We wish to honour the officially designated status of Don Bonham’s sculpture Miss 50 as Canadian Cultural Property, to keep it in Canada as a vital part of the country's visual arts history and heritage, specifically in London, Ontario, where it has a clear and important connection to the community and can be enjoyed in the context of the artist's major contribution to London art and art education. To this end, we are petitioning the McIntosh Gallery to retract its wrongful deaccession of Miss 50 and accept it back into its permanent collection where it rightly belongs.
Attached is a comprehensive letter to the acting director of the McIntosh Gallery and the President and Board of the University of Western Ontario. It provides background information about Miss 50 and a rationale for why the McIntosh Gallery should take responsibility and resume ownership of this important sculpture.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
September 11, 2022
August 31, 2022
I have been staring at emails all morning and honestly the silence from the university is getting really loud but I am still typing up follow ups anyway. It feels strange thinking about Miss 50 sitting somewhere else when this sculpture is just so tied to the soul of London and our history. Please keep looking at the comments people have left because some of those memories of Don Bonham are just beautiful and worth remembering.
Reached 100 supporters
August 11, 2022
108 Comments
The whole body of art works...fine art, music literature is meant for discovery, contemplation and conceptional ideas. If a gallery de-accessions art like Miss 50 from a noted artist, it sounds like a form of censorship.
This sculpture has much relevance to London Ontario, both in terms of the Artist and the subject of the work. It should stay in London and the McIntosh should honor its bold but important purchase.
Don's Bonham's "Miss 50" is an important historic sculpture reflecting the incredible art that was coming out of London and should be kept in the collection for future inspiration and enjoyment.
The utter nonsense in proposing the deaccession of this outstanding and unique work of art by the McIntosh Gallery is mind-boggling! The very least that can be done is to pursue the possibility of Miss 50 finding a more welcoming home at the London Museum or another equally worthy Canadian institution.
As a student in the first Fine Art class at Western, Don Bonham's indelible presence, teaching and artwork generated such creative work, enthusiasm and ambition for everyone with whom he came in contact, an influence that was sustained throughout his career.
Miss 50 must remain Canadian Cultural property! It is a part of the nation's fabric, and part of London's forever.
Needs to be displayed!! True art!!
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We wish to honour the officially designated status of Don Bonham’s sculpture Miss 50 as Canadian Cultural Property, to keep it in Canada as a vital part of the country's visual arts history and heritage, specifically in London, Ontario, where it has a clear and important connection to the community and can be enjoyed in the context of the artist's major contribution to London art and art education. To this end, we are petitioning the McIntosh Gallery to retract its wrongful deaccession of Miss 50 and accept it back into its permanent collection where it rightly belongs.
Attached is a comprehensive letter to the acting director of the McIntosh Gallery and the President and Board of the University of Western Ontario. It provides background information about Miss 50 and a rationale for why the McIntosh Gallery should take responsibility and resume ownership of this important sculpture.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
September 11, 2022
August 31, 2022
I have been staring at emails all morning and honestly the silence from the university is getting really loud but I am still typing up follow ups anyway. It feels strange thinking about Miss 50 sitting somewhere else when this sculpture is just so tied to the soul of London and our history. Please keep looking at the comments people have left because some of those memories of Don Bonham are just beautiful and worth remembering.
Reached 100 supporters
August 11, 2022
108 Comments
Mr. Bonham was my major professor at Florida State University in 1978-79. He could be a sexist at times, but his artwork was a commentary on women as objects in the culture. Strangely, a message he personally understood! His piece needs to be contextualized and kept in Canada.
The whole body of art works...fine art, music literature is meant for discovery, contemplation and conceptional ideas. If a gallery de-accessions art like Miss 50 from a noted artist, it sounds like a form of censorship.
This sculpture has much relevance to London Ontario, both in terms of the Artist and the subject of the work. It should stay in London and the McIntosh should honor its bold but important purchase.
Don's Bonham's "Miss 50" is an important historic sculpture reflecting the incredible art that was coming out of London and should be kept in the collection for future inspiration and enjoyment.
The utter nonsense in proposing the deaccession of this outstanding and unique work of art by the McIntosh Gallery is mind-boggling! The very least that can be done is to pursue the possibility of Miss 50 finding a more welcoming home at the London Museum or another equally worthy Canadian institution.
As a student in the first Fine Art class at Western, Don Bonham's indelible presence, teaching and artwork generated such creative work, enthusiasm and ambition for everyone with whom he came in contact, an influence that was sustained throughout his career.
Miss 50 must remain Canadian Cultural property! It is a part of the nation's fabric, and part of London's forever.
Needs to be displayed!! True art!!
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Mr. Bonham was my major professor at Florida State University in 1978-79. He could be a sexist at times, but his artwork was a commentary on women as objects in the culture. Strangely, a message he personally understood! His piece needs to be contextualized and kept in Canada.