The 14th annual Canadian Art Gallery Hop: A definitive success
Quebec art duo Doyon-Rivest entertained the gala crowd, including Ashley Gallant (left) and Stacy Dunn (right), with their costumed performance of Logopagus / photo Yvonne Bambrick
We are thrilled to announce that the 14th annual Canadian Art Gallery Hop Gala dinner and auction raised over $250,000 in support of the Canadian Art Foundation.
On September 24 in Toronto, over 600 art lovers from across Canada joined us in celebrating 25 years of Canadian Art. The successful evening brought artists, patrons, art dealers and long-time supporters of the magazine together to bid on the silent and live auctions featuring artists whose works have appeared on Canadian Art’s cover over the past 25 years.
Sandra Henderson, Vice President and Managing Director, GTA, of BMO Harris Private Banking, Gallery Hop Lead Sponsor, enjoys the Gallery Hop Gala with other BMO guests / photo Yvonne Bambrick
Guests also enjoyed two special large-scale art installations: a stunning video collage from a quarter-century of Canadian Art magazines by LA-based, Calgary-born artist Ryan Sluggett and a dreamlike environment of popping flashbulbs created by Toronto artist duo Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins. A witty in-costume performance by Quebec duo Doyon-Rivest also amused the crowd.
Gala guests peruse the offerings at the 2009 silent auction at the KoolHaus. The auction and dinner raised more than $250,000 for the Canadian Art Foundation / photo Yvonne Bambrick
The rain held off for Gallery Hop day on Saturday, September 26, which began at the Ontario College of Art and Design with a conversation between artists Adad Hannah and Emily Vey Duke and curator David Moos on the theme of promise, moderated by Canadian Art editor Richard Rhodes. In the afternoon, tour guides led groups of enthusiasts around eight of the city’s gallery districts, stopping into galleries where experts gave enlightening, informal talks on contemporary art. The art-filled day ended with a public wrap-up celebration at Mercer Union, where we launched our newly redesigned fall issue presenting the art, people, places and ideas that define Canada’s visual arts.
Artist Kristan Horton chats with critic Dan Adler in one of many enlightening talks held during Gallery Hop day / photo Yvonne Bambrick
A very special thank you goes to our gala co-chairs Stacy Francis, Barr Gilmore and Jane Humphreys, the amazing Gallery Hop Gala committee members, the 25th anniversary honorary co-chairs Michael de Pencier and Sarah Milroy, our wonderful sponsors and all the artists who generously donated works to the event.
For more information about Gallery Hop activities, visit canadianart.ca/galleryhop.
Collector Leanne Weld-Kostopoulos assesses some of the artworks at auction at the 2009 Canadian Art Gallery Hop Gala / photo Yvonne Bambrick
