The TOM's new Gallery Director and Chief Curator wants to honour the artistic spirit of Tom Thomson with exciting contemporary art collections and partnerships that reflect what's going on in the community.
Aidan Ware says contemporary art is, “About the Now,” noting, “Tom Thomson, at the time that he was working…he was breaking a lot of traditions. He was very contemporary and really challenging people.”
She explains, “He was using paint in an entirely new way, with an aloofness and a sort of visceral feeling to his paint, and that was so different at the time.”
Ware says with Thomson as the cornerstone of the gallery, she wants to also highlight art by those who are currently working, producing and responding to 'the now.'
“It might be environmental crises, or political situations–current topics that are really in the present moment,” says Ware adding, “Challenging people is something that art has always done.”
Ware has 17 years of public gallery experience, most recently as the Director of Cambridge Art Galleries. Before that, she was Director & Curator at Gallery Stratford and the Education and Development Coordinator with the Art Gallery of Guelph.
She also wants to diversify programming at the TOM and reach out to the community and its numerous organizations to build partnerships, “To really make us a vital organization that's responding to things that are happening in our community and happening in people's lives and reflecting that through artistic practices.”
She says, “I have a very community-based approach in terms of my vision and my direction, and I know Owen Sound has such a vibrant community, and also an indigenous community. There are lots of people that I want to connect with and start working with.”
Ware grew up in Meaford, “I love the region, I've come back often throughout the many years that I've gone on to pursue my career. For me it's always held a really special place.”
Right now, she's settling in and is looking forward to her work with the other Tom Thomson Art Gallery members, “This is a gallery I've been going to for my whole life. I've always just had this wonderful respect and admiration for the work that Tom Thomson has done and for the collection that they've built.”
She says that's no small task, “To represent such an iconic artist in the way that they have, is pretty incredible,” says Ware, adding “The Gallery really considers itself the guardian of Tom Thomson's story. I just think there's nothing more Canadian than that, in a way.”
Ware starts on April 27th.