Frankie Macaulay’s art—made from reused, reconstructed cardboard boxes—is on view in the gallery’s window until mid-April. SUBMITTED

The Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery is not closing

Despite rumours in the visual arts community, SMU says its gallery is staying open.

By Morgan Mullin

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Consider this a hand stopping the rumour mill’s crank: The Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery is not going anywhere. Despite whispers in the visual art scene that the space was finished with the ending of longtime curator Robin Metcalfe’s 17-year-tenure, a university spokesperson tells The Coast via email that the gallery is alive and well.

Look inside The Blue Building, Halifax’s newest gallery: Part of the ambitious 2482 Maynard arts project, the gallery’s first show is on until April.

In fact, the space is looking for a new curator while exhibiting a new installation in its gallery window, thanks very much. The university is working with an outside firm to find the new candidate, the spokesperson says, adding that because of Covid no official job posting has been listed yet.

click to enlarge

The Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery is not closing

SUBMITTED

Another view of Frankie Macaulay’s re-imagined cardboard box installation at the SMU Art Gallery.

The gallery—located in the first floor of the university’s Loyola Building, at 5865 Gorsebrook Avenue—focuses on the work of contemporary Canadian artists and has a permanent collection of 2,000 works. Past shows by the gallery have ranged from work by the Sobey Art Award-winning artist Ursula Johnson to retrospectives of Soviet propaganda. Currently, you can view a site-specific installation in the gallery’s window by artist Frankie Macaulay, whose re-using and re-imagining of cardboard boxes creates a starkly geometric landscape. The work is on view to those allowed on campus until mid-April.

About The Author

Morgan Mullin

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Morgan was the Arts & Entertainment Editor at The Coast, where she wrote about everything from what to see and do around Halifax to profiles of the city’s creative class to larger cultural pieces. She started with The Coast in 2016.