The Father's Day Exhibition

Additional Information

Patrimony has come to be accepted as that which is inherited from the past: our legacy and heritage. Art collections fulfil this niche nicely, as they are records and cultural markers that we retain for generations to come. A strict understanding of the definition of patrimony, and the patriarchal rules of inheritance, suggest that inheritance is descended from father to son (patri coming from Latin for father). Collections, therefore, be they a library's books or a gallery's vault full of art, can be understood to be gendered, and gendered male. This exhibition is comprised of works from the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Regina Public Library collections. These collections represent the history of art in the province, the patrimony that we have been provided with. But if collecting is a male practice, if it represents patriarchal values in our culture, we must look at the kind of work being collected and the purpose of that collection. This exhibition has been produced in conjunction with Making it like a Man: Masculinities in Canadian Arts and Cultures, a conference on masculinity at the University of Regina. It was put together with the assistance of The Canada Council for the Arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Regina Public Library.

The Father's Day Exhibition (Installation View), 2004.