ONE-PERCENT FOR WHOM? CANADA'S PUBLIC WORKS FINE ART PROGRAMME, 1964-1 978: ITS RISE AND DEMXSE BY Catherine Anderson-Dolcini, BFA, Queen's University A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Canadian Art History Carleton University OTTAWA, Ontario November 29,2000 O 2000, Catherine Anderson-Dolcini National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibiiographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada Your fi& Votre rt#fërence Our (ile Notre eréltirence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, Loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microficheffilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantid extracts eorn it Ni Ia thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be p~tedor otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT The Public Works Fine Art Programme (1 964-1978) is exarnined within the larger context of federd governrnent patronage of the arts and the difficulties that ensue when a programme no longer brings prestige to its government department. Its roots can be found in the nation building goals of the Massey-Lévesque Commission and its Report, which stressed a united Canada, enriched by federally supported cultural programmes. Yet, by the early 1970s, when several works of art cornrnissioned through the Programme were presented to the Canadian people, Secretary of State Gérard Pelletier's policies of decentralization and democratization had altered the way Canadians viewed their relationship to cultural activities. This thesis examines the Fine Art Programme within the context of its era. It contends that its closure stemmed not only from temporal circumstances, but also ftom negative public reception of the art, the centralist ideolopy of its Advisory Committee, and a dichotorny behveen Programme headquarters and regional interests. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you John DoLcini for your unwavering enthusiasm, encouragement. and support. Thank you to my thesis advisor Michael Bell. for guiding me to essential texts and sources of information, as well as the more weighty issues. A special thsuik you to Herbert Cole, George RoK, Peeter Sepp, and David Siicox, for generously sharing your knowledge of, and experiences with, the Fine Art Programme-much of which had not been recorded prior to this undertaking. Thank you, as well, to Leezah Cohen, Lynda Kelly, Gai1 Moorhead, and Daniel Sharp-for answering so many questions during my months of research. TABLE OF CONTENTS TWESIS ACCEPTANCE ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v LIST OF APPENDICES vii .. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VI11 INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1. The Fine Art Programme: 19644973 1968-1969: Defining Policy and Procedures and Establishing the Advisory Comrnittee 1970-1973 : The Regional Serninars and Their Aftermath CHAPTER 2. 1974-1978: Decentrakation and Democratization 1984: One Last Attempt at a More Centralized Programme 1975-1977: The Fine Art Programme Under Marguerite Pinney 1977- 1978: The Fine Art Programme Under Peeter Sepp 1984-1985: The Fine Art Programme Under George Rolfe CHAPTER 3. A Closer Look Diverse Horizons of Expenence Influence Reception The Fine Art Advisory Cornmittee: Centralist Ideology in a Decentralized Department Considering the Impact of Regional hterests Cultural Maninty in an Era of Political Change and Social Consciousness CONCLUSION APPENDUC A APPENDIX B APPENDIX C ILLUSTRATIONS vii LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDM A. List of Fine Art Programme Advisory Cornmittee Members 152 APPENDIX B. Procedural Roles of Fine Art Programme Personnel 160 APPENDIX C. Copy of Artist's Questio~aire 162 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIGUWZ (All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.) PAGE Figure 1. Fine Art Advisory Cornmittee, c. 1973. From front lefi: 166 Leezah Cohen, Peter Bell, Marguerite Pinney, K. C. Stanley, Herbert Cole, Jean-Louis Lalonde, Anne Brodzky, Suzanne Rivard-LeMoyne. P hotograph: Micrographic Services, Public Works Canada. Figure 2. John Nugent. Nurnber One Northern, 8' x 50' x 201,Cor- 167 Ten steel. Exterior, north entrance, Canadian Grain Commission Building, Winnipeg. Cost of art: $50,000. Architects: Smith, Carter, Searle, & Partners, Winnipeg. (Cost of building: $6 million.) Photograph: George RolFe for Public Works Canada. Figure 3. The Department of National Defence Headquarters 168 Building. Architect: John B. Parkin Associates, Torcnto. Cost of building: $3 1,200,000. Figure 4. Robert Murray. Tmdrcl 1971,for Bczrmft Newman. 6'3" x 169 13' 6" x 28', Cor-Ten steel in concrete base. Exterior, northwest court, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $50,000. (Rrpainied in 2000.) Figure 5. Hugh Leroy. Untiiled, 28' x 23', fibreglass. Exterior, 170 southwest court, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $50,000. Photograph: Public Works Canada (Removed, early 199Os, location unknown.) Figure 6. Gino Lorcini. (Inritled, 13' x 20' x 3',anodized aluminurn. 171 Exterior, south entrance, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $24,000. (Refurbished in 2000.) Figure 7. Guido Molina6 Untiiled, 9' x 22', acrylic mural. Interior 172 concourse, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $12,000. Photograph: Public Works Canada (Removed, placed in storage.) Figure 8. Jacques Hurtubise. (Intitled, 9' x 22', acrylic mural. Interior concourse, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $12,000. Photograph: Public Works Canada (Removed, placed in storage-) Figure 9. Mariette Rousseau-Vermette. Unritleci, 6' 6" x 7', 9' x 9', 18' x 5' 6", three wool tapestries. Main lobby over south escalator, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $25,000. Figure 10. Micheline Beauchemin. UntitZ~d,10' x 15" hand woven tapestry. Main lobby over north escalator, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $25,000. Figure 11. Ulysse Comtois. Ontifled,5' 10" x 3' 4", ahminum. South lobby, National Defence Headquarters Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $14,000. Photograph: Public Works Canada (Transferred to the Guy Favreau Building, Montreal.) Figure 12. Battle scene, replacing Molinari mural. Figure 13. Battle scene, replacing Hurtubise mural. Figure 14. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Architects: Webb, Zerafa, Menkes, & Housden, Toronto. Cost of building: $25,000,000. Figure 15. Robert Murray. Huida, 8' x 8' x 24', steel. Estenor main entrance, Foreign Affairs and In~ernationalTrade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $35,000. Figure 16. Robert Hednck. Entrance doors, each door 8' 6" x 3', double cast bronze, four pair. Main entrance, Foreign Anairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $74,000. Figure 17. Kenneth Lochhead. External Affuirs, 8' x 28', five panel mural. Main lobby waiting area, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $12.000. Figure 18. Ulysse Comtois. Colonne fi 16, 6' x 2' x 2', steel and aluminum. Protocol Iobby, Foreign Aff&rs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $l5,OOO. Figure 19. Oseotuk Ipeelee. i.nzkshook (meaning "like a penon"), 6' 6" x 7', natural Stone. Skelton Lobby, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa- Cost of art: $8,000. Figure 20. Joyce Lehto. Mrrnitozrlin Canada, 19' x 18' 2", tapestry. Robertson Conference Room, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $lS,OOO. Figure 21. Gathie Falk. Veneration ofrhe Wzire CoZZar CYorker, 9' 6" x 74, cerarnic mural. Cafeteria, Foreign AfEairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $9,100. Figure 22. Gathie Falk. Venernrion of the Blue CoZZur FVo~orker~9' 6" x 74', cerarnic mural. Cafeteria. Foreign Anairs and International Trade BuiIding, Ottawa. Cost of art: $9,100 Figure 23. Arthur Handy. Untitled, 6' x 23' x 1S', Cor-Ten steel. Exterior cafeteria courtyard, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $45,000. Figure 24. Charles Gagnon. Thozight screen Timespuce, 8' x 42', 189 triptych, oil on cmvas. Lester B. Pearson Cornmernorative Area, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $45,000. (Funded separately fiom the Fine Art Programme.) Figure 25. Roger Vilder. Llntitled, 8' 6" x 14' 6", kinetic sculpture 190 with four neon bars (work of art built into wall). Elevator Iobby, tower A, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Building, Ottawa. Cost of art: $1 2,000. Photograph: Public Works Canada. (Removed.) Figure 26. Canadian lnstitute for Scientific and Technicd 191 Information, Ottawa. Architects: Shore, Tilbe, Henschel, and Irwin, Toronto. Cost of building: $14 million. Figure 27. Douglas Bentham. Prairies, 4' 6" x 8' 6" x 27' 2", Cor- 192 Ten steel. Exterior, main north entrance, Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information,