Matthew Teitelbaum
Encyclopedia
Matthew Teitelbaum is the director and CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
in Toronto
, Canada
and an art curator
.
Prior to joining the AGO, Mr. Teitelbaum held curatorial positions with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon and the London Regional Art Gallery. In 2006, Mr. Teitelbaum received the honour of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his ongoing commitment and contributions to the arts.
During his tenure at the AGO, its permanent collection has experienced significant growth and its research capabilities have been strengthened. Since 1993, the AGO has acquired nearly 60,000 works, including the renowned Thomson collection of Canadian historical art, European works of art (small scale devotional sculpture, medieval and gothic ivories, and boxwood carving chief among them) and historical ship models, the Murray Frum collection of African art, the Gotlieb collection of prints by James Tissot and Andre Masson, significant collections of photography, and individual works by artists as diverse as Gerhardt Richter, Oliafor Eliason, Doris Salcedo, Mike Kelly, Mona Hatoum, and Rodney Graham, as well as historical works by Cézanne, Leger, Bonnard, van Gogh and Denis, and sculpture by Giovanni Bernini.
Under his leadership, the AGO has become the central repository of works by such contemporary artists as Betty Goodwin, Paterson Ewen, Kazao Nakamura, Jack Chambers, David Blackwood and Greg Curnoe, reinforcing the AGO’s position as a passionate advocate for Canadian art. In 2001, Mr. Teitelbaum created the first permanent archival position in a Canadian art museum, positioning the Gallery as a leader in research and study of the lives, contributions and working methods of artists.
Mr. Teitelbaum’s vision for the Art Gallery of Ontario is that it become “the imaginative centre of our city and province, reflecting our diverse and dynamic setting.” While working to enhance the AGO’s international profile as a leading cultural destination and innovative partner in the celebration of art, he has sought news ways to connect the art of our times to daily life and contemporary issues.
Begun in 2002 and completed in November 2008, the $300 million transformation of the AGO was realized by the Toronto-born architect of the world, Frank Gehry. Building on the generous gift of the late Ken Thomson’s unparalleled collection of Canadian and European art, Transformation AGO increased the viewing space for art by 47%, added more than 3,000 works to the Gallery’s permanent collection, and dramatically changed the gallery spaces within the existing beaux arts building.
In addition to cornerstone donations from the Thomson family, Transformation AGO was fortunate to secure the support of more than 45 donors of $1 million or more, in excess of 3,000 gifts from AGO members and the larger community and the vital support of both the provincial and federal governments.
In recognition of his commitment to the arts and the incredible national and international significance of the Transformation AGO project, Mr. Teitelbaum was the recipient of the MOCCA Award 2009.
Mr. Teitelbaum is a past president of the Association of Art Museum Directors and is chair of its nominating and governance committee. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Susan Cohen, and two sons.
, Bernini
, Cézanne
, van Gogh
, Hatoum
and Boltanski
.
Teitelbaum's tenure to date has culminated in the execution on-time and on-budget of an ambitious construction and redevelopment plan dubbed Transformation AGO, a $300 million project designed by Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry
. The extensive renovations were begun in 2002 and required complete closing of the Gallery for over a year. The reopening on November 14. 2008 was a resounding, internationally acclaimed success.
. February 22, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2009
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and an art curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
.
Biography
Matthew Teitelbaum, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Michael and Sonja Koerner director, and CEO, joined the AGO in 1993 as chief curator and was appointed director in 1998. Born in Toronto in 1956, he is the son of Ethel Teitelbaum and the late painter Mashel Teitelbaum, and holds an honours bachelor of arts in Canadian history from Carleton University, a master of philosophy in modern European painting and sculpture from the Courtauld Institute of Art, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen’s University. He has taught at Harvard, York University and the University of Western Ontario, and has lectured across North America.Prior to joining the AGO, Mr. Teitelbaum held curatorial positions with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon and the London Regional Art Gallery. In 2006, Mr. Teitelbaum received the honour of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his ongoing commitment and contributions to the arts.
During his tenure at the AGO, its permanent collection has experienced significant growth and its research capabilities have been strengthened. Since 1993, the AGO has acquired nearly 60,000 works, including the renowned Thomson collection of Canadian historical art, European works of art (small scale devotional sculpture, medieval and gothic ivories, and boxwood carving chief among them) and historical ship models, the Murray Frum collection of African art, the Gotlieb collection of prints by James Tissot and Andre Masson, significant collections of photography, and individual works by artists as diverse as Gerhardt Richter, Oliafor Eliason, Doris Salcedo, Mike Kelly, Mona Hatoum, and Rodney Graham, as well as historical works by Cézanne, Leger, Bonnard, van Gogh and Denis, and sculpture by Giovanni Bernini.
Under his leadership, the AGO has become the central repository of works by such contemporary artists as Betty Goodwin, Paterson Ewen, Kazao Nakamura, Jack Chambers, David Blackwood and Greg Curnoe, reinforcing the AGO’s position as a passionate advocate for Canadian art. In 2001, Mr. Teitelbaum created the first permanent archival position in a Canadian art museum, positioning the Gallery as a leader in research and study of the lives, contributions and working methods of artists.
Mr. Teitelbaum’s vision for the Art Gallery of Ontario is that it become “the imaginative centre of our city and province, reflecting our diverse and dynamic setting.” While working to enhance the AGO’s international profile as a leading cultural destination and innovative partner in the celebration of art, he has sought news ways to connect the art of our times to daily life and contemporary issues.
Begun in 2002 and completed in November 2008, the $300 million transformation of the AGO was realized by the Toronto-born architect of the world, Frank Gehry. Building on the generous gift of the late Ken Thomson’s unparalleled collection of Canadian and European art, Transformation AGO increased the viewing space for art by 47%, added more than 3,000 works to the Gallery’s permanent collection, and dramatically changed the gallery spaces within the existing beaux arts building.
In addition to cornerstone donations from the Thomson family, Transformation AGO was fortunate to secure the support of more than 45 donors of $1 million or more, in excess of 3,000 gifts from AGO members and the larger community and the vital support of both the provincial and federal governments.
In recognition of his commitment to the arts and the incredible national and international significance of the Transformation AGO project, Mr. Teitelbaum was the recipient of the MOCCA Award 2009.
Mr. Teitelbaum is a past president of the Association of Art Museum Directors and is chair of its nominating and governance committee. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Susan Cohen, and two sons.
Activities
Under Teitelbaum's direction the AGO has seen steady growth in its holdings and its donor support levels, adding significant new collections such as the Murray Frum collection of African art, Ken Thomson's collection of Canadian and European art and a large number of works by individual artists as diverse as RiemenschneiderTilman Riemenschneider
Tilman Riemenschneider was a German sculptor and woodcarver active in Würzburg from 1483. He was one of the most prolific and versatile sculptors of the transition period between late Gothic and Renaissance, a master in stone and limewood.- Biography :Tilman Riemenschneider was born between 1459...
, Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian artist who worked principally in Rome. He was the leading sculptor of his age and also a prominent architect...
, Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
, van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, Hatoum
Mona Hatoum
Mona Hatoum is a video artist and installation artist of Palestinian origin, who lives in London.- Lebanon :...
and Boltanski
Christian Boltanski
Christian Boltanski is French sculptor, photographer, painter and film maker.-Life and work:Having no formal art education, he began painting in 1958. Nevertheless, he first came to public attention in 1960 with few short films and publication of several notebooks...
.
Teitelbaum's tenure to date has culminated in the execution on-time and on-budget of an ambitious construction and redevelopment plan dubbed Transformation AGO, a $300 million project designed by Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
. The extensive renovations were begun in 2002 and required complete closing of the Gallery for over a year. The reopening on November 14. 2008 was a resounding, internationally acclaimed success.
Honors
- Honorary Doctor of LawHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, Queens University, KingstonKingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(October 2002)
Further reading
Hume, Christopher. Art in his blood and steel in his bones. Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
. February 22, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2009
External links
- Art Gallery of Ontario Director's biography