A Growing Collection: Selected Art Acquisitions in Autumn 2018

Otto Wirsching (German, 1889-1919) Von Totentanz/The Dance of Death, 1915 14 plates, published by Roland-Verlag, Dachau, 1915. Plate size; each approx. 16 x 16 cm. Gift of Mrs. Harold Webster to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1958 Transfer from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to the McMaster Museum of Art, 2018

2018 has been another extraordinary year for acquisitions at the McMaster Museum of Art.

Following Douglas Davidson’s generous gift of over 300 works of art this spring, the Museum’s acquisitions committee have met and approved the acquisition of a number of other significant works. We look forward to future opportunities to share these works on our gallery walls.

Selected recent acquisitions, listed alphabetically by artist’s surname, include:

Conrad Felixmüller (German, 1897-1977)

Madonna, 1913
Published in ‘Die Aktion’ no. 14/15, April 7, 1917
Woodcut on newsprint, 21.4 x 15.2 cm image

Aufruf Für Sowjetrussland, 1920
Published in ‘Die Aktion’ vol 10, no. 21/22, May 29, 1920
Woodcut on newsprint, 14 x 17 cm image
Gift of Christos Dikeakos, 2018

Both gifts of Christos Dikeakos, 2018

Leonor Fini (Argentinian, 1907-1996)

Nude with red hair, 1969
Published by Editions Tartas, Paris. E.A. from an edition of 150
Colour lithograph for the deluxe edition of Parallement by Paul Verlaine, 38 x 30.2 cm
Gift of Susan Evans Shaw, 2018

Walter Gramatté (German, 1897-1929)

The Composer-Sonia Fridman [Gramatté], 1920
Woodcut, edition unknown. Image: 31.9 x 27.9 cm.
Gift of Harold and Charles Shnider to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1995. Transfer from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to the McMaster Museum of Art, 2018

Inuit artist (Unknown)

Model of a kayak, c. early 1900s
Wood, hide and sinew
68.6 cm long; harpoon 23 cm long
Gift of the Moulden Family, 2018

Peter Nadin (American b. England, 1954)

Not titled, 1994
Oil pastel and mixed media on paper, 100 x 65 cm
Gift of David and Julie Moos, 2018

Arthur Renwick (Haisla, b. 1965)

Seven works from the series Delegates: Chiefs of the Earth and the Sky, 2004

I-A-WI-CA-KA (The One Who Tells the Truth)
MAH-PI-AH-LU-TAH (Red Cloud)
MO-TA-VA-TO (Black Kettle)
TA-OYA-TE-DUTA (Little Crow)
TAH-TON-KAH-HE-YO-TA-KAH (Sitting Bull)
WAM-BU-LEE-WAH-KON (Medicine Eagle)
YAH-SHUN-KA-CO-QUI-PAH (Man Afraid of his Horses)

Gelatin silver prints mounted on aluminum with copper, 150 x 76 cm
Donald Murray Shepherd Trust Purchase, 2018

TH&B artist collective:

Simon Frank (Canadian, b. Scotland, 1968);
Dave Hind (Canadian, b. 1965);
Ivan Jurakic (Canadian, b. 1967);
Tor Lukasik-Foss (Canadian, b. 1967)
Basin, 2016, metal
Naomi Jackson Groves Fund Purchase, 2018
New home on campus for TH&B’s Basin sculpture, May 2018>

Jeff Thomas (Iroquois [Onondaga], born 1956)

Husking and Braiding, 2018
Corn Husks: Bert General, corn silk, Smooth Town, Six Nations Reserve, 1980, 2014/2018, edition 2/10, 20 x 28”
White Corn, 2014/2018, edition 2/10, 40 x 120”
Home/land & Security, 2012/2018, edition 2/10, 40 x 120”

Pigment print on archival paper. All purchased with funds from the McMaster Museum of Art Acquisition Trust

Otto Wirsching (German, 1889-1919)

Von Totentanz/The Dance of Death, 1915
11 plates, published by Roland-Verlag, Dachau, 1915. Plate size; each approx. 16 x 16 cm.
Gift of Mrs. Harold Webster to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1958
Transfer from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to the McMaster Museum of Art, 2018