Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography
| Company type | Museum |
|---|---|
| Industry | Photography, Art museum |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Fate | Collections merged with National Gallery of Canada; photographic holdings integrated into Canadian Photography Institute in 2016 |
| Headquarters | Ottawa , Canada |
| Parent | National Gallery of Canada |
The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (CMCP) (French: Le Musée canadien de la photographie contemporaine (MCPC)) was an institution dedicated to showcasing Canadian contemporary and documentary photographic works. Established in 1985, it operated under the auspices of the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and was situated at 380 Sussex Drive in Ottawa.
Initially without a fixed location, the CMCP secured a permanent venue in 1992, relocating to a specially designed facility at 1 Rideau Canal. The Pavilion entrance, which opened on May 7, 1992, was the creation of architects Rysavy Rysavy, who transformed a former railway tunnel adjacent to the Chateau Laurier. This entrance, constructed from glass and concrete, provided access below street level to the museum’s primary exhibition areas.
Martha Langford held the position of founding director and chief curator from the museum’s inception in 1985 until 1994.
Following a temporary shutdown in 2006, the CMCP ceased operations permanently in 2009. Its collections and exhibitions were subsequently merged with those of the National Gallery of Canada. In 2016, the photographic holdings were integrated into the newly formed Canadian Photography Institute (CPI).
Collection
The foundation of the CMCP’s collection consisted of photographs originating from the Still Photography Division of the National Film Board of Canada. By 2005, its archive encompassed roughly 160,000 photographic pieces, featuring works by Canadian photographers such as Kelly Wood.
Closure
On March 29, 2009, it was declared that the CMCP would close permanently following a temporary closure caused by water damage in 2006. The museum’s exhibitions and collections were absorbed by the National Gallery of Canada. Attempts to maintain the CMCP at its original dedicated facility did not succeed. Since then, exhibitions have been presented within the National Gallery itself. In 2016, the museum’s photographic archives were incorporated into the Canadian Photography Institute (CPI), an entity partly supported by Scotiabank and housing over 50,000 prints alongside approximately 145,000 negatives from both organizations.
Affiliations
The Museum maintained affiliations with the National Gallery of Canada, CMA, CHIN, and Virtual Museum of Canada.
References
External links
- Art museums and galleries in Ontario
- Museums in Ottawa
- Photography museums and galleries in Canada
- 1985 establishments in Ontario
- Art museums and galleries established in 1985
- Defunct museums in Canada
- 2009 disestablishments in Ontario
- Art museums and galleries disestablished in 2009
- Former education in Ontario
- National Gallery of Canada