Permanent Collection

Out of the Vault

As part of the quilt-making and working with reused materials themes of the current exhibitions on view, the Ottawa Art Gallery presents a sculpture from the Permanent. Ottawa-based artist Greg Hill’s canoe, constructed out of recycled packaging labels and accumulated cereal boxes, is accompanied by a video in which the artist is shown portaging from the OAG, through the Rideau Centre to Victoria Island, all the while wearing his “Kanata” T-shirt, a faux-feathered headdress and a bag made from recycled materials. What does it mean to display one piece inside the Gallery’s hallway, and present it informally outside of the white cube? This is a rare opportunity to meditate on a single work in a liminal space; between exiting one gallery space and before entering into another. 

About the Contemporary Collection

The permanent collection of the Ottawa Art Gallery currently comprises over 300 works of art by contemporary Canadian artists with strong ties to the Ottawa-Gatineau region. The collection represents a wide range of artistic practices, including painting, sculpture, photography, and new media art. Artists whose work is represented within the holdings of the collection are among others, Lynne Cohen, Evergon, Kenneth Lochhead, Marie-Jeanne Musiol, Ron Noganosh, and Jeffrey Thomas.

New works are acquired for the collection on an ongoing basis through private donations, OAG's Acquisitions Endowment Fund, the OAG Art Rental and Sales Service, as well as support from the Canada Council for the Arts. The Gallery has "Class A" designation from the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board, which enables it to offer tax incentives for eligible donations.

Recent acquisitions include work by Chantal Dahan, Max Dean, Lorraine Gilbert, Mark Marsters, Gunter Nolte, Leslie Reid, and Eric Walker.