As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, the Musée d’art de Joliette (MAJ) presents an exhibition that highlights the milestones that have shaped the history of its collection. By revealing the hidden facets of the acquisition process, the MAJ hopes to shed light on a practice that is integral to all museum institutions, yet largely mysterious to the general public. This exhibition unveils the decisive orientations and contexts that have driven the collection’s development, while offering a critical look at its evolution. Through a wide selection of works, each with their own unique histories—founding bequests, major donations, purchases, targeted acquisitions—Building a Collection. The Stories Behind the History invites the public to consider what determines whether an artwork is acquired by a museum: why are some works collected and others not? What kind of factors influence the collecting process?
As the MAJ enters a new phase in its history, this exhibition is a reflective look at the past, a reckoning of the present, and an invitation to contemplate the future of our institution as an agent of history and community. What does collecting mean today? If building a collection comes down to telling stories, what legacy do we hope to transmit?
Curators: Collections and Exhibitions Department
Partner
This exhibition is presented by Ville de Joliette.
