Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq Artworks Go Under the Auction Hammer at Cowley Abbott to Support Legacy Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation
Rare opportunity to view over 30 masterworks by celebrated Canadian and international artists in a special exhibition at Winnipeg’s Mayberry Fine Art – October 17-19
Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 15, 2024: Cowley Abbott and Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq today announced the sale of 19 artworks to benefit The Legacy Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation, supporting the diversification and representation of the Gallery’s collection through the acquisition of contemporary Canadian artworks. To build this endowment, WAG-Qaumajuq’s curatorial and leadership teams, in consultation with Cowley Abbott and Mayberry Fine Art, carefully selected 19 artworks for deaccessioning that are by artists who are well-represented in the Gallery’s collection. They will go up for public sale by leading Canadian auction house, Cowley Abbott, as part of their Fall Live Auction of Important Canadian & International Art on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT.
Regular deaccessioning is a standard and best practice in collections management and allows museums and galleries to refine their holdings to ensure diverse representation, meet evolving mandates, reflect the needs of the communities they represent and serve, and maintain the highest standards of care.
The artworks on offer span nearly a century of Canadian art history ranging from the early 1900s to the late 1990s. A highlight is James Wilson Morrice’s Paysage, Algérie (Oran). Carrying an auction presale estimate of $175,000 – $225,000, this artwork is believed to be the final canvas ever created by the Canadian modernist painter. Exhibited for almost a century, the artwork is believed to have been painted in 1920 or later, the final years of the internationally-renowned artist’s life. Over the past five years, Morrice’s artworks have commanded heated bidding at auction, with significant canvases frequently exceeding expectations, often doubling or tripling the presale estimate.
Select additional works undergoing deaccession include five artworks by the celebrated artist collective, The Group of Seven – Franklin Carmichael, A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, Frank Johnston and Lionel LeMoine Fitzgerald; two striking watercolours by David Milne and four works by celebrated Manitoba painter, Ivan Eyre. The 19 artworks are expected to fetch between $540,000 and $740,000 at auction, with Cowley Abbott donating their selling commission to WAG-Qaumajuq in support of The Legacy Fund.
Two previous sales of Canadian and international artworks by Cowley Abbott in the spring of 2023 and June of 2024 have collectively raised more than $1.5 million for endowments at WAG-Qaumajuq.
“Through this thoughtful and strategic deaccessioning process, we are not only contributing to the diversification of our collection, but also creating new opportunities to support contemporary Canadian artists. The sale of these well- represented works will ensure we continue to evolve, reflect our communities, and preserve an enduring legacy for generations to come,” said Stephen Borys, Director & CEO of Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq.
Following the popularity of Cowley Abbott’s Spring Auction preview event among Manitoba collectors and art lovers earlier this year, Winnipeggers will once again have the opportunity to view the WAG-Qaumajuq artworks and other important masterworks before they hit the auction block at Cowley Abbott this fall. The free three-day preview exhibition features over 30 paintings, prints and sculptures, and takes place at Mayberry Fine Art, 212 McDermot Avenue, from Thursday, October 17 to Saturday, October 19. The artworks will later travel to Calgary’s Norberg Hall (November 7 to 9) and then to Toronto, prior to the auction.
“We are pleased to again offer the opportunity for Winnipeggers to view the artwork which will be sold to benefit WAG-Qaumajuq during next month’s auction,” said Mayberry gallery co-owner Shaun Mayberry. “Following the spring auction’s success for the institution and local participation in the sale, we expect Winnipeg art collectors to be active in the pursuit of some of these notable works from WAG-Qaumajuq, providing a chance to acquire an artwork from the collection and to support the endowment fund.”
“It is our privilege to continue to represent the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq in this third sale, and to donate our selling commission to benefit the continued strength, diversity and care of the Gallery’s collection,” says Rob Cowley, President, Cowley Abbott.
Lydia Abbott, Cowley Abbott Vice President adds, “There is a strong market of art collectors in Winnipeg and across the province, and we’re thrilled to offer them a final chance to view these spectacular artworks in person before they go up for auction this fall.”
The live auction will take place on Wednesday, November 27 at 7pm ET at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto and via live stream at CowleyAbbott.ca, with in-person, absentee, telephone and online bidding.
Associated Links
Cowley Abbott Spring 2024 Auction Preview in Winnipeg
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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Katryna Barske
Public Relations Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
kbarske@wag.ca
About Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq
The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art as a catalyst for change. The Gallery features an impressive collection of over 27,000 artworks spanning centuries, cultures, and media, including the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. Each piece has its own story to tell. Sharing these stories with the world is at the core of WAG-Qaumajuq. This is an engaging, accessible space where visitors can experience art and learning in new ways. Principles of equity, care, trust, and responsibility guide the institution towards meaningful impact and transformation. To learn more, visit wag.ca.
About Cowley Abbott
Since its inception in 2013, Cowley Abbott’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works that regularly smash auction records. Cowley Abbott has rapidly grown to be a leader in today’s competitive Canadian auction industry, with a dual gallery in downtown Toronto and representatives across Canada. Cowley Abbott’s effective set of services marry the traditional methods of promoting artwork with technology and innovative means to connect collectors with artwork of rarity and quality. Recently Cowley Abbott hosted three monumental auctions of artwork from an Important Private Collection, setting a record for the highest grossing private collection of artwork ever sold at auction in Canada.
About Mayberry Fine Art
Mayberry Fine Art is among Canada’s premier private art galleries and considered a foremost expert in historical and contemporary Canadian fine art. For more than 50 years, Mayberry Fine Art has been helping clients build valuable collections of Canadian art while continuing to expand its operation, services and staff. Three generations of Mayberrys now work in the family business. In addition to two galleries in Winnipeg and an office in Toronto, the business includes an all-inclusive estate services facility in Winnipeg and an online and live auction house in partnership with Cowley Abbott.
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