Photos by Richard Lovrich
Not many people can say they go to work in a building that features original work by Picasso, Rembrandt, Degas, Matisse and van Gogh. That is just one of the perks of Jonathan Canning’s position as director of curatorial affairs at The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls.
Canning developed his expertise in European decorative art and medieval, renaissance and baroque art in places like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art and The Jewish Museum.
Taking the curator position at The Hyde in 2015 Canning arrived as Glens Falls arts scene was staring to truly bloom.
What was the last live performance you attended?
All Mozart concert by Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC.
Name one local creative everyone needs to know.
What is a locally produced art, craft, clothing item or delicacy you can’t live without?
Apple cider doughnuts.
What does “Creative Economy” mean to you?
It means recognizing the aggregate power of individuals and small companies that think and create outside the box of a corporate culture that wants to homogenize us all.
What was the last project you oversaw to completion?
Conservation of a 15th-century glazed terracotta sculpture by Andrea della Robbia.
How can we overcome parochialism in the arts?
At The Hyde, by bringing in the best art from across the country or abroad.
What was the most important development for local arts in the last decade?
In Glens Falls, the city being selected for the Capital Region’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which firmly established the Arts District and the future of an Arts Trail.
What arts event/performance should every resident of the Capital Region see this year?
The Hyde gala, September 21.
What local organization/artist/creative etc would be your dream collaborator?
We are fortunate to be working with many of our “dream” collaborators now. The Hyde has developed many very important partnerships, including with SUNY Adirondack, Skidmore, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Glens Falls Symphony — and that’s just to name a few.
What is the biggest change in the arts community you have observed over the course of your career in the Capital Region arts scene?
The buzz of the art scene has extended outside this close-knit and long-established community of artists and musicians. What other city our size in the country has a world-class art museum, a professional symphony orchestra, film and theater festival, two theaters, a historic museum, a children’s museum, several walking and bike trail systems, three local arts organizations, a civic center, and incredible public library? If you want arts and entertainment, come spend your weekend in Glens Falls.
The Hyde Collection annual gala will take place this Saturday at 6 PM.
