We mark the passing of Ann Harithas, the Founder and Executive Director of Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art.
When Ann first told me about this space at 1201 North Moody in Victoria, she did so in true Ann style. In the middle of a conversation about an exhibition she wanted to curate, she mentioned, “Oh, you know that car dealership at Five Points? I bought that and I think we should make it into a museum.” Over the next couple of years, plans were written, re-written, walls were installed, and suddenly a space was ready to exhibit art. When I asked her about logistics, such as how much she wanted to charge visitors, Ann looked at me and said, “I want it to be free. Always. I want to give this to people in Victoria.”
In 2016, we opened with an exhibit by Noah Edmundson along with Art Cars and Lowriders from the Victoria Art Car Parade. Since then, through 17 exhibitions by sculptors, painters, photographers, and Art Car artists, over 15,000 Victorians, and visitors from around the world have stopped in to share Ann’s vision. Through her direction, the Museum has worked with educational institutions and local government to bring art and creativity directly to the people of Victoria with no strings attached.
Personally, I have had multiple roles helping Ann over the past 30 years; art assistant; photographer; publishing manager; project manager. Despite any title though, she always treated me as my mentor, guidepost, collaborator, and friend. My title ended up being Chief Curator for Five Points Museum. But the title that meant the most was Ann’s friend, and I miss her immensely.
As her Chief Curator, it has been an honor to participate in her mission to foster creativity, to find points of connection between communities, and to bring her love of art to Victoria as her legacy.
As we reflect upon the life of Ann Harithas, we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the museum in the new year to view Mel Chin: Points of View, and to witness, in-person, the culmination of Ann’s curatorial vision.
Thank you, Ann.
Maurice Roberts