THE FUTURE OF THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 

By Bernard Bujold- 

NATHALIE BONDIL, the former director of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has filed a $2 million lawsuit against the institution. Nathalie Bondil is seeking $1 million in moral damages and another $1 million in punitive damages. 

https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/arts-visuels/586246/bondil-poursuit-le-c-a-du-mbam-pour-2-millions 

At the Museum level, Pierre Bourgie has been identified to replace Michel de La Chenelière as the next President of the Museum and to recruit Nathalie Bondil's replacement. However, his nomination must await the annual meeting of September 29. 

https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/arts-visuels/2020-09-18/c-a-du-musee-des-beaux-arts-de-montreal/pierre-bourgie-designe-pour-succeder-a-michel-de-la-cheneliere.php 

It is worth mentioning that Quebec's Minister of Culture, Nathalie Roy, received the report of the independent expert who had been commissioned to shed light on the crisis shaking the Museum (MBAM) and Nathalie Bondil. The Ministry did not want to confirm whether the report will be made public before the annual general meeting of members to be held on September 29. https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/586089/mbam-quebec-etudie-l-audit-externe 

In addition, the analysis by a law professor (Université Laval) offers an interesting look at the situation of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the dismissal of Nathalie Bondil. http://www.contact.ulaval.ca/article_blogue/gouvernance-du-mbam-5-lecons-a-retenir/

THE FUTURE OF THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

THE FUTURE OF THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 

By Bernard Bujold

There is a fundamental question about the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Who owns the institution?

In legal terms, it is a "semi-private" museum.

The definition is important because let's take the case of La Presse or Cirque du Soleil. Two Montreal institutions that are privately owned. No one could stop the owners from doing what they wanted with it.

In the case of the MBAM, who can decide its situation and its future?

Suppose, theoretically, that the Board of Directors and its president decide to sell all the permanent collections to an outside organization and decide that the Museum should instead become a large temporary exhibition hall without a collection of its own, like Place des Arts, which does not owns any shows?

In reality, Nathalie Bondil's dismissal is a bit like the transformation of La Presse into a non-profit organization or the sale of the Cirque to financiers. Indeed, Nathalie's departure could also mean a definitive change in the institution's vocation, just as it did at La Presse and Cirque.

In the end, nothing is ever impossible and the question is: "Who can decide the life and death of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts?"

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