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Canwest News Service
Toronto art collector and philanthropist Ydessa Hendeles, the daughter of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Canada after the Second World War, has offered to donate 32 Canadian and international works to the Art Gallery of Ontario in what will be the biggest single gift of contemporary art in the AGO's 110-year history. It includes works by local artists such as Kim Adams, Ian Carr-Harris, Max Dean, Betty Goodwin and Liz Magor, as well as pieces by artists from abroad, such as James Coleman, Gary Hill, Thomas Schutte and Krzysztof Wodiczko. "At the core of every great institution is the collection," AGO director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum said yesterday. "[It's] the narrative through which the art of many cultures and of our time is told. … This remarkable act of generosity and vision boldly augments the art we hold in the public trust." Hendeles, who founded the country's first privately funded exhibition space for contemporary art, said visiting the AGO with her parents was an important part of her childhood. "It set the stage for me to find my place in the community of visual artists and writers here." Plans are underway to exhibit the Hendeles donation within the next 18 months.
