Repatriated Austrian art allows family to pay it forward in Canada

The Jorisch Family Artist Residency, launched in the presence of Georges Jorisch’s descendants at Concordia on November 21, 2016, will provide support for one graduate student annually to experience life and learning in Salzburg, Austria.

Every year, one selected student will complete an artist residency at the Amalie Redlich Tower of the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg.

“We are grateful to the Jorisch family for creating this unique opportunity at the Museum der Moderne where our Fine Arts students will benefit from what is sure to be a transformative experience,” says Concordia President Alan Shepard.

In memory of his grandmother and to foster increased artist residencies, Georges Jorisch had previously donated money to restore the Amalie Redlich Tower at the Museum der Moderne.

As part of his original agreement, he had requested that a Canadian artist take residency at the museum one month of each year.

Thanks to his family’s $250,000 gift to Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts, Georges Jorisch’s original vision is now a reality. “Concordia made it easy,” says Stéphane Jorisch. “The university has one of the largest and most comprehensive fine arts faculties in Canada — it just made sense to us.”

A legacy of continued learning

Following restitution of Georges Jorisch’s paintings, his main vocation was to ensure his grandchildren and future generations could attend a university of their choice.

"The Concordia community takes great pride in being selected as custodians of the Jorisch Family Artist Residency program,” says Bram Freedman, Concordia's vice-president of Advancement and External Relations. “We are thankful for this residency that will grant students an opportunity to experiment boldly.”

“This generous gift has created an important and lasting bond between our students, the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg and members of the Jorisch family,” says Rebecca Duclos, dean of Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts. “The residency illustrates precisely what Concordia feels most strongly about: working in partnership with others to enrich our students’ lives through immersive experiences both here and abroad.”

Georges Jorisch’s granddaughter, Édith, followed his quest for the restitution of the final Klimt painting in her documentary, L’héritier, which debuts in fall 2016. Her film chronicles her grandfather’s story — from his Second World War childhood to his lifelong hunt for his family’s missing paintings. “My grandfather never gave up. I will always admire his courage and determination,” she says.

• L’héritier airs on Télé-Québec on Monday, November 21, at 9 p.m.