Situation at the NGC: “A national scandal”, protests the former general manager Marc Meyer

Since the firing of four plant executives on Nov. 17, Mr. Meyer hasn’t taken off. Not convinced by the interim director general’s arguments NGCAngela Cassie, wants the museum’s board of directors, chaired by Françoise Lyon, to speak publicly on the matter.

The man who led the Museum from 2008 to January 2019 regrets that the dismissal of luminaries was motivated by reasons we don’t know, that we will never knowand adds that the current interim general manager hides behind [l’argument de] private life.

He has to explain himself for it, but he doesn’t say anythingadds Mr. Mayer, who insists on the abolition of essential locations in any art museum.

Mr. Meyer also questions the fact thatwe are not introduced to the people who replaced them to see if they are equally competentand supports it everything happens in secrecy and covertly. He is concerned about the repercussions of the loss of skills linked to the recent redundancies, particularly as regards the Museum’s permanent collection.

” I can’t give you numbers, but it’s amazing what this collection represents [du MBAC]. It’s precious, you can’t put a price on it [ces] national treasures […] But who manages it? Who takes care of it today? […] It’s a national scandal. »

A strategic plan completely opaque

Marc Meyer denounces decisions made according to a strategic plan completely opaque. That’s why he wants to know too That [fabrique] Board of Directors.

We are told of a strategic plan, but we see exactly the opposite, he continues. He cites new policies that he claims are inclusive but result in the expulsion of Greg A. Hill, senior curator of Audain’s Indigenous Art Fund.

While at the helm of the Museum, Mr. Meyer claims he never heard the word decolonization. He has nonetheless overseen the redesign of the Canadian Galleries, opening spaces for dialogue between Indigenous creators, Canadian first comers and artists, and arranging consultations with Indigenous elders.

It regrets that the new strategic directions overshadow the work previously done. Marc Mayer mentions, among other successes, the great international five-year period of contemporary indigenous art in the world, which took the form of two major exhibitions, Sakahàn (2013) and Abadakoné (2019).

Our indigenous artists have invited indigenous artists from around the world to celebrate the birth of their culturerecalls the former general manager, citing the expertise of Greg A. Hill as a cornerstone of this project, he which has created a team of consultants all over the world.

the NGC declined our request for an interview with the Prime Minister, Françoise Lyon, because Ms. Cassie is the Museum’s spokesperson for institutional mattersthe Museum’s senior official, public and media relations, Josée-Britanie Mallet, replied in a terse email.

With information from Christelle D’Amours