The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Annual Report 06/07 Annual Report Annual Report 06/07 The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS The 2006-2007 Annual Report Code of Ethics Annual Report of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a production of the Advertising, Editorial Services At all times, the Trustees respect the Code and Graphic Design Department, Communications Division. of Ethics for Trustees of the Montreal Mu- seum of Fine Arts. No complaints have 06/07 Co-ordination: Emmanuelle Christen Texts: Stéphanie Kennan been filed with regard to the application of Translation and revision: Jo-Anne Hadley and Katrin Sermat this Code. Translation and revision of acquisitions: Each year, all of the Museum’s Trust- Marcia Couëlle and Donald Pistolesi Proofreading: Jane Jackel ees sign a declaration confirming that they Photography: Jean-François Brière, Christine Guest Conserving for All to Share and Brian Merrett are aware of the Code and agree to respect Graphic Design: it. In 2006-2007, all Trustees signed this The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, true to Guy Pilotte communication design inc. its vocation of acquiring and promoting the Printing: L’Empreinte declaration. work of Canadian and international artists past and present, has a mission to attract the broadest and most heterogeneous public possible, and to provide that public with first-hand access to a universal artistic heritage. Back cover: Pierre Soulages Painting, 222 x 157 cm, August 24, 1979 (detail) 1979 Anonymous gift © Pierre Soulages / SODRAC (2007) © The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 2007 Legal deposit – 3rd quarter 2007 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec National Library of Canada ISBN 978-2-89192-316-3 THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 1379-1380 Sherbrooke Street West Mailing address: P.O. Box 3000, Station “H” Montreal, Quebec H3G 2T9 Telephone: 514-285-1600 Fax: 514-285-6042 Web site: www.mmfa.qc.ca Cover: Hébert-Stevens Workshop To the War Dead - Pietà 1924-1925, after a cartoon by Maurice Denis of 1920-1922 Printed on recycled paper containing 10% Purchase, Société Générale/Fimat Fund post-consumer waste. FSC certified. PRESIDENT’S REPORT You will no doubt agree that the past year was particu- start of a major fund-raising campaign that larly exciting. It was marked by many highly promising will require a colossal effort, Mr. Cogeval projects, as well as a few unexpected changes. opted for change and decided to devote himself entirely to his artistic projects. The Of note are the impending expansion members of the Board would like to thank project, as well as several promises Mr. Cogeval, who, since 1998, worked to of major donations to the Museum’s maintain and improve the strong ties the collection. Coupled with these highlights Museum enjoys with other highly respected was the Museum’s incomparable presence institutions in Europe and North America on the international scene, thanks to its so that it could continue positioning itself exceptional ties with European museums. on the international scene. Under Mr. The Jean-Paul Riopelle exhibition Cogeval’s tutelage, the Museum presented developed by our Museum and presented many fi rst-rate exhibitions, including at the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg and Hitchcock and Art, Picasso Érotique, the Musée Cantini in Marseilles, in addition Vuillard: Post-Impressionist Master and to an exhibition of jewellery from our Landscape in Provence, in addition to co- decorative arts collection also presented producing major exhibitions in France last at the Hermitage, are compelling evidence fall: Once upon a Time Walt Disney at the of the Museum’s strong presence on the Grand Palais de Paris and Maurice Denis world scene. In addition, bold, inventive at the Musée d’Orsay. agreements with prominent cultural Following Mr. Cogeval’s departure, partners like Cirque du Soleil, the Orchestre Nathalie Bondil has served as the symphonique de Montréal and the Daniel Museum’s Director since January 2007. Langlois Foundation fi gure among last News of her appointment received a warm, year’s remarkable achievements. Serving positive response both at the Museum and as a backdrop to all of these successes is in Montreal’s art community. Ms. Bondil, the Museum’s 150th anniversary, which we who became the Museum’s Chief Curator will be celebrating in 2010. in 1999, is genuinely appreciated by the But before launching into an overview entire staff and held in high esteem by of the entire year, I would like to mention Montreal journalists and artists. She is the resignation of Guy Cogeval as Museum now at the helm of an institution whose Director. Despite his strong attachment workings she was already familiar with, in a to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, of city she has come to know well. Everyone which he was director for eight years, Mr. who works with her agrees she has an Cogeval decided to leave the institution at extraordinary talent for bringing people the end of 2006. Given the major issues together. Understandably, the Montreal the Museum will face in the years ahead, Museum of Fine Arts is very proud to have including the acquisition of the Erskine and Nathalie Bondil at the helm. American Church and its integration into Over the years, Ms. Bondil and her a new Pavilion of Canadian Art, and the curatorial team have developed very close I 1 ties with many Montreal collectors, so expenses. Fund-raising efforts to date have It was also presented at the Louvre in it is no accident that our collections are met with success, and we are confi dent Paris, the Art Institute of Chicago and the continually enriched with new works of we will be able to raise the funds needed Metropolitan Museum in New York. art. This past year was no exception and by the end of fall 2007 so that work can Another important international was, in fact, particularly successful. All the begin next winter. The Museum’s Volunteer joint project was Maurice Denis: Earthly donations, loans and commitments made Association was the project’s fi rst donor, Paradise. A precocious, multitalented artist, to the Museum have produced a favourable with a contribution of $1.5 million. By way Denis was a painter, illustrator, decorator ripple effect in the art community and among of gratitude, the Museum will dedicate and even a talented photographer. For Montreal collectors. I would particularly like the nave of the church to the Volunteer this exhibition, we once again worked in to mention the generosity of collectors like Association. collaboration with the Réunion des musées Renata and Michal Hornstein, Liliane M. And on a completely different topic, nationaux, the Musée d’Orsay and the Stewart, Dr. Sean B. Murphy, Madeleine 440,234 people visited the Museum in the Museo d’arte Moderna e Contemporanea Pelland, Dr. Yvon M. Tardif, Guy Joussemet, twelve months ending March 31, 2007. di Trento e Rovereto, Italy, where this Nabi Jean-Claude Bertounesque, Claire Denis Numerous visitors outside Quebec painter’s works were also presented. and the Musée Marc-Aurèle Fortin, who also discovered the Museum in 2006- The exhibition Once upon a Time have offered us invaluable works that will 2007, as we played a key role in presenting Walt Disney paired original drawings from be enjoyed by Museum visitors today and various exhibitions in Europe and North the Disney studios with the works that for years to come. America. These included Il Modo Italiano: inspired and were inspired by them. This With the spectacular growth in the Italian Design and Avant-garde in the surprising event, which brought together number of high-quality donations over the 20th Century, which travelled to the Royal popular entertainment and Western art, past few years, expansion of the Museum Ontario Museum and the Museo d’arte was presented in Montreal after a highly is once again warranted, as it has been Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento successful run at the Grand Palais in Paris. several times in its past. The expansion e Rovereto in Italy after its Montreal Lastly, the exhibition Edwin Holgate, project planned by our Board, which presentation in the summer of 2006. It is which was developed by the Museum consists in integrating the nearby Erskine worth noting that the works presented and presented in Montreal in the summer and American Church into a new Pavilion of in the exhibition came primarily from the of 2005, embarked on a successful tour Canadian Art, is now on the way to being impressive Liliane and David M. Stewart of four Canadian museums: the Glenbow realized and is scheduled to open in 2010. Collection and from Italian collections. Museum, Calgary; the McMichael Canadian There are two parts to this project: the Another highlight was the exhibition Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario; the conservation and restoration of the nave devoted to Jean-Paul Riopelle, which National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and of the church, and construction of a new opened in Marseilles in fall 2006. As a the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton. section that will house historical Canadian result of our remarkable relationship with Other exhibitions of Canadian art art. The church will be restored in its the renowned State Hermitage Museum, gave a wide variety of museum visitors a entirety and will be used for educational Riopelle’s work was presented in the chance to experience strong emotions at and cultural purposes, primarily musical galleries of the celebrated Russian palace the Museum. There was Nicolas Baier’s activities. Our collection of Canadian art in the summer of 2006, as well as an Hunting Gallery, which featured the artist’s will be displayed in a fi ve-storey building, exhibition of jewellery from the Liliane and creations next to works from various eras to be built at the rear of the church.