The Private Fortune of the National Bank 1859: Collective Solidarity in the Service of Contemporary Art

Written by Alan Tetley
Special cooperation

In these pandemic times, art and culture play a major role in collective well-being. An interview with Eric Bogold, founding president of the National Gestion 1859 bank and a contemporary art enthusiast.

For Eric Bogold, philanthropy is an integral part of corporate and individual social responsibility. “Since the beginning of the epidemic, I have felt a great brotherhood among the population, and it has been my heart to see people hold together and show kindness, each in his own way. Outbursts of generosity, although often overlooked, are expressions of solidarity that deserve to be highlighted, because charitable work In times of crisis, it is necessary for collective well-being. “
Art as an essential service“Art plays an important role in balance and well-being for many people, as Eric Bogold asserts at first. Connecting to art provides us with a moment of escape that we especially appreciate these days. It leads us to question ourselves, reflect, and leave our comfort zone, and it helps us develop as a community. It is more important than ever to support contemporary art and local artists, and mainly for these reasons, I personally participate in the Fondation du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.

Focusing heavily on the quality of human relations in all areas of its activity, Private Management 1859 supports the reasons the company believes it can contribute significantly to it, whether in money, time, or expertise. “We are committed to providing real added value to the organizations in which we participate,” continues Eric Bogold.

As the largest museum exclusively devoted to contemporary art in Canada, our drive is to give hope to the visual arts community.

Art support from here
In 2020 and 2021, the MAC Foundation, through the program I support art from here, Set itself a goal of doubling the museum’s acquisition budget in order to support established artists and activists in Quebec. “We have redirected part of our financial contribution to allow the acquisition and addition of the museum’s permanent collection of two works by emerging artists from Quebec, Thea Yabout and Nico Williams, whose entry into MAC will be significant,” explains Eric Bogold.

In addition, over the years, the National Bank itself has built a private collection of about 7,000 original works by Quebec and Canadian artists which are displayed in the offices of all its divisions, particularly those of the 1859 Special Department.
Personal participationEric Bogold is proud of the support his foundation provides to the world of art, and has made him a point of honor to lead by example, even if his training in actuarial science did not prepare him in advance. “At first, I didn’t understand anything about contemporary art, but it piqued my interest. Because I love complex things, like mathematics or philosophy, I wanted to learn … It was through wonderful encounters and discussions with artists, collectors, galleries and hobbyists that this passion was born. ., Strong in feelings, which indwells me for many years. It also encourages people who have the time, knowledge and resources to engage in causes that affect or fascinate them. Not only to support their community, but also to grow as human beings.

The mission of the Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation is to support the museum in its various fields of activity, which are to enrich its collection, produce exhibitions, and promotional and educational programs. The Foundation thus contributes to the influence of the collection of the first major institution entirely devoted to contemporary art in Canada: the Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal.

Private wealth of the National Bank 1859 It is a subsidiary of the National Bank of Canada that has supported individuals, families and businessmen in Canada in all aspects of their wealth management for more than 10 years. Our team consists of around 300 employees and we manage more than $ 26 billion in assets under management.

This content was produced by Le Devoir’s special publications team in cooperation with the advertiser. The editorial team at Le Devoir did not play any role in producing this content.