Kitty Scott (photo by Craig Boyko)
Kitty Scott, former chief curator of the National Gallery of Canada, will organize the Focus platform at this year's Art Toronto, which runs Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre.
The art fair announced Wednesday that Scott, one of four senior managers purged last November in a controversial move by the National Gallery's interim director Angela Cassie, would join their team.
"The Focus platform at Art Toronto is unique in Canada,” says Scott. “It represents a thrilling opportunity to collaborate with some of the country’s most exciting contemporary artists. As someone who is passionate about curating, I look forward to the challenge of creating a memorable experience for visitors to the fair."
Scott is one of Canada's most respected contemporary art curators, with credits that include organizing Vancouver artist Geoffrey Farmer's 2017 exhibition at the Canadian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. A curator for more than 30 years, she also co-curated the Liverpool Biennial in 2018 and contributed to Documenta 13 in 2012. She has worked at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Banff Centre and London's Serpentine Gallery.
Scott's addition is being billed as a "power move" to show international collectors that Art Toronto is bouncing back from the pandemic, which saw it host a virtual fair and then a hybrid event before returning last year to an in-person model.
As curator, Scott will bring together key works from participating galleries in a special exhibition.
Mia Nielsen, the director of Art Toronto, welcomed Scott, saying she admires her colleague's achievements and her support for contemporary art.
"Given Kitty's remarkable eye, talent for discovering new artists and in-depth knowledge of the art world, Toronto will be a must-go destination for collectors this year," said Nielsen.
Art Toronto, founded in 2000, expects to feature more than 100 galleries from across Canada and beyond.
Source: Art Toronto