The Cause of Art: Professionalizing the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador

In 1949, Newfoundland and Labrador had a widely celebrated oral culture but little visual art. After entering the Canadian federation, recreational painters worked to create a venue for the display of art. The Cause of Art tells the story of the advocates, curators, and professional artists who laid the foundation for an artistic community in the province.

The Memorial University Art Gallery was the site of a struggle between recreational painters who aspired to express their creative impul...