AGW Announces New Director

Windsor, ON: Today, Ilias Kiritsis, AGW President, announced the appointment of Catharine M. Mastin as Director effective November 29, 2010.

The name may sound familiar to our local arts community as Mastin was the Curator of Canadian Art at the AGW from 1989 to 1995. Catharine's first-hand knowledge of our region and the Gallery's impressive collection will provide her with a running start at her new position.

"The Search Committee was pleased with the caliber of the candidates who responded to our national search for a new director. Catharine possesses the necessary leadership skills, curatorial expertise and arts management knowledge to move the Gallery forward," said Kiritsis. "Her programming experience, ongoing post-graduate studies and audience development expertise will help to diversify and re-energize the AGW," Kiritsis added.

"It is with great pleasure that I return to the AGW where I began my professional life as a curator in 1989. The Gallery's impressive history of exhibitions, collections and outreach initiatives drew me to the city," says Mastin. "I am looking forward to re-engaging with this community and the opportunity to work with the Gallery's dedicated core of volunteers, staff, Board members and stakeholders, along with the joys and challenges this position will bring." Catharine adds, "the AGW is a gem and important contributor to the national visual arts community. In accepting this position I will work diligently to champion the Gallery's critical role in the city and beyond."

Biography: Catharine M. Mastin
Catharine Mastin is currently completing an interdisciplinary doctorate in women's history at the University of Alberta in the Departments of History & Classics and Art & Design where she has secured an impressive record of major fellowships and scholarships including the University of Alberta's Dissertation Fellowship (2010), the Eleanor Luxton Fellowship (2010), the President's Doctoral Prize of Distinction (2008-10), and the Recruitment Scholarship (2006-08). She has also held a Doctoral Fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2008-10). She received her M.A. in art history and architecture from York University (Toronto) in 1988, and her B.A. Honours in studio and art history from York University in 1986. In June 2006 she also received her Certificate in Management from the University of Calgary which concentrated on project management and human behaviour in organizations.

Prior to her recent studies Catharine Mastin was Senior Curator of Art at the Glenbow Museum (Calgary) from 1995-2006 where her chief responsibilities included leading the art department's activities in collections development, exhibitions and public access. While at Glenbow she was co-founder of the Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art and curator/general editor for the exhibition and publication, The Group of Seven in Western Canada (2002). Before joining Glenbow, she was Curator of Canadian Art at the Art Gallery of Windsor (Ontario) from 1989-95, during which time she was awarded the 1993 and 1995 Ontario Association of Art Galleries Curatorial Writing Awards for projects on Wyndham Lewis in Canada and representations of First Peoples in Canadian art. In addition to the numerous exhibitions she has curated in the course of her curatorial practice, Catharine Mastin has also lectured widely on art across Canada in public gallery and university settings and has also worked in art education. Most recently she has taught Museum Studies at the University of Alberta (2007, 2008) and she was formerly programmer-educator at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario (1985-88) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (1985).