The Archives of Ontario with the assistance of the Gardiner Museum have created “Hands on History”, an artistic partnership that involved the successful creation of eight ceramic tiles based on Ontario’s archival holdings, to be displayed in the Archives of Ontario’s new facility in 2009.

The Hands on History project was conceived as the first partnership between the Archives of Ontario and a cultural institution in order to bring about the creation of new artwork influenced and inspired by the holdings the Archives of Ontario and archival collections from across the province.

A call for submissions was undertaken in June 2007 and the Archives of Ontario received 20 proposals.

These artistic concepts were judged by the following jury members:

• Bruce Cochrane
  (ceramics professor - Sheridan School of Craft and Design)
• Ann Mortimer
  (renowned ceramic artist)
• Gillian Reddyhoff
  (Curator - Government of Ontario Art Collection, Archives of Ontario)
• Lisa Singer
  (then Outreach & Partnership Development Officer - Archives of Ontario)
• Diane Wolfe
  (Director, Education and Programs – Gardiner Museum)

The artists chosen to partake in the Hands on History initiative were notified of their success in March 2008, and all pieces were submitted to the Archives of Ontario in September 2008.

The selected artists for the Hands on History project are:

By clicking on any of the names you will see the submitted works are all quite different in style, theme and scope, and they truly serve as examples of the limitless application of creativity towards our priceless holdings and refreshing perspectives on our shared history. These pieces have been accessioned into the Government of Ontario Art Collection.

Opening just a few short months from now in early 2009, the Archives’ new purpose-built home will be on the York University Keele campus, and the permanent and prominent home to these winning ceramic artworks. We will be very pleased to display these pieces throughout our new facility as they promote our provincial history in a very unique and beautiful way.

On Tuesday, November 4th, the Hands on History project was celebrated with a lovely afternoon event at the Gardiner Museum that saw artists, jurors and government representatives, including Marg Rappolt, Deputy Minister of Culture, gather to honour the fruits of this successful collaboration and marvel at the pieces that were created.

Gillian Reddyhoff, Curator of
the Government of Ontario Art Collection

Miriam McTiernan, Archivist of Ontario

Based on the success of this partnership and the artistic works produced as a result, the Archives of Ontario hopes to be able to build similar creative partnerships with other artistic communities through meaningful endeavours such as the Hands on History initiative.

Alexandra Montgomery
Executive Director of the Gardiner Museum