Fonds P056 - Optica Art Gallery fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Optica Art Gallery fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material
  • Moving images

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on the content of the fonds.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

P056

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1971-1996 (Creation)
    Creator
    Optica Art Gallery

Physical description area

Physical description

9.33 m of textual documents
ca. 100 posters
ca. 3,300 photographs
16 moving image documents
16 sound recordings
1 microfilm

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1972-)

Administrative history

Optica Art Gallery was officially founded in January 1972 by William E. Ewing in response to pressure from artists who convinced him of the need for a centre for the public exhibition of photography. The gallery was initially called les Galeries photographiques du Centaur; it was housed in the Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal. Its mandate was the exhibition of contemporary art.

After renovations in 1974, the gallery changed its name to Optica. Although the gallery originally featured only photographic exhibitions, it was not long before the gallery welcomed, with the Camerart exhibition (December 1974-January 1975), other forms of art. It would now consecrate half of its activities to photography, and the other half to other currents in art.

During the 1976-1977 season, internal policy changes meant that the gallery opened its doors to conceptual art, performance, painting, and sculpture. In 1977, the gallery added to its name A Centre for Contemporary Art. At the same time, its programming was modified and an experimental cinema section was added.

The centre is managed by a board of directors, most of whose 15 members come from the cultural milieu. They are encouraged to take an active part in the gallery's activities and to get involved in the associations to which the gallery belongs, including the Regroupement des centres d'artistes autogérés du Québec and la Société des Musées Québécois.

The gallery is subsidized by the Canada Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and le Conseil des arts de Montréal.

Custodial history

The fonds was transferred from Concordia University's Records Management and Archives Department to Concordia University Libraries' Special Collections February 18, 2016, February 23-24, 2016, March 24, 2016, April 6, 2016, April 12, 2016, April 19, 2016, April 26-27, 2016, May 10, 2016, and May 18, 2016.

Scope and content

The fonds provides information on the administration and activities of the Optica Gallery from its beginning in 1972 to 1996.

The fonds contains such documents as exhibition programs, artists' curricula vitae and portfolios, audiovisual works from exhibitions, personnel and financial records, grants applications, and correspondence.

The fonds is organized according to the following series :
P056/1 Finances
P056/2 Organization
P056/3 Human resources
P056/4 Programming
P056/5 Exhibitions and activities

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Materials deposited with Concordia University by Optica.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English
  • French

Script of material

    Language and script note

    Most of the textual documents dating from 1972 to 1977 are in English. Most of the textual documents after 1977 are in French.

    Location of originals

    Availability of other formats

    Restrictions on access

    Confidential material is not available for consultation.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Reproduction for research or private study is permitted. Use of material in publications cannot be done without permission of the copyright holder.

    Finding aids

    Box listings available.

    Associated materials

    Related materials

    Accruals

    Further accruals are expected.

    Rights

    Copyright belongs to the creator(s).

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Standard number

    Standard number

    Access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description record identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules or conventions

    Status

    Final

    Level of detail

    Full

    Language of description

      Script of description

        Sources

        Accession area