The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) last week fired the museum’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Kitty Scott, Curator of Indigenous Art, Greg Hill, Director of Curatorial and technical research, Stephen Gritt, and senior communications manager, Denise Siele. Dismissals that worry the visual arts community and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez.
The announcement of these dismissals was communicated last Thursday to museum employees by an internal memo from the acting director of the NGC, Angela Cassie. In this note obtained by The Press, she specifies that this is a “restructuring within the organization”. “These personnel changes stem from many factors, but all were made to better align the Museum’s leadership team with the organization’s new strategic direction,” writes Ms.me Cassie.
These dismissals come five months after the departure of the former director of the NGC, Sasha Suda, for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Last year, she unveiled the first strategic plan for the institution founded in 1880. This plan, entitled transform togetherput forward a desire to take into consideration “the Aboriginal way of thinking” in the management and programming of the museum.
The curator responsible for Aboriginal art, Greg Hill, was therefore very surprised and shocked by his dismissal. Of Mohawk origin through his father, he had worked for the NGC for 22 years and had become the principal curator of the Audain Fund (named after Vancouver patron and collector Michael Audain) devoted to Aboriginal art.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE NGC
Nigik Makizinan – otter moccasinsa creation by Aboriginal artist Barry Ace presented during the exhibition In badakone | continual firecurated by Greg Hill in 2019
Kitty Scott had returned to the National Gallery of Canada in January 2020 (from the Art Gallery of Ontario) after spending six years at the NGC as curator of contemporary art, 2000 to 2006.
“The situation at the National Gallery of Canada is worrying,” said Laura Scaffidi, spokesperson for Minister Pablo Rodriguez. Canadians expect our Crown corporations to provide safe and inclusive work environments that reflect the Canada we know and love. »
Representing 41 Canadian galleries, the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries (AGAC) also expresses its concern through the voice of its co-president Dominique Toutant.
We would like to understand what the strategy of those responsible for the NGC is. Because, at the moment, they are creating insecurity with the entire industry, be it galleries, artists or collectors.
Dominique Toutant, co-president of the AGAC
“Since the departure of director Marc Mayer in 2019, the NGC seems to be deconstructing itself more than building itself, regrets Dominique Toutant. A strategic plan was adopted, but Sasha Suda left. At the moment, the concern is major. The subject will be discussed at our next Board meeting.
Why ?
The Press unsuccessfully attempted to speak to manager Angela Cassie to seek clarification on the reasons for the dismissals. The head of media relations, Josée-Britanie Mallet, initially replied: “our confidentiality obligations prevent us from discussing personnel issues” before specifying on Tuesday that the restructuring consists of “reconsidering all posts”. So even those of experienced executives.
“The loss of expertise is serious,” says Dominique Toutant. Put aside Greg Hill, who literally brought Indigenous art to the national museum, and fire the curatorial specialist [Stephen Gritt], is it really useful during a restructuring? It’s sad. The National Gallery of Canada, which is the beacon of art in Canada, seems to have extinguished its light. »
AGAC believes that the NGC has a governance problem. We asked Minister Pablo Rodriguez the question. Its spokeswoman, Laura Scaffidi, said only that the museum was part of the institutions independent of the government and that they “are responsible for their own day-to-day activities, with a board of trustees which oversees their governance”.
The process of finding a person to replace Sasha Suda just got kicked in, M told usme Mallett. This position is remunerated at $204,200 per year.