The National Gallery of Canada welcomes three new students to its Conservation Internship Program for Diversity Français
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) announced today the second cohort of students who will benefit from an internship in its Conservation and Restoration Department as part of the NGC Conservation Internship Program for Diversity. Carl Magarro, Doris Fuller Ruiz, and John Habib—all of whom are enrolled in the Master of Art Conservation program at Queen's University, Kingston—will participate in a 12-week internship during which they will be paired with seasoned conservators and accompany them in their daily work. Launched last year in collaboration with the Queen's University Art Conservation Program and the Canadian Conservation Institute, this initiative was designed by the NGC to increase the representation of professionals from the Indigenous, Black, and other cultural communities across Canada in this field of museology.
Carl Magarro, Doris Fuller Ruiz, and John Habib will spend a week at the NGC starting August 22, 2022, and meet with the conservation team. They will return to the Gallery next summer to hone their skills following their academic year at Queen's. Carl Magarro will begin his Master's degree focusing on artifacts in September, while Doris Fuller Ruiz and John Habib will specialize in the conservation and restoration of paintings and works on paper, respectively.
"This year's selection process for this program was particularly exciting. All three students scored very high in the selection process and have promising careers in conservation ahead of them. We are delighted to welcome them to our team and provide them with a solid head start," said Stephen Gritt, Director of Conservation and Technical Research at the NGC.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Queen's MAC students to learn alongside the amazing team of Conservators at the National Gallery of Canada," said Patricia Smithen, PhD, ACR, Associate Professor, Paintings Conservation, Director of the Art Conservation Program, Queen's University. "Their mentorship and guidance will provide Doris, John and Carl with ongoing support as they enter the field of Art Conservation, caring for and preserving cultural heritage in Canada and beyond. I am grateful to the Gallery and the generous donor who has made this possible."
Launched in 2021, this internship is part of the Gallery's new vision, embodied in its strategic plan Transform Together. One of the objectives of the internship program is to enable aspiring conservators to learn from and network with experienced professionals. The internship is funded entirely by a donation from a generous patron of the Gallery through the NGC Foundation.
In addition, the Canadian Conservation Institute will host the three aspiring conservators and expose them to the science of conservation and broader issues of heritage preservation.
Students interested in pursuing a career as an art conservator or who would like to learn more about the internship program can contact the Gallery at [email protected].
The Foundation welcomes new donations to ensure the continuity of the program in future years. Anyone interested in supporting this initiative or others should contact Lisa Turcotte, Executive Director of the NGC Foundation at: [email protected].
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 present and deferred gifts for special projects and endowments. To learn more about the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, visit ngcfoundation.ca and follow us on Twitter @NGC_Foundation.
The NGC has a large conservation department, with specializations in the areas of contemporary art, paintings and frames; sculpture and decorative arts; through to prints, drawings and photographs. The team of conservators treat nearly 2,000 works each year, drawing from the extensive national collection.
The National Gallery of Canada is dedicated to amplifying voices through art and extending the reach and breadth of its collection, exhibitions program, and public activities to represent all Canadians, while centring Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Ankosé—an Anishinaabemowin word that means Everything is Connected—reflects the Gallery's mission to create dynamic experiences that open hearts and minds, and allow for new ways of seeing ourselves, one another, and our diverse histories, through the visual arts. The NGC is home to a rich contemporary Indigenous international art collection, as well as important collections of historical and contemporary Canadian and European Art from the 14th to 21st centuries. Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada has played a key role in Canadian culture for more than a century. To find out more about the Gallery's programming and activities visit gallery.ca and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. #Ankose #EverythingIsConnected #ToutEstRelié.
Queen's University offers the only Master of Art Conservation program in Canada. Students specialize in the conservation of paintings, artifacts or paper objects or carry out research in conservation science. Students who successfully complete the program are awarded the degree of Master of Art Conservation. For more information, visit queensu.ca/art/art-conservation
The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), a Special Operating Agency within the Department of Canadian Heritage, advances and promotes the conservation of heritage collections in Canada through its expertise in conservation science, treatment and preventive conservation. CCI works with heritage institutions and professionals to ensure these heritage collections are preserved and accessible to Canadians now and in the future. For more information, visit canada.ca/en/conservation-institute.html
SOURCE National Gallery of Canada
For media only: For more information or to set up an interview, please contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]; Denise Siele, Senior Manager Communications, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]
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