Thank you to our generous and art-minded donors for their wonderful contributions.
Live Auction
Borromini #18, Staircase, Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Italy
by Edward Burtynsky
The live auction will take place at 9 pm (EST) on Saturday, May 31, 2025 on the Main Stage in the Grand Hall.
Artwork donated by Edward Burtynsky.
This work comes from a rare series of never-published photographs that Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky made in 1999, at the suggestion of Harvard architectural historian Joe Connors, to document the works of the Italian Baroque architect Francesco Borromini (1599-1667). His work was known for its sensuous eccentricity and spatial dynamics, which this composition captures vividly. Borromini added just the right degree of irregularity to give the staircase a kind of tensile energy, bringing it to life, while Burtynsky — centuries later — has found the perfect angle to accentuate its distinctive character. This stairway to heaven will give you good dreams!
Silent Auction
Bid on fabulous packages and jewellery in support of the McMichael. Silent auction closes at 10 pm (EST) on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Please check back at the station to see if you are a winner and to process your payment.
The Moonlight Gala Auction supports the McMichael’s mission of presenting world-class exhibitions of Canadian art. Funds raised help us offer public and educational programs built around the pillars of art and culture, nature, and wellness to thousands of students and visitors from our community and around the world.