Connecting to Collections – Sandra Fraser

Thursday, July 7, 2022 @ 7:00pm
FREE

While collecting and organizing special objects has a long and varied history, the notion of doing so for the public good is fairly recent. In the west, the establishment of art museums open to the public blossomed throughout the 19th century. Yet these collections were often the result of looting or grandiose expressions of private wealth. The origins of elitism and imperialism continue to haunt the museum today. Calls for better representation, non-colonial approaches to care, and access of public collections are the most urgent issues facing museums. What is at stake if museums actually changed how they collect? The answers might surprise you!

Sandra Fraser is Curator (Collections) at Remai Modern in Saskatoon, where she advocates for the many, and at times problematic, ways that art museums and their collections create meaning and nurture a sense of belonging in
communities. Her exhibition projects often address broader issues of cultural production and thinking through place. Fraser has a Masters in Art History from York University and a certificate of Museum Management and Curatorship from Sir Sandford Fleming College.