F. H. Taylor, "Neh Mahbin," Comfort Island, 1890, watercolour. Private collection. Credit: www.bernardclarkphoto.com
Exhibitions
Ah, Wilderness! Resort Architecture in the Thousand Islands
Historical Feature and R. Fraser Elliott Galleries
30 May - 29 September 2004
The St. Lawrence River, one of the world's truly majestic waterways, begins its long journey to the Gulf of St Lawrence at Lake Ontario. Along the first 100 kilometres, the river is dotted with granite islands, large and small. The Canada-US border wends through these Thousand Islands, bound on the Canadian shore by Kingston to the west and Brockville to the east.
The Thousand Islands began attracting Canadian and American summer vacationers by the 1850s and continues to do so today. A culture of resort architecture sprang up to cater to their needs, from grand hotels to modest guesthouses. The islands' proximity to several centres of urban wealth meant that members of North America's financial elite built sumptuous private summer residences in the region. The exhibition features these remarkable buildings.
Architectural historian and guest curator Dr Pierre du Prey and his students at Queen's University have selected 20 properties for close examination. They have chosen the exhibits for display and are the authors of the substantial, illustrated catalogue that accompanies the exhibition. The Art Centre was delighted to participate in a project that meshed scholarship, student participation and the involvement of our Thousand Islands community in the exploration of the architectural history of the region. Special thanks go to our student curators and to lenders to the exhibition.
For more information on the architecture and history of the Thousand Islands, please visit this web site, www.queensu.ca/aeac/ahwilderness, specially created by Dr du Prey and his research assistant, Luc Wauters.
Dorothy Farr
Ah, Wilderness! was presented with the special support of "The Wilderness Group": Eric Baker Foundation, Dr Perry Bamji and Mrs Annamaria Bamji, Agnes M. Benidickson, Jim Cumming, The Davies Charitable Foundation, Pierre de la Ruffinière du Prey, Dr. David and Kathleen Edmison, Mary Hewitt, Homestead Land Holdings Limited, Kincore Holdings Limited, Doug and Shanon Rawlinson, Monika Taylor-Schreiber and those members who wish to remain anonymous.