Annie Gérin
Chair of the Board of Directors of Esse
Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Concordia University
On behalf of the Esse board of directors, it is my great pleasure to invite you to the 17th edition of our annual fundraising auction, Vendu–Sold. This year, we present a particularly diverse range of works. Our experienced jury selected pieces by established and internationally known artists and also by young artists that you will have an opportunity to discover with us. The works in the auction also cover a multitude of media, including photography, drawing, painting, ceramics, and mixed media. There is something for every taste and every pocketbook. I hope that you will let yourself be tempted, whether you are an experienced collector or simply an art lover.
For a magazine like ours, whose mandate is to document emerging art practices, offer a critical context to deepen comprehension of contemporary art, and give a voice to underrepresented perspectives, support from the community of collectors and patrons is essential. Indeed, the profits from the Vendu–Sold auction contribute directly to our activities: writing and producing a high quality-magazine, broadening the distribution of our publications with a digital platform, and creating public programs about contemporary art, including roundtables, digital residencies, and mentorship of young writers.
Thanks to the generosity of the artists and gallery owners who have shown their support through the works presented at the auction, and thanks to you, we will be able to continue nurturing the intellectual and creative ecosystems that are the lifeblood of the art world. Your combined contributions will enable Esse to offer a space for thoughtful engagement, rigorous criticism, and sustained research. In addition, part of the profits will be distributed to the artists.
Some of you subscribe to Esse and have been reading us for more than forty years. Others have been participating in the auction for seventeen years. You know us well! As for me, I’ve written articles, and I encourage my students to further their knowledge of art by reading the magazine and to contribute their reflections as authors. And I’ve also been sitting on Esse’s board of directors for five years now. I do it because, like you, I believe profoundly in the need for cultural periodicals to add to the vitality of the art field.
So, I thank you warmly for your support! Each bid is a concrete gesture of support for our artists, our magazine, and the future of debates on art and society. Together, let’s cultivate the creativity and critical thinking that are essential to our society.
Biographical note
Annie Gérin holds a doctorate in art history and cultural studies from Leeds University (UK) and is dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Concordia University. Her research is focused on the social and political roles played by public art and on material culture in contemporary and historical contexts.