HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia has received a major gift of contemporary art, a set of photographs by the influential photographer Annie Leibovitz. The gift is made in honour of Al and the late Faye Mintz by their children.

The Mintz family is honouring their parents by giving this important set to a Canadian museum, ensuring that the work will be seen by Canadians for years to come. "My parents have always loved Annie Leibovitz's photography, how she combines technique with creativity, beauty with controversy, humour with honesty," says Al and Faye Mintz's eldest son, Harley Mintz. "For them, every photograph told a story and, with my mother's passing two years ago, my father is thrilled to be able to share these 'stories' with the people of Nova Scotia."

The collection of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is held in trust for the people of Nova Scotia. "The gallery has been actively building its photography collection for the past ten years," said AGNS Director and CEO, Ray Cronin, "But this gift changes the gallery. It's transformative-this level of philanthropy is truly inspiring." The gift will provide an opportunity for students, researchers, and the public to explore the work.

"The iconic nature of Annie Leibovitz's body of work is astounding and has touched the lives of so many Nova Scotians," said Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter. "Having a home for this work at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is something Nova Scotians will cherish for years to come. The province thanks the Mintz family for this gift to share with Canadians and the rest of the world."

The gift will be known as "Annie Leibovitz: Photographs from Her Books-A Gift of the Al and Faye Mintz Family."

The set consists of the pictures Leibovitz chose to include in books that have been published starting in 1983. "Magazines have been great vehicles to take the photographs, but the books are the heart of my work," Leibovitz said. She edits her books herself and the selection not only represents the evolution of her work over time but is also revealing in terms of her approach to photography. The set includes reportage work made in the early 1970s and landscapes and still lifes made more recently, as well as her well-known portraits of artists and public figures. Leibovitz's work is widely considered to be one of the most significant contributions to contemporary photography.

The images in the set have appeared in ten books: Annie Leibovitz: Photographs (1983); The White Oak Dance Project (1990); Annie Leibovitz: Photographs 1970-1990 (1991); Olympic Portraits (1996); Women (1999), American Music (2003); A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005 (2006); Annie Leibovitz at Work (2008); Pilgrimage (2011); and a limited-edition volume to be published at the end of the year. The set of photographs is Number One in an edition of three sets.

About the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is the largest art museum in Atlantic Canada with a mission to engage people with art. With locations in downtown Halifax and Yarmouth, the Gallery houses the Province's art collection and offers a range of exceptional exhibitions, education and public programming. For information: http://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca

SOURCE: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

For further information:

To request Annie Leibovitz's bio, further information, an interview or imagery from this collection, please contact :

Tara Wickwire
NATIONAL Public Relations
+1-902-332-8029
twickwire@national.ca

Donna Wellard 
Marketing & Communications
ArtGallery of Nova Scotia
+1-902-424-2903
wellardc@gov.ns.ca