Rare artwork collection up for grabs at U of R
The University of Regina has put up for auction hundreds of pieces from the art collection of late Regina residents Jacqui and Morris Shumiatcher.
More than 300 pieces of art are open for bidding on the Saskatchewan Network for Art Collecting's website. The pieces came from more than 1,000 artworks donated by Jacqui to the university before she died in 2021 at the age of 97.
They had been accumulated by Jacqui and her late husband, Morris, and donated to the University of Regina President's Art Collection.
Alex King, the collection's curator, says the auction is a rare, one-off event.
"I will just say it's very unusual and it will probably never happen again that we would ever be selling artwork," she said. "This is kind of an exceptional case."
The university is holding a showcase Friday and Saturday of some of the art up for auction. (Shlok Talati/CBC)
King said the U of R decided to hold the auction after reviewing discussions with Jacqui about what she had wanted to do with the collection. King said the university had agreed that anything that didn't fit the university's mandate or that couldn't be cared for properly would be sold.
Proceeds from the auction, according to the university, will be used to divert funds toward other important works that fit the university's mandate.
"The university, for the last few years, has been prioritizing Indigenous work because it makes up such a small portion and it's extremely important to us to have that represented. Indigenous work, specifically from the Treaty land on which the university sits, is a collection priority for us," King said.
LISTEN | University of Regina auctions off hundreds of pieces of art
The U of R is holding a live preview of 100 of the pieces at the University Building in downtown Regina on Friday and Saturday. Robin Schlaht is hosting the online auction and the showcase in Regina .
Schlaht said the Shumiatcher collection is different from the usual auctions he hosts.
"This is a very unified collection," he said. "It's great to know where the art came from because often people don't know that, when we have a lot of different artworks from different people, so it really gives you a sense of the history of the art."
Schlaht estimated the artwork on display was collected by the Shumiatchers during a period of more than 60 years.
Robin Schlaht is hosting the online auction and the showcase in Regina for the Saskatchewan Network for Art Collecting, (Shlok Talati/CBC)
The auction is being held online and features more than 300 Canadian and international artworks, including by Saskatchewan artists such as Robert Newton Hurley, Clara Samuels, Elizabeth Sajtos, Jeff Nye, John Peet, Jeannie Mah, Gerri Ann Siwek, Maria Gakovic, Lorne Beug, Luther Pokrant, Antoinette Herivel, Sharon Eisbrenner and Michael Bromley.
Kerry Macdonald was walking around the building Friday and stumbled upon the exhibition. He said he recognized the name, Shumiatcher, and started taking a deeper dive into the exhibits.
"I think there's some really, really interesting pieces, a very good diversity of styles with paintings, sculptures, mixed media — really neat stuff," Macdonald said. "I think there's something for everyone here."
Kerry Macdonald stumbled upon the exhibition Friday. He said he recognized the name Shumiatcher and started taking a deeper dive into the exhibits. (Shlok Talati/CBC)
The auction runs until Sept. 24. It has starting bids ranging from $10 to more than $3,000. Macdonald said he's glad he came across the exhibition.
"I just like the idea that these pieces have become available and I'll have an opportunity to review them and hopefully bid on some and, if I am lucky, maybe win one or two."
