New art museum to open at Simon Fraser University
The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum launches in 2025 at the Burnaby campus
The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum rendering. South facade, view from walkway. Image courtesy The Mirage Studio and SFU Galleries
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY’S Burnaby campus is strengthening its cultural roots with the opening of the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum in 2025.
The 12,000-square-foot space, complete with art studio, courtyard, salon, and forum, will offer free exhibitions and programming for SFU and surrounding communities.
Construction is about to begin. A recent ground-breaking during an Indigenous-led ceremony recognized a sizeable donation from Marianne Gibson and contributions of $1 million or more from the Djavad Mowafaghian Foundation, the Tuey Charitable Foundation, and an anonymous donation in honour of SFU president emeritus Andrew Petter.
Marianne and Edward Gibson. Image courtesy Marianne Gibson
Marianne and her late husband, Dr. Edward Gibson, believed in the power of the arts to spark curiosity and create more inclusive communities. The pair has a deep connection to SFU—Dr. Gibson joined SFU as a charter faculty member in 1965 and was director of SFU Gallery from 1986 to 1997. They are passionate about education and the arts, especially that of British Columbia.
“Seeing Edward’s unique vision for art, learning and community at SFU finally being realized is profoundly meaningful,” Marianne Gibson says in a release. “Art reflects the world, sparks connection and meaning, and of course, community. I’m filled with excitement for this museum to continue to bring British Columbian arts and culture to the faculty, staff and students of SFU, as well as to the community of the Lower Mainland and the province.”
“The Gibson” has also been funded by SFU’s donors, who gave over $23 million to the project. In the SFU Art Collection are more than 5,800 modern and contemporary paintings, photographs, sculptures, works on paper, and large public installations.
The building is designed by architect Siamak Hariri in honour of Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey’s original vision for SFU’s Burnaby campus, “which strove to foster intellectual ingenuity through horizontal, interdisciplinary connectivity”, according to a release.
The design will be casual and relaxed and will replace the current SFU Gallery. It will be have artist-led learning and community engagement programs, such as artist residencies, hands-on sessions for university and K-12 students, and weekend family offerings. A large indoor common area will feature performances, readings, screenings, and other community-focused events.
“What makes Edward and Marianne Gibson’s vision so extraordinary is that it inspires an entirely new kind of visual arts facility,” SFU Galleries director Kimberly Phillips says in a release. “As a result, we are committed to creating a space that will extend the ways we support artists, strengthen the arts ecology of our region, and manifestly reimagine what an art museum can do, and for whom it exists.”
The Gibson is situated adjacent to Burnaby Mountain’s main transit hub and near the new First People’s Gathering House, Trottier Observatory, and the anticipated Burnaby Mountain Gondola.
“The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum will support our academic mission and enrich the experience of SFU students, faculty and staff while also acting as a vibrant community hub that attracts art lovers from far and wide,” SFU president Joy Johnson says in a release. “Our sincere thanks to Marianne Gibson and the Gibson Family Trust for making this new space possible. We are proud to honour Edward Gibson’s legacy and passion for sharing art in an inclusive, accessible way.”
For more information on the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, see https://gibson.sfu.ca.
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