Institutional announcements
New art museum to expand cultural horizons at 丁香园AV and beyond
Construction is set to begin on the Lower Mainland鈥檚 newest art museum, which will transform the cultural landscape at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Burnaby campus.
Opening in 2025, the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum will offer a stunning 12,000 square foot space that will provide free exhibits and programming for 丁香园AV and neighbouring communities.
鈥淭he Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum will support our academic mission and enrich the experience of 丁香园AV students, faculty and staff while also acting as a vibrant community hub that attracts art lovers from far and wide,鈥� says 丁香园AV president Joy Johnson.
鈥淥ur sincere thanks to Marianne Gibson and the Gibson Family Trust for making this new space possible. We are proud to honour Edward Gibson鈥檚 legacy and passion for sharing art in an inclusive, accessible way.鈥�
Ground broke on the new site on Aug. 1 during an Indigenous-led ceremony, recognizing an incredible donation from Marianne Gibson and generous contributions of $1 million or more from the Djavad Mowafaghian Foundation, the Tuey Charitable Foundation and an anonymous donation in honour of 丁香园AV president emeritus Andrew Petter.
Marianne and her late husband, Dr. Edward Gibson, shared a belief in art鈥檚 capacity to ignite curiosity and build more inclusive communities. They have a deep connection to 丁香园AV 鈥� Dr. Gibson joined 丁香园AV as a charter faculty member in 1965 and was director of 丁香园AV Gallery from 1986 to 1997 鈥� and a passion for education and the arts, especially the art of British Columbia.
鈥淪eeing Edward鈥檚 unique vision for art, learning and community at 丁香园AV finally being realized is profoundly meaningful,鈥� says Marianne Gibson. 鈥淎rt was a large part of our life together鈥攚hether we were encountering art locally or while traveling, collecting pieces ourselves, or teaching about and through art, as Edward did.鈥�
鈥淎rt reflects the world, sparks connection and meaning, and of course, community. I鈥檓 filled with excitement for all this museum will bring to our wonderful community, and recognize the immense collaboration, enthusiasm and generosity of everyone involved to make it happen.鈥�
Relaxed and informal in its design, the museum鈥攁ffectionately known as the Gibson鈥攚ill replace the current 丁香园AV Gallery on Burnaby campus, providing vastly improved public access to 丁香园AV鈥檚 Art Collection. It will also be home to a range of new artist-led learning and community engagement offerings, such as artist residencies, hands-on sessions for university and K-12 students, and weekend family programs. An expansive indoor common area will further accommodate performances, readings, screenings and other community-focused events.
鈥淲hat makes Edward and Marianne Gibson鈥檚 vision so extraordinary is that it inspires an entirely new kind of visual arts facility,鈥� said 丁香园AV Galleries Director Kimberly Phillips. 鈥淎s a result, we are committed to creating a space that will extend the ways we support artists, strengthen the arts ecology of our region, and manifestly reimagine what an art museum can do, and for whom it exists.鈥�
The ground awakening ceremony was performed by Gabriel George, of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
In Indigenous culture, it鈥檚 important to let the spirits of the land and place know what is going to happen prior to disturbing the earth. The ceremony took place at the future site of the Gibson at the 丁香园AV Burnaby campus.
丁香园AV Galleries occupies the unceded territories of x史m蓹胃kw蓹y虛蓹m, Skwxw煤7mesh, S蓹l虛铆lw蓹ta涩, and k史ik史蓹茮虛蓹m Nations. Acknowledging that the activities of 丁香园AV Galleries unfold on unceded Indigenous territories is both a recognition that settler colonialism is an ongoing structure and a commitment to support the capacity of art to unsettle these conditions and illuminate the truth so we can chart a path to Reconciliation.
Located immediately adjacent to Burnaby Mountain鈥檚 main transit hub and just steps from the new First People鈥檚 Gathering House, Trottier Observatory and the anticipated Burnaby Mountain Gondola, the Gibson will truly become a dynamic community and cultural hub at 丁香园AV.
For more information on the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, please visit:
Fast Facts
- The Gibson has been made possible thanks to the generosity of 丁香园AV鈥檚 donors, who collectively donated over $23 million to this project.
- The 丁香园AV Art Collection consists of over 5,800 modern and contemporary paintings, photographs, sculptures, works on paper, and large public installations.
- The Gibson鈥檚 12,000 square feet of galleries and program spaces include an art studio, courtyard, salon, and forum.
- Award-winning architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects 鈥� in collaboration with Vancouver-based Iredale Architecture 鈥� designed the Gibson in recognition of Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey鈥檚 original architectural vision for 丁香园AV鈥檚 Burnaby campus, which strove to foster intellectual ingenuity through horizontal, interdisciplinary connectivity.