Honour one of the province’s art veterans

In 2022, galaMODERN will celebrate the work of Dorothy Knowles. The Saskatoon-based painter, best known for her stirring landscapes, has been creating work for more than 70 years. Now in her mid 90s, Knowles is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

Guests at galaMODERN will have the opportunity to fete Knowles and recognize her impact on both the local and national art communities.

Influence Remai Modern’s collection by supporting a mid-career artist 

galaMODERN attendees will be the first find out about two new works entering the museum’s collection. The museum will acquire two works by artist Wally Dion, which will be on view at the gala.

Dion is a Canadian artist of Saulteaux ancestry living and working in Upstate New York. He completed a BFA in Studio Art and the University of Saskatchewan in 2004 and received his Master’s in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2013. 

Dine on food from one of Canada’s best restaurants

This year’s galaMODERN will be crafted by Remai Modern’s new restaurant and catering partner Hearth. Known for their thoughtful, ingredient-forward forward Prairie cuisine, co-owners and chefs Beth Rogers and Thayne Robstad along with their team, will delight galaMODERN guests with food that celebrates the incredible flavours of Saskatchewan. In 2022, Hearth was named No. 62 on Canada’s 100 Best restaurant list.

Guest chefs Jenni Lessard and Christie Peters will also offer their culinary touch to the evening.

Guest Chef Jenni Lessard

Chef Jenni Lessard is one of Canada’s leading Indigenous chefs and culinary creators. Raised in Northern Saskatchewan by a little lake, her earliest memories include visiting trap lines, picking berries and finding ways to cook and bake with ingredients from the boreal forest. Since adolescence, Lessard has been sharing her unique blend of cooking and storytelling, creating community all across Turtle Island.

Lessard has changed the culinary ecology of Saskatchewan through her restaurants, catering business, leadership as Executive Chef, and her commitment to training the next generation of Indigenous chefs.

Lessard lives on Treaty Four Territory in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan, where she draws inspiration from the land and headquarters her company Inspired By Nature. She’s Acting Executive Director of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations and Vice President of Metis Local 126.  She has participated in Gold Medal Plates and the Food Network’s Fire Masters, and collaborated with Bon Appetit and the National Arts Centre as a resident chef.

Guest Chef Christie Peters

Christie Peters was born and raised in a Saskatoon, SK. In the whirlwind of an international career, she developed a love for food and restaurants. Trained under leading chefs in Vancouver, San Francisco, Amsterdam and recently Noma in Denmark, Peters’ goal was always to return to her hometown with the knowledge she has learned abroad.

With the motto of “high quality, seasonal, sustainable,” she opened her first restaurant in 2010, followed shortly by Primal Pasta and POP Wine Bar.She is the chef and owner of both. In 2022, Primal ranked No. 54 on 100 Best Restaurants in Canada, and Peters collaborated with the National Arts Centre as a resident chef.

Support the next generation of Saskatchewan artists 

Remai Modern’s School Tours program reaches 25% of Saskatoon’s school-aged children every year and we want to keep growing. galaMODERN attendees directly support this vital program, which is currently unfunded.

Inspire, engage and excited the next generation of artists by giving them and their classrooms access to Remai Modern’s world-class learning programs. The next Dorothy Knowles or Wally Dion is surely among them! 

Experience art and Remai Modern in unexpected ways 

The galaMODERN experience is a full evening, crafted from start to finish to be unlike any other fundraiser you’ve experienced. Start the evening with a champagne reception, then take part in an excursion designed to give you a peek behind the curtain at Remai Modern. During dinner, be charmed by Odario, musician and charismatic host of CBC’s After Dark. Then, after an incredible dinner created by Hearth, join us in Pablo’s Lounge for an afterparty with one of the best views of the city from our Level 3 cantilever. 

Before You Arrive

Have questions about your gala experience? Email Tara Janzen, Director of Development, at tjanzen@remaimodern.org