The Collection

The goal of a public art collection is to provide access to unique aesthetic experiences that enrich and challenge our own perspectives of the world. Public art collections, which owe their origins to the wealthy European Salons of 18th- and 19th-century Europe, create conversations about history, culture and society by providing opportunities for intellectual growth, dialogue and debate. Art collections reveal what was important to us and what continues to be important to us — preserving and showcasing how we see ourselves and understand the world around us.

Artworks in AWE’s Collection were made using a variety of media, including painting, photography, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, experimental film and moving imagery, mixed-media constructions, fabric art, and multi-media installations. The collection is focused on Indigenous art, historical Canadian art, and contemporary art. 

The AWE Collection houses nearly 4,000 artworks.

The AWE Collection mainly concentrates on art of the modern era—the late 18th to 20th centuries. To offer a context for many of those works, however, AWE has collected works from before and after this time. Identifying the earliest one is not simple because some older artworks are not dated precisely.  Among these is an embroidered English tapestry estimated to be from the 1600s and Joos de Momper’s Village on a River—Treviso, estimated to have been created before the 1600s. These objects are believed to be among the Gallery’s oldest holdings.

The largest work is an installation by Spring Hurlbut called La Somnolence (1999). The work consists of 150 antique children’s beds collected by the artist over many years in France, the United States and Canada. When installed it occupies several thousand square feet/metres. It is a hauntingly beautiful work that honours the memory of forgotten orphaned children in the 19th century.

The Collection is stored in special vaults that meet international museum standards to control light, humidity, temperature and security. AWE provides the best environment possible for preserving rare and fragile works of art while maximizing compact storage solutions. Each artwork also has a number and a detailed record of its history. Also, each year AWE lends artworks to many other professional public art galleries and art museums in Canada and around the world. Art Windsor-Essex has one of the strongest, mostly highest-respected art collections in Canada.

You do! Although AWE is the legal owner holding title to the work, the AWE Collection was built to serve as a public trust for you. Like a national park or any other heritage site, the Collection belongs to the community. AWE’s role as a charitable organization is to hold the Collection in trust for all Canadians. It is part of Canada’s cultural heritage to be enjoyed and celebrated for generations to come.

The definition of a “Canadian artist” includes those who have partial and/or complete experiences living in Canada. The art of Canada includes Indigenous artists from various geographies, including the Great Lakes and Nunavut.

AWE is pleased to offer art conservation services. Please contact us for more information. We also recommend you visit the website of the Canadian Conservation Institute.

AWE cannot endorse any one art appraiser business over another. We recommend you visit the website of the Art Dealers Association of Canada.