No work of art should go unattended…

Did you know there are over 24,000 pieces of art in the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s permanent collection? Beginning this fall the WAG is launching an important exhibition initiative to restore masterworks in the collection, to feature these works in a rotating installation, and to open our collection to a much broader audience. Continue reading to find out how your assistance will help maintain the restoration and preservation process, aid in the installation, and secure the collection’s legacy.

Taken in its entirety, after almost 100 years of acquisitions, donations, grants, and public support, the Gallery’s collection has developed into one of the largest and finest in Canada. Works in the permanent collection include Canadian art, international art, Inuit art, decorative art, photography, prints and drawings. Through this exhibition initiative masterworks being featured include works by Lucas Cranach, George Romney, Eugene Boudin, Marc Chagall, Tom Thomson, and William Kurelek.

As a world-class arts museum, the cost to maintain the collection is enormous, with thousands of works requiring ongoing care and attention by our conservation staff. This year’s President’s Appeal is raising funds to help restore and conserve works in the new permanent collection galleries, and to publish the Guide to the Collections which will serve as a comprehensive overview of significant works from our collection.

EUROfix, the first exhibition highlighting a new focus on the permanent collection, features masterworks from the WAG’s collection of European art. This installation includes a very beautiful and very fragile work by the Northern Renaissance artist Joerg Stocker, entitled Adoration of the Magi. Donated by Lord and Lady Gort in 1973, this panel painting portrays the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child, surrounded by the three Wise Men. The painting’s support is a panel of several quarter inch thick pieces of wood attached vertically. In the last century, this wooden panel was affixed to another support panel (or cradle) in an attempt to stabilize the painting. Over time, moisture has caused the panels to crack, leaving a large vertical fracture in the centre of the painting.

As you can see in these images, Adoration of the Magi is an example of a masterwork in dire need of restoration. The conservation process for this piece alone requires approximately $20,000 of restoration and conservation work, which includes labour, materials, and a new climate control box to house the painting. However, the resources needed to repair and restore delicate pieces of art are typically outside the WAG’s conservation budget.

The WAG cannot independently support projects of this magnitude and the funds needed to repair these fragile works of art depend on the generosity of donors like you. No work of art should go unattended; please assist us in conserving Adoration of the Magi and many other pieces of art in the permanent collection.

You can ensure that the WAG fulfills its mandate of enriching culture through the preservation and collection of art by donating to this campaign. It’s important to remember that government funding and grants are not enough to keep the WAG operating. This spectacular institution belongs to all of us and it’s our responsibility to ensure the WAG continues providing quality exhibitions and programs for everyone to enjoy.

Please join me in the WAG’s efforts to raise $100,000 in support of this very important initiative - one that will benefit every WAG visitor and every member of the community. You can make this possible by donating to the President’s Appeal. Please fill out the enclosed form or contact Alisa Raizman at 204.786.6641 ext 212 or development-associate@wag.ca.

As the WAG continues to move forward with its vision, I want to hear more from you. Please contact me with any comments or questions at 204.474.9624 or nlevine@mts.net. Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
Naomi Z. Levine, President of the Board of Governors