Board renews contract with Remai Modern CEOs
For immediate release — October 17, 2024
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA — Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh, current Co-Executive Director & CEOs of Remai Modern, will remain at the helm of the Saskatoon art museum until mid-2030. The pair’s contract was renewed by Remai Modern’s Board of Directors after their initial four years in the role, which included the move to admission by donation and other impactful changes, such as partnering with Hearth restaurant.
Burns and Lundh joined Remai Modern in mid-2020 and successfully stewarded the museum through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their tenure also included delivering on the goals set out by the Board in the museum’s 2021-2025 strategic plan. The plan focuses on making the museum more accessible, reflective of place, well-governed, and committed to truth, reconciliation, and self-determination, while remaining at the forefront of contemporary art practices. These and other strategic changes have contributed to break-even budgets in each of the years Burns and Lundh have led the museum.
“Under Aileen and Johan’s leadership, Remai Modern has seen tremendous growth, both in visitation and self-generated revenue. But even more importantly we’ve seen the museum take meaningful steps to be more inclusive and welcoming, to respond to public feedback, and to find new ways to meet the needs of our growing community,” said Doug Matheson, Chair of Remai Modern’s Board of Directors. “The Board is delighted that they will continue this important work in Saskatoon.”
Along with their team, Burns and Lundh oversaw the move to admission by donation at Remai Modern, which launched in October 2022. Acknowledging that there were real and perceived barriers to visiting the museum, they secured a $10-million commitment from the museum’s lead patron, Mrs. Ellen Remai, to support admission by donation for 20 years.
This change led to Remai Modern’s best visitation year ever in 2023 with 213,000 people — around 48,000 more than the 2019 benchmark year. Overall, visitation increased by 82% over 2022. 2024 is expected to be another record-breaking year.
Under Burns and Lundh’s direction, Remai Modern has balanced world-class ambition with a deep sense of local pride and commitment.
As part of Remai Modern’s strategic plan, the museum’s exhibition program aims to be reflective of the place and the people of Treaty 6 Territory and Saskatoon. The museum consistently and meaningfully showcases the work of artists from, or deeply connected to, the region.
In addition to group exhibitions — including In the Middle of Everywhere, the first of an ongoing series of shows focused on work from the Great Plains — Remai Modern has presented solo exhibitions by local artists including Kaija Sanelma Harris, Thelma Pepper, Adrian Stimson, Dawna Rose and Betsy Rosenwald, since 2020.
The museum’s work with local and regional artists is not limited to exhibitions; it also includes the acquisition of artworks, performances, programs where they can share their insights, and long-term projects like the Sustained Artist Project. In 2023, the museum worked with 126 local artists and 73 Indigenous artists. Remai Modern also employs many local artists as staff in roles where they can share their skills and passion with the community.
Burns and Lundh’s time at Remai Modern has included the museum’s first major collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario through the exhibition Ken Lum: Death and Furniture, later followed by another collaborative exhibition Denyse Thomasos: just beyond. Remai Modern also partnered with the National Gallery of Canada to present Stan Douglas: 2011 ≠ 1848 and later co-acquired the work ISDN from the exhibition.
In 2024, Remai Modern’s impact extended far beyond Saskatoon through numerous touring exhibitions across North America, including Meryl McMaster: bloodline, Denyse Thomasos: just beyond and Laure Prouvost: Oma-je.
Another significant change during Burns and Lundh’s time at Remai Modern was the introduction of Hearth restaurant as the museum’s new food and beverage provider. Remai Modern staff took over all event bookings from the previous catering partner in April 2022. The Saskatoon-based restaurant team then took over catering for the museum in the fall of 2022 and opened their new restaurant at the museum in April 2023.
In 2023, Remai Modern’s events operation saw a 76% increase in self-generated revenue since the 2019 benchmark year and an 85% increase in venue rental revenue. Restaurant patrons between April and December 2023 increased more than 150% over the previous year with the museum’s previous restaurant partner.
The current strategic plan also prioritizes working with Indigenous communities to create a plan for foregrounding Indigenous perspectives and self-determination throughout the organization. Key initiatives include creating a reconciliation action plan with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, deepening relationships with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, filling Indigenous staff positions to support the creation of Indigenous-led programs at the museum, and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Wanuskewin Heritage Park. For more details, see Remai Modern’s 2022 and 2023 annual reports.
“It has been a privilege to lead Remai Modern over the last four years. Through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been inspired by the passion and generosity of this community. The extraordinary support of our lead patron Ellen Remai, plus countless sponsors, donors, members, and visitors, constantly reaffirms our commitment to the mission of the museum and connecting people with the transformative power of art,” said Burns and Lundh. “We feel honoured to be able to continue our work in a city that has become home to us and our family.”
About Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh
Prior to joining Remai Modern, Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh were the Co-Directors and Chief Curators of Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth – Aotearoa New Zealand’s contemporary art museum and the permanent home of artist Len Lye. Burns and Lundh were also Co-Directors of the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane, Australia’s oldest independent contemporary art space, and the Centre for Contemporary Art in Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland, where they were curators for the 2013 Turner Prize.
Over the past decade, Burns and Lundh have curated and co-curated over 50 exhibitions and projects across North America, Europe, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. They have worked on major projects with artists including: Gordon Bennett, Ruth Buchanan, Céline Condorelli, D Harding, Karrabing Film Collective, P Staff, Amalia Pica, Slavs and Tatars, Hito Steyerl, and Haegue Yang.
Burns earned a Master of Arts in Critical and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University, New York City in 2010. Prior to that, she completed her B.A. in Art History and Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto. Lundh holds both a Bachelor and a Masters of Fine Arts from Konstfack –University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden.
About Remai Modern
Remai Modern is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Traditional Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to First Nations and Métis ancestors and reaffirm our relationship with one another.
Remai Modern is a new museum of modern and contemporary art in Saskatoon. The museum presents and collects local and international modern and contemporary art that connects, inspires and challenges diverse audiences through equitable and accessible programs. Open since October 2017, Remai Modern is the largest contemporary art museum in western Canada and houses a collection of more than 8,000 works, including the world’s foremost collection of Picasso linocut prints.
Remai Modern would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Frank & Ellen Remai Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, SaskCulture through the Sask Lotteries Fund, SK Arts and the City of Saskatoon.
For additional information contact:
Stephanie McKay, Communications Manager
smckay@remaimodern.org
306.975.2242