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Philanthropy, Modern Art and the Jewish Diaspora in Kingston and Canada

Sparked by the exhibition In the Present: The Zacks Gift of 1962, this Philosopher’s Café considers art philanthropy and the Jewish diasporic experience in Canada. Guest speakers Sara Angel, founder and executive director of Art Canada Institute, and Gordon Dueck, Assistant Professor in History and Jewish Studies at Queen’s University, will offer short talks, followed by conversation on this theme.

Samuel Zacks was born in 1904 at Kingston, one of the oldest Jewish communities in Ontario. He attended Queen’s University and went on to become, with his wife Ayala, a preeminent patron of modern art in mid-twentieth century Canada. Among a circle of influential Canadian Jews—first- and second-generation immigrants—the Zackses championed visual culture as philanthropists, art dealers and collectors, significantly informing the artistic taste of the country and the direction of art museum collections.