A new gallery at the University of Lethbridge sees two pieces of art from Spanish creator Joan Miró reunited after 60 years of separation.
The drawings were created in 1955, and were put up for sale in a New York gallery soon thereafter.
Roloff Beny, an artist and internationally-known photographer from Medicine Hat, Alta., contacted his good friend Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess, an Alberta-born art lover, explaining the art pieces would be cheaper if bought together.
Hess agreed, taking her half of the purchase before going their separate ways.
“The drawing, titled Composition, stayed with Beny and came to the University of Lethbridge in 1982 as a gift from Roloff,” says Juliet Graham, the art gallery registrar at the University of Lethbridge.
“The drawing, titled Sun Moon & Man, stayed with Marmie and ended up here because of her bequest.
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“This is the first time they’ve been together again in 60 years.”
When Beny passed away in 1984, it was determined by the advisory committee to his estate that his collection of artwork would be donated to the University of Lethbridge.
And in 2018, when Hess also passed away, her more than 1,000 art pieces valued around $5 million were also donated to the institution.
Now, the two pieces are back together under one roof, and the University of Lethbridge is putting them on show for the world to see in their new exhibit, titled Collected by Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Hess: Roloff Beny.
“This show is all about the friendship of Roloff and Marmie,” says Graham.
“Marmie followed Roloff’s career and kept a scrapbook of his achievements.”
Beny and Hess first met in the early 1940’s at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and remained close friends for the remainder of their lives.
The exhibit is open until Aug, 29, in the Hess Gallery at the University of Lethbridge’s Centre for the Arts.
WATCH: (June 17, 2019) University of Lethbridge students create programming for Galt Museum
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