Art Gallery of York University 1st in Canada to Win Rothschild Foundation Grant; Award to Fund Exhibition of Toronto-born New York Artist Moira Dryer

TORONTO, May 7, 1999 -- The Art Gallery of York University has won a $20,000 grant from the Judith Rothschild Foundation in New York for its planned exhibition of the works of the late, Canadian-born artist, Moira Dryer. It is the first time the foundation has awarded a grant to a Canadian institution.

"In keeping with the AGYU's mandate, we are premiering exhibitions by outstanding, innovative artists who are little-known in Canada, and producing first-time catalogues on their work," said Loretta Yarlow, Director and Curator of the AGYU.

Dryer was born in Toronto and died of breast cancer in New York in 1992 at the age of 34. She had a strong influence on younger artists of the 1980s and 90s, inspiring many to return to the painting medium with her large abstracts consisting of horizontal strips -- blending, curving and dripping from the pull of gravity. She often painted traces of her thought processes and feelings into her work.

"Moira Dryer's painting took many risks and expanded painting's possibilities," said Yarlow. "Her art maintains its vibrancy and edge even today."

The Judith Rothschild Foundation grants range from $7,500 to $25,000 and are meant to support and stimulate interest in the art of outstanding, but under-recognized American artists who died within the last 22 years. The grant program's vice-president, John Oddy, said the judges felt the Dryer exhibit qualified because the artist did a great deal of her work in New York. "I expect there could be more Canadian galleries that qualify," he added, noting that the program is only four years old.

Among the other recipients this year are the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

The Moira Dryer exhibition is a touring retrospective scheduled for Spring of 2000. The exhibition's catalogue will contain essays by David Moos, Curator of the Birmingham Art Museum in Alabama, and Toronto independent curator Gregory Salzman, as well as selections from the artist's own writings.

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For more information, please contact:

Loretta Yarlow, Director/Curator
Art Gallery of York University
(416) 736-5169 (tel)
(416) 736-5985 (fax)

Susan Bigelow
Media Relations, York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22091
sbigelow@yorku.ca
YU/047/99