The Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season launch drew such a big crowd Thursday that a second visit for a quieter, closer look at the artwork, away from all the social buzz, almost feels inevitable.

Several hundred people came out to celebrate three new shows: Revival: Printmaking in Nunavik (2014-2019); a collection of artworks by Nunavik artist Normee Ekoomiak; and Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, which pays homage to Staubi’s tremendous support for queer artists and Ottawa’s contemporary art scene. The reception included a drum dance by Montreal-based multidisciplinary artist Saali Kuata.

“Culture, in all its forms, cannot be taken for granted,” OAG chief executive and director Alexandra Badzak said at the podium. “When I look around this room tonight, I am reminded of the strength of the arts to galvanize, to connect, and to provide us with a collective sense of hope and a path forward.”

She was joined by the OAG’s board chair, Mark Schaan, deputy secretary to the cabinet for artificial intelligence in Canada’s Privy Council Office. Later on, Schaan announced — to great applause — the creation of the Bill Staubi Acquisition Fund at the OAG, which will support the purchase of works by emerging young artists, ideally from the queer community.

Alexandra Badzak, CEO and director of the Ottawa Art Gallery, welcomed guests to the Alma Duncan Salon for the official launch of its spring season, featuring three new exhibits. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Alexandra Badzak, CEO and director of the Ottawa Art Gallery, with the chair of her board, Mark Schaan, deputy secretary to the cabinet for artificial intelligence in Canada’s Privy Council Office, in the Alma Duncan Salon for the launch of the gallery’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Saali Kuata performed a drum dance at the public reception for the launch of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring exhibitions. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The launch celebrated artistic excellence by showcasing diverse voices in the art world. Ekoomiak used his Inuit artwork, including drawings, paintings and tapestries, to tell stories of growing up in Nunavik, in the most northern part of Quebec.

His life was far from easy, however. As a survivor of residential school and forced relocation, the artist faced chronic homelessness and alcohol addiction. He was near death when Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull, co-founder (along with Wendy Muckle) of Ottawa Inner City Health, found him on the streets and brought him to The Ottawa Mission in 2001. Ekoomiak became one of the first patients of The Mission’s 21-bed hospice, offering palliative care to people experiencing homelessness. Ekoomiak was nursed back to health and went on to live eight more years at The Mission, where he found a stable environment and access to nutritious meals. He died in 2009.

“It’s a sad story but also one that’s very hopeful’,” said Aileen Leo, director of communications for The Ottawa Mission. “He was also able to recover most of his health and he was able to return to his work as an artist.”

The nonprofit organization partnered with the OAG in the Normee Ekoomiak exhibition as part of its commitment to reconciliation.

Ottawa-Gatineau has the highest Inuit population outside of Nunavut and other northern regions — a population that experiences disproportionately high rates of homelessness, Leo reminded the room.

The Ottawa Mission became a place of community for Ekoomiak. That 150 people attended his memorial service at The Mission chapel “was a testament to the love and respect that Normee inspired within our shelter and beyond,” said Leo. “While Normee did incur trauma in his life, it should not be reduced to only that. Normee’s artworks are a stunning testimony to the vibrancy of Inuit culture and the passion he brought to telling the stories.”

One of Ekoomiak’s paintings featured in the exhibit was, until recently, hanging in the office of Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley. “I’m so proud of it,” said Tilley. “I hope it comes back but, if it doesn’t, I’ll accept that it went to the right cause.”

A team from The Ottawa Mission, including, from left, Aileen Leo, Peter Tilley, Christina Hunter Cadieux, Sylvie Corbin, Nelly Martinez and Myles Dingwall, attended the community reception for the opening of the Normee Ekoomiak exhibit located on the third floor of the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Artist Normee Ekoomiak’s sisters, Norah and Mina, who are originally from the remote community of Fort George (now called Chisasibi) in Northern Quebec, attended the reception for the opening of a new exhibit in honour of their late brother at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Order of Canada recipients Wendy Muckle and Dr. Jeffrey Turnbull, who co-founded Ottawa Inner City Health, joined by Turnbull’s 10-year-old son Charlie, at the community reception for the opening of the Normee Ekoomiak exhibit located on the third floor of the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa Art Gallery chief curator Rebecca Basciano, left, and Inuk artist, writer and curator Taqralik Partridge, who was the guest curator on the Normee Ekoomiak exhibit, at the gallery’s spring season launch, held Thursday, April 17, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The crowd enjoyed a fascinating Q&A featuring OAG donor Bill Staubi and moderated by Mark Schaan. The conversation included Grotto exhibit co-curators Sam Loewen and Caro Stewart.

The audience learned that Staubi began collecting art as a young grad student, scraping together enough money, even taking out a small bank loan to acquire his first pieces. Over the years, his collection grew to 1,200-plus works that filled his downtown two-bedroom apartment.

“I just fell in love with the ability to make an impact on my community,” said the retired public servant. He spoke about his commitment to supporting emerging artists and encouraging them to pursue what he believes to be the most challenging profession. “There’s the validation they receive in that moment when you say, ‘This means something to me. I’m willing to attach a value to this. I want to live with this piece of work’.”

It became “imperative” to Staubi that he find a good home for his works, particularly after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer.

Grotto exhibit co-curators Caro Stewart, Sam Loewen, Bill Staubi and Mark Schaan in conversation during the launch of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The room grew quiet when he spoke of his support for queer artists, his eyes growing misty as he expressed his appreciation. He was late in coming out as gay. “It was incumbent on me to support that part of the artistic community, in part because I waited so long to come out, and I felt a sense of commitment and obligation to the queer community. So many of its members struggled to make the world safe for me, and I owe that community something.”

Staubi cautioned the public against pigeonholing queer artists, urging people to see beyond labels to “see the diversity, the complexity, to realize that queer people have something to say about a lot of things other than just being queer.”

Their art, he continued, “all tells a story about how we live, about how we think, what we value, who we are, who we want to be and who we aspire to be.”

Staubi’s apartment walls, once completely covered in artwork, have been patched up and painted. He continues to champion local artists by renting pieces through programs like OAG Art Rentals.

In a show of affection for his support, the crowd cheered “We love you, Bill!” followed by a round of applause.

Among the other OAG board members seen at the launch were Alik Angaladian (Maple Leaf Strategies), Annabelle Cloutier (National Arts Centre), technology entrepreneur Mike Manson and Susan Smith (Bluesky Strategy Group).

CEO and director Alexandra Badzak welcomes hundreds of attendees to the Alma Duncan Salon at the Ottawa Art Gallery for the launch of the OAG’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Artist James Fowler, Canada Council Art Bank head Amy Jenkins and Ottawa city councillor Ariel Troster (Somerset Ward) at the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season launch, including Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, which includes Fowler’s embroidery on cotton pieces. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Attendees at the opening of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, which includes Eve’s Rib — a life-size cast-bronze crow perched on top of a free-standing reclaimed oak bedpost, by artist Anna Williams. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Wallack Galleries president Michael Wallack, Ottawa Art Gallery board member Alik Angaladian, principal at Maple Leaf Strategies, Mat Genest and Carolynn Lacasse at the opening of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bill Staubi, second from left, poses with friends for a photo during the opening of Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ottawa Art Gallery board members Annabelle Cloutier, executive director of strategy and communications, and corporate secretary at the National Arts Centre, and Susan Smith, principal and co-founder at Bluesky Strategy Group, at the OAG for its spring season launch. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This work by contemporary textile artist Carl Stewart is part of a new exhibit, called Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, that opened at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Until recently, Peter Tilley, CEO of The Ottawa Mission, had this painting by artist Normee Ekoomiak hanging in his office. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bill Staubi participated in a group conversation during the launch of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season, which includes a new exhibit that showcases a selection of artworks donated by Staubi to the OAG in 2024. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa Art Gallery CEO and director Alexandra Badzak with long-time donor Glenn McInnes and consultant Victoria Steele at the launch of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa-based photographer Ming Wu poses next to his piece, Gender What?, featured in a new exhibit, Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, that opened last week at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Amanda Jackson, events and community outreach for MPP Lucille Collard, Ottawa School of Arts student Brooke Mierins and Pam Murray at the opening of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa Art Gallery chief curator Rebecca Basciano at the opening of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s spring season. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Véronique Couillard, officer of media/public and francophone relations for the Ottawa Art Gallery, SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre graduate Leah Mowers and SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre creative director and artist Jonathan Hobin at the launch of the spring season at the OAG. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, multidisciplinary artist Claudia Gutierrez and Ottawa Art Gallery board member Alik Angaladian, Maple Leaf Strategies principa, at the OAG’s spring season launch, held in the Alma Duncan Salon. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The Ottawa Art Gallery launched its spring season, including a new exhibit, Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection, on the fourth floor of the Ottawa Art Gallery on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel and RBC.

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