THE IDEAL AND THE PRAGMATIC: THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA'S BIENNIAL EXHIBITIONS OF CAIYADIAN ART, 1953-1968 By Nathalie Limbos-Bomberg, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Facutty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fùlfilment of the requirements for the degee of Master of Arts Canadian Art History Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario December 1,2000 O Nathalie Limbos-Bomberg, 2000 National Library Bibliothèque nationale BJrl 0, canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your hie Votre derence Our iY, Nome refdrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowuig the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distn'bute or seU reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfichelfilm, 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 substantial extracts £tom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent êeimprimés reproduced without the author' s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. This thesis examines the National Gallery of Canada's Biennial Exhibitions of Canadian Art, held between 1953 and 1968. as a response to various pressures that contributed to a mid-century cal1 to develop Canada's national arts and cuIture. At the centre of the pressures that led to the initiation of the Biennial series are the recommendations of the Massey/Lévesque Commission (1 949- 195 1) in which the National Gallery was charged with fostering Canadian visual art and the Canadian visual artist. The artist, Lawren Harris, advocated the central role of the artist in the realization of the Biennid. The timing of the Biennial series - the fust exhibition opened and toured just one year after the release the Final Report - was of acute relevance, an attempt by the National Gallery to rise and meet the challenges placed before it by the Commission- The numerous shifts in the format of the exhibition, in its centre of responsibility. premise, and desired outcornes chronicle the changing direction of the institution and reflect the growing demands of the nation as the National Gallery attempted to meet its own, and the country's, perception of its nationaI and international roles and professional responsi bilities at the expense of a central artist's role, as envisioned by Lawren Harris. .. III ACKNO WLEDGEMENTS In researching thk thesis. 1 would like to gratefully acknowledge the tirne and efforts of Cyndie Campbell, the Head of Archives at the National Gallery of Canada. Her work to prepare the Biennial files for research was both time- consuming and detailed, and the matenal was always delivered with diligence and professionalism. Even after my on-site research was completed Cyndie continued to meet my many requests for information. long-distance. Thank-you. Cyndie. I am gratefül to my friend and editor. Maureen Flynn-Burhoe for her painstaking work in revising this thesis. Maureen? 1took your advice on most things. but left some of the fun parts in. I wodd also like to thank other friends for their help: Amy Jenkins and my sister, Marjolaine Limbos. for their thoughtful readings of certain sections - I promise 1 will never make you read this again. Thank you to Josée Drouin-Brisebois. Curatorial Assistant in Contemporary Art? National Gallery of Canada, for her help and also Gemy Landreville, my persona1 satellite researcher. Throughout the research and writing of this thesis - a time span of a little over two years - I would like to acknowledge the support of my advisor. Michael Bell, Director of the Carleton University Art Gallery. Through his wide breadth of knowledge, expenence and continued guidance, he has challenged me in many ways. and always with patient encouragement. Michael, I would do it over again. Lastly. 1 would Iike to thank my husband Dean Clarke for all the years of his hard work - you have given me the freedom I needed to pursue this research. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 Endnotes. .................................................................................... IO CHAPTER ONE FROM TRUSTED ADVISORS TO TRUSTEES ..................................... 11 Endnotes .................................................................................... -32 CHAPTER TWO CONCEPTION. NCEPTION AND RECEPTION ................................ -27 Endnotes ..................................................................................... 66 CHAPTER THREE MINOR SUCCESSES AND MAJOR SUCCESSORS............................... 69 Endnotes .................................................................................... -93 CHAPTER FOUR NEW DLRECTORS AND DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS ............................. 98 Endnotes ....................................................................................128 CHPLPTER FIVE THE B IENNIAL EXITS ................................................................. 132 Endnotes .................................................................................... 156 CONCLUS ION............................................................................ 160 Endnotes .................................................................................... 169 APPENDIX I REGIONAL REPRES ENTATION ................................................... -171 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................... 179 INTRODUCTION THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA The National Gallery of Canada - is it a national gallery? Past Director Jean Sutherland Boggs, in her 1971 history of the collection, rnakes two "claims to distinction" that mark Canada3 National Gallery as different from other national art museums. Firstly. that since its inauguration in 1880. the National Gallery has always considered its responsibilities to be national rather than parochial. And secondly, that the institution bas: in both quiet and turbulent times. enjoyed a "particularly close" relationship with Canadian artists.' It is the Gallery's assertion that it operates as an accessible institution. but throughout its history. has the National Gallery of Canada always retained its wide inclusive reach and succeeded in remaining in touch with the nation's artists? This thesis examines the National Gallery of Canada's Biennial Exhibitions of Canadian Art, held between 1953 and 1968,' against this long- standing assertion and argues that the series is a response to various pressures that contributed to a mid-century cal1 for action to develop Canada's national arts and culture. At the centre of the pressures that led to the initiation of the Biennial series are the recornrnendations of the influential Massey/Lévesque Commission (1 949- 1 95 1)' in which the National Gallery was charged with fostering Canadian visual arts and the Canadian visual artist. The timing of the Biennial series - the 1 first exhibition opened and toured just one year afker the release the Final Report - was of acute relevance. an attempt by the National Gallery to rise and meet the challenges placed before it by the Commission- The numerous shifis in the format of the exhibition, in its centre of responsibility, premise, and desired outcornes chronicle the changing direction of the institution md reflect the growing demands of the nation as the National Gallery atternpted to meet its own, and the countryk, perception of its national and international roles and professional responsibilities. The forces that came to bear upon the National Gallery of Canada leadinç up to and during the time of the Canadian Bie~ia.1Exhibitions are cornplex and find their genesis in the politics and personalities at play during the preceding half-century. In order to contextualize the Biennial Exhibition and the nature of its origins, a broad historical approach is useful. The political and cultural climate of the day is examined for its relevance in terms of federal cultural policy in general. and the National Gallery of Canada in particular. While paramount to this thesis is the progress of the Biennial, which is narrated chronologically and most-often fiom the Gallery's point of view, extemal influences are considered for their impact upon internai policies and directives. Such externai influences as nationalism and intemationalisrn, intemal desires such as the professionalization of the curator role, and the aspirations of the institution to be on par with other national museums and galleries are also considered for their role in shaping the National Gallery and its programmes, in particular, the Biennial. 3 Within this historical frarnework, each of the eight exhibitions is evaluated according to the following criteria: procedurai method; organizer(s); degree of representation f?om across Canada in terms of artists (and works) and membership of both the preliminary and final juries; works purchased; works toured; and critical reception at home and while on tour. A critical evaluation of works of art falls beyond the scope of this thesis - the Biennid is regarded as a response to cultural and political