By Bailey Telo
On Thursday, June 22, the Art Gallery of Burlington will be hosting their Patron’s Dinner, an exclusive event celebrating their extensive collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics. Their assortment of art is impressive: collected over the last forty years, the Art Gallery of Burlington houses over 4,000 ceramic works, from functional to decorative and everything in-between.
The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) states, “This is not your typical fundraising event.” It’s true; it is much more than that: from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., guests will enjoy a fabulous 4-course dinner seated alongside Canada’s top artists and thought leaders. The evening will also involve live and silent auctions, along with an engaging knowledge exchange.
Artists such as Bruce Cochrane, Heidi McKenzie, Jess Riva Cooper, Scott Barnim, and many others will make their mark in AGB’s Lee Chin Gallery, as they join guests for dinner. A variety of thought-leaders will also join the event to share their expertise and insight. This diverse selection of knowledgeable individuals include Denis Longchamps, Nehal El-Hadi, and Suzanne Carte, AGB’s senior curator, just to name a few.
Denis Longchamps was the artistic director and chief curator at the AGB from 2013–2018. Currently, he is the executive director at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo. Not only did he earnhis PhD In art history, but he has used his knowledge to inspire students and teach the subject. Longchamps contributed to a variety of curatorial projects, and has been recognized for a number of awards.
Nehal El-Hadi is a researcher, writer, and editor who looks into the relationships between the body, place, and technology, and draws on her experience as a science and environmental journalist. She earned her PhD from the University of Toronto, where she researched the relationship between everyday public urban life and user-generated content.
The AGB’s Senior Curator Suzanne Carte will also be joining the event. Carte is an award-winning curator and cultural producer, who has worked on projects ranging from an exploration of the lasting fascination with zombies to hybrid performative/visual art/workshop experiences aiming to examine knowledge production and socially-engaged practice . She has curated exhibitions in art galleries and public spaces,and has also been recognized for her critical writing. Some of her works have been published in Huffington Post, Magenta Magazine, and Art Writ.
The knowledge exchange is another exciting feature of this event. Not only will AGB Executive Director Emma Quin, Suzanne Carte, and Jonathan Smith, the AGB’s curator emeritus, speak about the Weight of Clay exhibition as it represents the AGB’s forty years collecting diverse ceramics, but guests will also have the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with artists and thought-leaders over dinner. These thought-leaders will have so much to share, and their accomplishments most definitely speak for themselves!
As mentioned before, the fundraising dinner will also include a live and silent auction for guests. The silent auction will include one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces chosen from Joan Bennett’s private collection. Additionally, the live auction, hosted by the always-excellent Layne, the Auctionista, will showcase twelve pieces provided by some of Canada’s best ceramic artists, including Heidi McKenzie, Scott Barnim, and Susan Card.
Heidi McKenzie is a ceramic artist from Toronto. She mentions on her website that her “studio practice engages issues of identity and belonging.” She is known for curating “Decolonizing Clay” at the Australian Ceramics Triennale in 2019, and has participated in various projects and conferences.
At the early age of five years old, Scott Barnim knew that he wanted to become an artist. He came across a potter and was inspired to begin. He started as an apprentice, and eventually opened up his own studio where he creates pieces of stoneware such as dinnerware and decorative works of art.
Susan Card brings bright colours, water colour, and floral symbolism into the world of ceramics. Card says that her art “signifies feminine beauty, and fertility.” Plus, If you’re ever interested in learning more about the craft, Card teaches hand-building pottery in her studio located in Toronto!
The Patron’s Dinner, taking place within the new Weight of Clay exhibition, will be a once-in-a-lifetime evening filled with knowledge, creativity, and inspiration; a must for every art enthusiast and thinker.
Sources:
Dish Gallery and Studio. Susan Card. Url: https://www.dishgalleryandstudio.com/susan-card. (accessed June. 9, 2023).
Heidi McKenzie. About Heidi McKenzie. Url: https://www.heidimckenzie.ca/about (accessed June 9, 2023).
Nehal El Haldi. Nehal El Haldi. Url: https://www.nehalelhadi.com/about (accessed June 9, 2023).
Scott Barnim Pottery. Welcome to Scott Barnim Pottery. Url: https://scottbarnimpottery.com (accessed June 9, 2023).
Suzanne Carte. Suzanne Carte. URL: https://suzannecarte.com (accessed June 9, 2023).
The Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Staff (Denis Longchamps.) Url: https://www.theclayandglass.ca/about/staff/ (accessed June 9, 2023).
