Posted: Jul 6, 2009

On a beautiful June 23, 2009 evening in Toronto, over 65 corporate counsel and their spouses and guests toured parts of the renowned art collections at three of Canada’s major law firms, all the while nibbling on delicious food.

The event began at Borden Ladner Gervais where the collection, an investment by a group of partners, has a clear focus on photography.  “Art” Partner Simon Clements led “The History of Photography in 10 Pictures in 10 Minutes”.  The journey started with Emerson’s 1886 Gathering Water Lilies and Stieglitz’s 1907 The Steerage (a memorable photograph of arrivals at Ellis island), on to Bernice Abbott’s 1935 Vanderbilt Ave and 46th St. NYC, to Anthony Goicolea’s 2007 Sky Lift, with several stops in between.  The amazing Teton Range and Snake River by Ansell Adams in 1942 said goodbye to guests as they left.  It was an enlightening educational experience and a wonderful start to the evening.

The group “crawled” to McCarthy Tétrault where “Art” Partner Brian Pel sent groups off on self-guided tours of 12 very unusual, contemporary art works.  Touring teams were highly motivated to answer a challenging, fun quiz on the works in order to win a prize.  A summer student was stationed at each work to further elucidate the work.  Guests were warned that this was the only time in their career that these law students were permitted to mislead corporate counsel.  Were the miniature garbage bags made of epoxy resin, polyurethane or bronze?  Were the people posed in Hannah’s Burghers of Seoul, a video reconstruction of Rodin's The Burghers of Calais a) automobile factory workers, b) members of a controversial Seoul based labour union, or c) motorcycle couriers?  What was the “infection” in the “Infected Mondrian”?  The delicious and highly artistic edible creations were from the firm’s own chef.

The last stop was Heenan Blaikie, housing part of the vast collection of founding partner, Roy Heenan, focussed on Canadian art after 1940.  Partner and fellow art collector Richard Lewin led a tour through highly diverse works, including a life-size bicycle by Greg Crunoe, Canada’s best known pop artist.  A scrumptious array of original desserts was also on display.  Each guest left with a copy of the book, The Roy Heenan Collection: A Personal Choice.

The guests, no doubt weary from greater than ever pressures resulting from the economic downturn, went home smiling.