Feature Image: Renée Condo, Mi’kmaw from Gesgapegiag (born in 1979), Iluigneg, 2023. MMFA, purchase, the Museum Campaign 1988-1993 Fund. Photo MMFA, Jean-François Brière
On Friday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Museum will offer free admission for everyone to its collections and exhibitions *(with the exception of the major exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools: Three Hundred Years of Flemish Masterworks). No tickets or reservations necessary.
Montreal, June 10, 2024 – Meeting place between all cultures, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is the custodian of a collection that reflects the rich material, conceptual and cultural plurality of Indigenous artists. On the occasion of National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Museum invites the public to come celebrate First Peoples’ cultures and histories in the spirit of communities coming together.
“The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a community hub and, by extension, a place where dialogue occurs between many different cultures. June 21 is a wonderful opportunity for us to highlight the contributions of Indigenous peoples to our shared heritage. Join us in the spirit of openness and respect to celebrate Indigenous history and artistic diversity,” says Stéphane Aquin, Director of the MMFA.
On Wednesday, June 19, at 5:30 p.m., just ahead of this national day of recognition, the MMFA will hold a free talk, Survol des initiatives autochtones [Overview of Indigenous Initiatives] in the Maxwell Cummings Auditorium.
Léuli Eshrāghi (Seumanutafa and Tautua Sāmoan clans), who joined the MMFA one year ago as Curator of Indigenous Practices, and Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Chief Curator of the MMFA, will discuss their role curating and highlighting the work of Indigenous artists from Quebec, Canada and abroad. Across the discussion, they will present a number of works from different territories and eras that have recently entered the Museum’s collection. The discussion will take place in French.
On Friday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Museum will offer free admission for everyone to its collections and exhibitions *(with the exception of the major exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools: Three Hundred Years of Flemish Masterworks). No tickets or reservations necessary.
A new space dedicated to Inuit art at the MMFA
As a pioneer since 1953 in the research and collection of Inuit art, the Museum continues to enrich its collection of approximately 900 works created by over 300 artists from Inuit territories from Alaska to Canada to Kalaallit Nunaat.
In collaboration with artist and curator asinnajaq, the MMFA will unveil a new presentation of this collection on November 8, 2024, in a newly renovated and beautifully lit space of the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion which will double the dedicated exhibition space.
Titled ᐅᒻ ᒪᖁᑎᒃ uummaqutik: essence of life, this new display will bring together prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, sculptures and sound works. By prioritizing a bold storytelling approach, the galleries showcasing some 100 works on rotation will enable visitors to appreciate the rich and eclectic complexity of Inuit art, from the historical through to the contemporary.
Free admission for members of Indigenous communities
As part of its accessibility program, the MMFA offers free admission for members of Indigenous communities to its exhibitions and collection displays. This offer applies only to eligible individuals.
Learn more about the MMFA’s Indigenous initiatives.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ᐅᒻ ᒪᖁᑎᒃ uummaqutik: essence of life was made possible in part thanks to the financial support of the Government of Quebec and the Hilary & Galen Weston Foundation.
The talk Survol des initiatives autochtones has been made possible thanks to the Fondation de la Chenelière, Great Patron of Learning and Community Engagement, and to support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the Government of Quebec.
