黑料不打烊

It is a special privilege to be able to present our June 2023 exhibition, honouring the 50th anniversary of the Olga Korper Gallery, born from the dreams and courage of Olga Korper herself on June 7th 1973.

Over the last five decades, Olga has been a pioneer of the contemporary Canadian art landscape. From a modest beginning in a basement on Markham street to the last 34 years on 17 Morrow avenue, she has worked tirelessly to cultivate the exceptional artists who have come up alongside her, sheltered under (and occasionally batted by) her big black ruffled wings. She has nurtured collectors who have grown into lifelong art lovers with established collections in their own right.

From her fiery tenure as President of ADAC, her roles on the Koffler and CONTACT boards, her countless talks, tours, jury positions and panels, all the way up to her recent award of the Order of Canada, Olga is a leader who rules by example: in order to see something achieve its full potential, she knows you first have to dig both hands deep into the earth before you can expect it to flourish. With impeccable taste, impossible standards, iconic look, and always always perfect grammar, Olga has remained steadfast at her post (much like the late Queen herself), watching new museum directors arrive, make their mark, and depart鈥�but not without first learning her name.

The anniversary exhibition brings together 50+ pieces by gallery artists and artist friends, historical images and gallery ephemera, all a fundamental part of our story and identity. We look forward to celebrating this huge milestone with you as we take a walk down memory lane.