I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to Hart House (the charming, old-as-the-hills student centre at the University Of Toronto), to check out The Making of a National Collection: Eighty Years of Student Involvement. The exhibit is being mounted at the newly renovated Justina M. Barnicke Gallery. First off, the reno was totally top drawer. Muted ambient light flooded the new hardwood floors and sandy beige walls. Sound baffles kept other people's nattering at a removed hum. And secluded spotlights effectively drew the eye to what really matters -- the art works themselves. And what works of art this gallery possesses!

The Hart House Permanent Collection got its start back in 1922 when it picked up A.Y. Jackson's Georgian Bay November. Its purpose was to amass an impressive national collection. Its mandate? To purchase two Canadian paintings each year. The Art Committee was initially composed of such heavy hitters as Lawren Harris and A.J. Casson. Currently it's comprised of a group of students (engineers and computer nerds please do apply because everyone's welcome), the graduate representative and the Art Gallery Director. The Committee is required to be thoroughly familiar with the Canadian art scene to make an informed purchase.

Judging by the wealth of paintings I saw, Hart House has enjoyed 80 years of smart buys, culminating in a mind-blowing collection of Canuck art. I'd never seen Tom Thomson's The Pointers before. While you can get a sense of the power of Lawren Harris's paintings from prints and magazine photos, there's nothing like the power of seeing Thomson from a completely unmediated perspective. It nearly brought me to my knees.

The other completely unexpected element of the evening was the reception itself. Rather than the band of art snobs one generally sees at these functions, this affair was full of white hairs, long hairs, wild-eyed academics, skateboarders and loads of champagne guzzling students. It was great to see so many kids (yeah to me anyone under 25 is a kid), out mingling with their elders. They all had one thing in common. An interest in art.

Or maybe it was the snacks. While I get no kick from champagne, wave some sushi under my nose and I'm your friend for life. Suffice it to say that I positioned myself by the rear door and got the first scarf off the snack platters as the waitrons (aren't I PC?) whisked out of the kitchen. The only nasty gossip I heard was about Paul Tough. (You know the young dude who used to edit Saturday Night and has now started Open Letters on the net.) Apparently the editorial superstar is a regular Beelzebub to work for. This comes from a very good source.

I'll be back with more party buzz on Monday. I'm attending Laurie McGugan's opening tonight to see how her installation went. I wonder what they'll be serving?