Behind-the-Scenes: Artist Files - Agnes Etherington Art Centre Agnes Etherington Art Centre

In 1979, Agnes Etherington Art Centre initiated a project to gather biographical information from artists across Canada, primarily in Ontario. Letters were sent requesting artists to complete Biographical Information Sheets, which were intended to form the basis of artist files at Agnes. Each letter included two sheets, with the hope that artists would distribute them to their colleagues, effectively doubling the outreach of the project.

Today, Agnes holds files on artists that have connections to Agnes and the Kingston region. The artists may have lived, studied or worked here, have works in Agnes’s collection, and/or exhibited at Agnes.

Film negatives from Eastman Kodak Stores, Montréal. Photo: Carolyn Kane

Newspaper articles about André Biéler. Photo: Carolyn Kane

Carolyn Kane, undergraduate student in Art History, is undertaking a study of artist files as part of an internship at Agnes. The file on André Biéler caught her attention. “André Biéler, who arrived at Queen’s University as an artist-in-residence in 1936 and later became the founding director of Agnes, boasts a particularly substantial artist file,” says Carolyn. “His file contains extensive information about the artist himself, his works and his strong ties to Agnes and the university, including numerous letters exchanged between Biéler and Frances K. Smith, curator emeritus at Agnes who published a book on Biéler and compiled his catalogue raissonné.”

Invitation to the preview of an André Biéler exhibition at Wallack Galleries, Ottawa. Photo: Carolyn Kane

Notes by André Biéler on the symbolism of one of his paintings. Photo: Carolyn Kane

At art museums, schools and libraries, artist files serve as dynamic records shaped by artists, curators, librarians and volunteers, providing accessible and up-to-date information for research purposes. These files can be comprehensive portfolios documenting an artist’s life and work, encompassing resumes, reproductions, exhibition invitations, newspaper clippings, proposals, correspondence and more.

In our modern world, the way we interact with artist files has changed. Artist files would have once been the first source researchers consulted, now the internet and search engines often take that place. Artist files themselves have become archival objects. But they are still treasure troves that allow you to get to know an artist beyond their artwork.