Partnership Announcement
After a remarkable 50 years, we are honoured to share that Olga Korper Gallery is officially under new ownership.
Taiga Korper Bentley and Shelli Cassidy-McIntosh are excited to step into their new roles as partners and stewards of the exceptional legacy forged by Olga Korper herself.
Olga’s vision helped shape the landscape of Canadian art we know today. Taiga and Shelli are enormously grateful for the years of care, mentorship, and guidance she offered as they learned by her side. With her blessing, they accept the leadership of her legacy by taking this gallery and all it has meant to its artists and creative community, into the future.
Gallery O first opened in 1973 in a basement on Markham Street, Toronto. A year later, Olga moved to a larger space across the street, in the heart of Mirvish Village. In 1982, together with fellow dealers Lynne Wynick, David Tuck (Wynick/Tuck Gallery), and Fela Grunwald (Grunwald Gallery), Art at 80 took over the fourth floor of 80 Spadina Avenue, becoming a well-known destination for gallerygoers.
In October 1989, Olga shocked the Canadian art scene with her move to the west end, taking on an unknown industrial complex with soaring ceilings and unparalleled character: 17 Morrow Avenue. This move ushered in an unprecedented era of taste-making exhibitions held in, arguably, the most iconic gallery space in the country. The gallery kitchen became the central hub for meetings of the minds, a gathering spot for artists, dealers, and collectors alike. 35 years later, we are just as passionate about contemporary art and continuing to build a legacy of excellence on all fronts.
As Olga’s granddaughter, Taiga was raised amidst artists and gallery walls. Embracing the Korper ethos, she champions the spiritual fulfillment one can only experience in a life immersed in art. Deeply passionate about art literacy, she works to bridge the often intimidating gap between art and viewer by emphasizing a personal connection one can have to conceptual art. Taiga has loaned her voice and expertise to numerous panels, talks, juries, tours, and lectures, cultivating relationships within the art world, maintaining the delicate balance of the arts community, and demystifying the business of art. Central to Taiga’s approach is being in the heart of the artist’s studio, problem-solving, providing support, and offering mentorship to curate extraordinary projects from the ground up.
Shelli has been the director of the gallery since 2002. She is currently vice president of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC) and past president of Oakville Galleries. With over 25 years in the industry, Shelli has become a noteworthy leader in the gallery network. She prioritizes client and artist relations, curatorial programming, and community outreach. She supports industry partners as a regular guest curator, juror, and speaker. But above all else, Shelli is known for her love of people, unparalleled work ethic, and her uncanny talent for remembering names. Olga has often declared she doesn’t know what she did to deserve Shelli, but she’s certainly not going to jinx it by trying to find out.
For the last fourteen years, Taiga and Shelli have worked together to cultivate the energy and environment visitors have come to expect from Olga Korper Gallery. Together they have built a partnership that compliments one another’s strengths and talents. Their focus is on the continued growth of the gallery, staying true to the progressive, forward-thinking, and boundary-breaking legacy set forth by their founder.
Photography credit to Laura Findlay @lfdocumentation.
Featuring Vickie Vainionpää, The Origin of the Milky Way, 2024.