National Gallery of Canada announces major donation of 24 artworks from Bob Rennie and the Rennie Family

OTTAWA, ON, March 11, 2026 /CNW/ - The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) announced today a new transformative gift to the nation: 24 significant contemporary artworks donated by noted Vancouver-based philanthropist and Distinguished Patron of the NGC Foundation, Bob Rennie, and the Rennie Family.

The donated works are by four iconic contemporary artists: American artists Kerry James Marshall (b. 1955) and Christopher Williams (b.1956) and acclaimed Canadian artists Brian Jungen (Dunne-Za, b. 1970) and Jin-me Yoon (Korean-born Canadian, b. 1960).

This gift brings the total number of works donated by the Rennie family to 284 since 2012. Their vision and generosity have had a transformative impact on the Gallery's collection and its representation of so many important voices leading today's global contemporary art world.

"This is a landmark and deeply inspiring gift for the National Gallery of Canada and for the country. Bob Rennie's clarity of vision and long-standing commitment to artists at pivotal moments in their careers have helped shape one of the most significant collections of contemporary art in Canada. The works entrusted to us today are powerful, ambitious, and define our time. With this extraordinary act of generosity, our collection is strengthened and expanded in ways that will resonate for generations. Canadians across the country will encounter these works, reflect on them, and see themselves and the world anew through them," said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada.

"This gift follows one of the core missions of the collection," said Bob Rennie on behalf of the Rennie family. "Any work leaving the Rennie Collection must go to a better home and with a better custodian than ours. As we continue to contribute to our nation through the National Gallery of Canada, I would like to remind us all that the two works by Kerry James Marshall document an important period in history and a narrative that must not be forgotten. These are voices that must be preserved for future generations. They show us when the seeds of slavery were planted, bearing the fruit of the racism that continues to this day."

A global spotlight

The gift includes two works by internationally acclaimed artist Kerry James Marshall. Highlighting the donation is Wake (2003), an installation that reflects on the history and lasting impact of the transatlantic trade of enslaved peoples. In the work, a black model sailboat is adorned with medallions of descendants of the first Africans brought to Jamestown, including a young self-portrait of the artist that links past and present. Wake is included in the critically acclaimed exhibition Kerry James Marshall: The Histories organized by the Royal Academy of Arts (London), that travels to the Kunsthaus Zurich, and the Musée d'Art Moderne (Paris).

The gift also marks the first works to enter into the NGC collection by the influential photo-conceptualist Christopher Williams. The 17 pieces donated here range from individual photographs to large scale photographic installations and establish the National Gallery of Canada as a premier holder of the artist's work. Williams' photographs highlight the fragility of consumer culture, revealing how it transforms collective anxieties around aging, vulnerability, and mortality into fleeting promises of happiness, perpetually packaging itself as new.

Celebrating Canadian talent

The donation also pays tribute to two leading figures in Canadian contemporary art: Jin-me Yoon and Brian Jungen.

To honour Yoon's 2025 Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts, the Rennie family has gifted to the Gallery Souvenirs of the Self (1991–2001). This pathbreaking work by the Vancouver-based artist consists of six postcard-style photographs in which Yoon poses at iconic tourist sites in Banff, Alberta, a national park and popular tourist resort. Of profound importance within Canadian contemporary art history, Yoon's photo suite heralded unprecedented discussions around Canadian identity and stereotypes around migration and belonging.  

The gift also includes four important works by Jungen; an artist collected early in his career by Rennie and who has gone on to significant international acclaim for his audacious melding of indigenous traditions with pop culture and global consumerism. Of the four donated works, Prototype for New Understanding #10 (2001), is a formative sculpture from Jungen's world-renowned Prototype series in which the artist transformed popular Nike Air Jordan sneakers into sculptures resembling Northwest Coast indigenous masks. This donation also includes Michael (2003), a sculptural assemblage based on the ready-made materials of Air Jordan shoe boxes.

About the National Gallery of Canada 

Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world's most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all – now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14^th to the 21^st century and extensive library and archival holdings.   

Ankosé  –  Everything is connected – Tout est relié   

About the National Gallery of Canada Foundation

The National Gallery of Canada Foundation is dedicated to supporting the National Gallery of Canada in fulfilling its mandate. By fostering strong philanthropic partnerships, the Foundation provides the Gallery with the additional financial support required to lead Canada's visual arts community locally, nationally and internationally. The blend of public support and private philanthropy empowers the Gallery to preserve and interpret Canada's visual arts heritage. The Foundation welcomes private and corporate support in the form of membership to our Patron programs, Gifts in Wills, and fundraising initiatives. To learn more about the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, visit ngcfoundation.ca.  

Charitable Registration Number: 87 858 0240 RR0001

SOURCE National Gallery of Canada

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