Remai Modern

Remai Modern is a contemporary art museum located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The institution opened in 2017 to serve as a major cultural hub for the Prairies and to present modern and contemporary visual arts, graphic arts, and media from regional, national, and international perspectives. It functions alongside institutions such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Museum of Modern Art in efforts to broaden Canadian dialogues around modernism, Indigenous art, and contemporary practice.

History

The museum emerged from an earlier civic initiative centered on collecting and exhibiting modern art in Saskatoon during the late 20th century, linked to predecessors like the Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory and municipal cultural planning under the administration of the City of Saskatoon. Major philanthropy by figures such as Ellen Remai and the philanthropic vehicle established by the Remai family catalyzed project realization, joining civic, provincial, and federal cultural funding streams including support mechanisms modeled on the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund and collaborations with bodies like Canada Council for the Arts. The project drew national attention during planning phases that involved architects, curators, and artists from networks connected to institutions such as the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and university art departments at the University of Saskatchewan and Concordia University. Indigenous partnerships and dialogues with organizations like the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and curatorial exchanges with galleries such as the Grunt Gallery shaped acquisition priorities and programming policy prior to the museum's public opening.

Architecture and Design

The building was designed by the Toronto-based firm led by Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects, integrating waterfront site planning adjacent to River Landing on the South Saskatchewan River. The architectural program balances exhibition galleries, a conservation lab, and public amenities similar to those at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Tate Modern, while addressing Prairie climatic conditions as encountered by architects in projects for the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Alberta. The design includes large-span galleries, a dedicated print study center influenced by collections practices at the National Gallery of Canada and the Library and Archives Canada, and flexible spaces for performance and film programming akin to interdisciplinary venues such as the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Landscape features reference nearby public realms like Kinsmen Park and urban renewal efforts comparable to Distillery District redevelopment models.

Collections and Exhibitions

The permanent collection emphasizes works on paper and prints, continuing a legacy of holdings comparable to the print collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the British Museum. Signature acquisitions included landmark portfolios and works by artists associated with movements and figures such as Pablo Picasso, Eduardo Paolozzi, Gerhard Richter, Yayoi Kusama, Francis Bacon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Canadian artists like Emily Carr, Norval Morrisseau, Bill Reid, and Miriam Schapiro. The institution has also mounted major exhibitions featuring contemporary practitioners and thematic projects that drew loans from institutions including the Tate Modern, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Centre Pompidou, and the Guggenheim Museum network. Curatorial programs have foregrounded Indigenous art and settler-Indigenous dialogues, paralleling initiatives at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Vancouver Art Gallery, and have hosted retrospectives, survey shows, and commissioning programs that engaged artists from networks tied to the Toronto International Film Festival, the Biennale of Sydney, and the Venice Biennale.

Programs and Education

Public programming spans lectures, workshops, printmaking demonstrations, film screenings, and residencies aimed at audiences ranging from school groups to scholars, modeled on education frameworks used at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada. Partnerships with postsecondary institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and the Okanagan College facilitate curriculum-linked initiatives and internships. Artist residency programs collaborate with national residency platforms like the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and international exchange programs associated with the UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity and the Canada Council for the Arts. Outreach work includes community co-curation projects with organizations like the Saskatoon Tribal Council and youth engagement modeled on successful practices from the National Film Board of Canada education programs.

Governance and Funding

Governance is overseen by a board of trustees drawn from civic, philanthropic, and cultural sectors, following governance models similar to those at the Royal Ontario Museum and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Funding combines private philanthropy, including major gifts echoing donor patterns seen at institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection, municipal contributions from the City of Saskatoon, provincial funding via the Saskatchewan Arts Board, and federal support mechanisms resembling grants from the Canada Council for the Arts. Operational strategies include earned revenue from admissions, memberships, and venue rentals—approaches comparable to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights—and endowment management shaped by financial advisors with experience connected to museum foundations like the Guggenheim Foundation.

Category:Art museums and galleries in Canada Category:Museums established in 2017