction-underway|title=Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Construction Underway|date=7 June 2013|accessdate=13 November 2019|publisher=Government of Saskatchewan|website=saskatchewan.ca}} The federal government contributed $13,020,000; the provincial government contributed $16,744,000, and the municipal government contributed $30,287,000.{{cite web|url=https://www.saskatoon.ca/business-development/major-projects/past-projects/remai-modern-art-gallery-saskatchewan|title=Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan|publisher=City of Saskatoon|year=2019|accessdate=13 November 2019|website=saskatoon.ca}} The final budget approved to build the museum was $84,634,160, with the remaining $24,095,160 collected through fundraisers and private donors.{{notetag|The aforementioned approved budget was the museum building only, and does not include the cost of the parkade underneath the museum building. The parkade was built and maintained by the City of Saskatoon. The cost to build the parkade was an additional $19.5 million.}} The museum was later rebranded as Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan in April 2014. In doing so, it became the first art museum in Canada to brand themselves specifically for modern art.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/cbc-saskatoon-tours-remai-modern-art-gallery-1.4362094|title=Media tour provides sneak peek of Remai Modern art gallery|date=19 October 2019|accessdate=16 November 2019|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}}

During construction for the museum building, the museum's Board of Directors became the subject of controversy. In December 2015, local artists submitted a letter to the Remai Modern's board requesting the removal of board member, John Gormley.{{Cite web|title = Artists call for John Gormley's removal from Remai Modern Art Gallery board|url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/artists-call-for-john-gormley-s-removal-from-remai-modern-art-gallery-board-1.3361337|website = CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date = 18 February 2016|date=11 December 2015}} In the letter, the artists referred to a Twitter post made by Gormley suggesting violence against Muslims in the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks. Gormley remained on the board while an independent third-party review was performed.{{Cite web|title = Saskatoon's Remai Modern reviews John Gormley's conduct|url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/remai-modern-review-gormley-1.3406466|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date = 18 February 2016|date=15 January 2016}} In January 2016, the third-party review found Gormley was not in breach of the Remai Modern's code of conduct. On April 12, 2016 Gormley resigned from the Remai Modern board of directors.{{Cite web|url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/john-gormley-resigns-from-remai-moderns-board-of-directors|title=John Gormley resigns from Remai Modern's board of directors|last=Trembath|first=Sean|date=12 April 2016|work= The StarPhoenix |access-date=17 November 2019}}

In June 2016, the museum rebranded again as Remai Modern, with the museum's logo stylized as "rRemai mModern".{{Cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/2734457/remai-modern-art-gallery-unveils-new-look/|title=Remai Modern art gallery unveils new look|work=Global News|access-date=2018-02-26|language=en}} Karlssonwilker was contracted by the museum for $90,000 to design the museum's logo, website, and other merchandise.{{cite web|url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/remai-modern-ceo-unfazed-by-logo-reaction|title=Remai Modern CEO unfazed by logo reaction|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc|work=The StarPhoenix|last=Tank|first=Phil|date=3 June 2016|accessdate=17 November 2019}} Although the institution's rebranding saw "Art Gallery of Saskatchewan" omitted from its name, the museum remains formally incorporated as the Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Inc., under the province's Non-profit Corporations Act.{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/uploads/AGSfs2018%20Signed%203.28.2019.pdf|title=Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Inc. ("Remai Modern") Financial Statements|date=20 March 2019|accessdate=17 November 2019|publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers|page=8}}

File:Remai Modern Art Gallery Entrance (42191207931).jpg

A civic ceremony to open the museum was held on 21 October 2017, which featured First Nations and Métis performances.{{cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/exhibitions/canadas-new-remai-modern-museum-opens-with-a-bang-1126433|title=With Remai Modern, Canada Gets a Cutting-Edge New Museum—and It's Got Cash to Burn|publisher=Art Media Holdings|work=ARTnews|date=25 October 2017|accessdate=16 November 2019|last=Kinsella|first=Eileen}} On the same day, Remai Modern opened its first exhibition, Field Guide. The museum-spanning exhibition included select works from the museum's contemporary collection, as well as the 13 works donated by Fred Mendel that formed the basis of the Mendel Art Gallery, including works by Lawren Harris, Emily Carr and David Milne.{{Cite news|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/3556720/remai-modern-art-gallery-saskatoon-opening-exhibit/|title=Opening date set for Remai Modern art gallery|work=Global News|access-date=1 August 2017|publisher=Corus Entertainment Inc|last=David|first=Giles|date=26 June 2017|language=en}} Shortly after the museum opened, the City of Saskatoon was informed that construction for the museum building had exceeded the approved budget by $2.5-$4 million, due to delays relating to drawing corrections and clarifications.{{cite web|url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/city-of-saskatoon-contractor-differ-about-talks-on-art-gallery-cost|title=City of Saskatoon, contractor differ about talks on art gallery cost|last=Tank|first=Phil|work=The StarPhoenix|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.|date=11 October 2019|accessdate=16 November 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/creating-a-community-masterpiece/article31956311/|title=Saskatoon gallery a community-building masterpiece|last=Kryhul|first=Angela|work=The Globe and Mail|publisher=The Woodbridge Company|date=20 September 2016|accessdate=16 November 2019}}

Architecture

File:Under the Remai Modern Overhang (46784056024).jpg stacks of the museum building]]

The museum property is situated in River Landing, a development area of the Saskatoon's Central Business District, and is positioned in an area that overlooks a bend in the South Saskatchewan River.{{cite web|url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/saskatoons-remai-modern-art-gallery-gets-international-praise|title=Saskatoon's Remai Modern art gallery gets international praise|last=Tank|first=Phil|date=4 January 2018|accessdate=13 November 2019|work=The StarPhoenix|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.}} The design for the museum building was by Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects, in association with architectural firm Architecture49. EllisDon was contracted to construct the museum building.{{cite web|url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/companies-hired-to-build-saskatoon-s-remai-art-gallery-sue-each-other-1.3681076|title=Companies hired to build Saskatoon's Remai Art Gallery sue each other|publisher=BellMedia|access-date=12 May 2021|date=16 November 2017|last=Woodward|first=Laura|website=saskatoon.ctvnews.ca}}

File:2024 08 25 IMG 6338.JPG

The building's design is influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style. The design of the building's exterior was based on region's open prairie landscape, and the barns, field sheds, and silos that occupy that space. The exterior features cantilevered stacks that extend towards the South Saskatchewan River; and its glass and copper mesh exterior. The exterior steel mesh is a solar shading device and provides a shadowing effect on the building as the sun arcs through the sky. The design of the copper patina was inspired by the roof of the Delta Bessborough, a hotel located nearby along the South Saskatchewan River. The building takes up approximately {{convert|11,582|m2|sqft}} of space, and is made up of approximately four floors, and an underground parkade. Approximately {{convert|1200|ST|MT|order=flip}} of steel was used for the construction of the building; most of which was supplied by the Walters Group.{{cite web|url=https://www.waltersgroupinc.com/project/remai-art-gallery/|title=Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan|year=2021|publisher=Walters Group|access-date=12 May 2021|website=waltersgroupinc.com}}

The glass walls on the ground floor are intended to provide visitors with a sense of "transparency between the interior and the outdoors". The "openness" of the prairie landscape were also reflected in the interior design of the building, with the ceiling of the main atrium extending to the fourth level of the building, and its walls being made of glass and overlooking the South Saskatchewan River. The main atrium also features a communal fireplace. The building includes eleven galleries dedicated to exhibiting artworks. The building also includes an in-house cafe,{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/why-is-the-remai-modern-a-must-see-zachari-logan-takes-us-on-a-tour-1.5016251|title=Why is the Remai Modern a must-see? Zachari Logan takes us on a tour|last=Collins|first=Leah|work=CBC Arts|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 February 2019|accessdate=16 March 2019}} community atrium, a restaurant, a retail store, two learning studios, a 150-seat theatre, rental spaces, a rooftop patio, and a lounge.

Permanent collection

As of December 2020, Remai Modern had over 8,000 works in its permanent collection when including the works from the former Mendel Art Gallery.{{notetag|name=col}} Acquisitions for the Remai Modern's permanent collection began in 2014, with modern and contemporary artworks being the primary focus of the museum's collecting efforts.{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/program/collections/remai-modern-collection|title=Collections|publisher=Remai Modern|year=2017|accessdate=17 November 2019|website=remaimodern.org}} The majority of the works in the museum's collection were acquired through donations, although the museum has also purchased works directly from the artist or vendor.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/local-artist-donates-100k-sculpture-to-remai-modern-1.4393692|title=Local artist donates $100K sculpture to Remai Modern|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=16 November 2019|date=8 November 2017}}

Artists whose works are featured in the Remai Modern's permanent collection includes Rebecca Belmore,{{cite web|url=https://www.remaimodern.org/press/media-releases/only-western-canadian-stop-of-acclaimed-rebecca-belmore-retrospective-to-open-at-remai-modern|title=Only western Canadian stop of acclaimed Rebecca Belmore retrospective to open at Remai Modern|access-date=12 May 2021|date=28 January 2019|publisher=Remai Modern|website=remaimodern.org}} Eli Bornstein, Georges Braque,{{cite web|url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/saskatoon-remai-modern-included-in-new-york-times-travel-feature-on-top-places-to-visit-in-2018|title=Saskatoon, Remai Modern included in New York Times travel feature on top places to visit in 2018|date=10 January 2018|last=Diebert|first=Dave|work=The StarPhoenix|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.|accessdate=26 February 2018}} Stan Douglas, Brian Jungen, Jimmie Durham and Haegue Yang.{{cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/press/media-releases/new-remai-modern-collection-exhibition-reimagines-the-prairies|title=New Remai Modern collection exhibition reimagines the Prairies|access-date=12 May 2021|date=28 January 2019|publisher=Remai Modern|website=remaimodern.org}}{{cite web|url=https://ago.ca/exhibitions/haegue-yang-emergence|title=Haegue Yang: Emergence|publisher=Art Gallery of Ontario|access-date=12 May 2021|year=2021|website=ago.ca}}

=Mendel collection=

File:JEH MacDonald Logs on the Gatineau.jpg. The piece forms a part of the museum's Mendel collection.{{cite web|url=https://collections.remaimodern.org/objects/1773/logs-on-the-gatineau;jsessionid=737F007581C321072B25AEAA5449CAE5?ctx=df7332c2-1ca1-49f2-99f8-04f80797bde8&idx=4|title=Logs on the Gatuneau|publisher=Remai Modern|access-date=16 June 2022|year=2018|website=collections.remaimodern.org}}]]

The Mendel collection, now known as the Mendel Art Gallery Collection at Remai Modern, was the permanent collection of the former Mendel Art Gallery and was inherited by Remai Modern. The Mendel collection includes the historical works in Remai Modern's collection, with most of the works dating back to the early 20th century. The Mendel collection has 7,700 works by artists including Emily Carr, Lawren Harris, Cornelius Krieghoff, and murals by William Perehudoff.

Works from the Mendel collection have been exhibited at the museum since its opening in October 2017. As of March 2019, the Mendel collection formally remains in the possession of the Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation,{{notetag|The Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation is a City of Saskatoon-owned corporation, that operated the defunct Mendel Art Gallery and the Civic Conservatory (still in operation).}} and will be transferred to the Remai Modern after it receives "Category A" status from Heritage Canada.{{cite web|date=26 March 2020|title=Art Gallery of Saskatchewan Inc. ("Remai Modern") Financial Statements|url=https://remaimodern.org/uploads/Art%20Gallery%20of%20Saskatchewan%20Inc_Saskatoon%20Gallery%20and%20Conservatory%20Corporation_2019%20Financial%20Statements.pdf|publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers|page=13|accessdate=31 October 2020}}

=Picasso collection=

An area of the museum's permanent collection is the Picasso collection, featuring ceramics and linocuts by Pablo Picasso. In 2012 Ellen Remai donated 405 Picasso linocuts to the museum.{{Cite web|url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/20m-picasso-collection-donated-to-remai-art-gallery-1.970813|title=$20M Picasso collection donated to Remai Art Gallery|work=CTV Saskatoon|access-date=25 September 2019|date=25 September 2012|publisher=BellMedia}} Valued at $20 million in 2012, the linocut collection is the world's largest collection of Picasso works in this medium, representing 194 out of 197 subjects known to exist.{{cite web|url=http://www.carillonregina.com/looking-into-the-remai-modern/|title=Looking into the Remai Modern|website=carillonregina.com|publisher=University of Regina Students' Union|last=Worby|first=Holly|access-date=12 May 2021|date=8 January 2020}} In addition to the linocuts, the collection features 23 Picasso ceramics, donated to the museum by Frederick Mulder in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/remai-art-gallery-receives-23-picasso-works-1.2013008|title=Remai art gallery receives 23 Picasso works|website=CTV Saskatoon|publisher=BellMedia|access-date=25 September 2019|date=18 September 2014}} He also donated an additional linocut subject to the museum at that time.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Programming

Remai Modern offers a variety of programming. In addition to the permanent collection and rotating exhibitions on display, the museum screens films, hosts talks, runs art programs for students and visitors, and offers offsite art programs.{{Cite web|url=https://remaimodern.org/program|title=Program|website=remaimodern.org|publisher=Remai Modern|language=en|access-date=22 September 2019|year=2017}} The museum also presents live performance art programs including dance, sound, music and other live media.

A variety of online programming can also be viewed on the museum's website and through their social media channels.