OTTAWA.- The National Gallery of Canada announced today the second cohort of students who will benefit from an internship in its Conservation and Restoration Department as part of the NGC Conservation Internship Program for Diversity. Carl Magarro, Doris Fuller Ruiz, and John Habib—all of whom are enrolled in the Master of Art Conservation program at Queen’s University, Kingston—will participate in a 12-week internship during which they will be paired with seasoned conservators and accompany them in their daily work. Launched last year in collaboration with the Queen’s University Art Conservation Program and the Canadian Conservation Institute, this initiative was designed by the NGC to increase the representation of professionals from the Indigenous, Black, and other cultural communities across Canada in this field of museology.

Carl Magarro, Doris Fuller Ruiz, and John Habib will spend a week at the NGC starting August 22, 2022, and meet with the conservation team. They will return to the Gallery next summer to hone their skills following their academic year at Queen’s. Carl Magarro will begin his Master’s degree focusing on artifacts in September, while Doris Fuller Ruiz and John Habib will specialize in the conservation and restoration of paintings and works on paper, respectively.

“This year’s selection process for this program was particularly exciting. All three students scored very high in the selection process and have promising careers in conservation ahead of them. We are delighted to welcome them to our team and provide them with a solid head start,” said Stephen Gritt, Director of Conservation and Technical Research at the NGC.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Queen’s MAC students to learn alongside the amazing team of Conservators at the National Gallery of Canada,” said Patricia Smithen, PhD, ACR, Associate Professor, Paintings Conservation, Director of the Art Conservation Program, Queen’s University. “Their mentorship and guidance will provide Doris, John and Carl with ongoing support as they enter the field of Art Conservation, caring for and preserving cultural heritage in Canada and beyond. I am grateful to the Gallery and the generous donor who has made this possible.”

Launched in 2021, this internship is part of the Gallery’s new vision, embodied in its strategic plan Transform Together. One of the objectives of the internship program is to enable aspiring conservators to learn from and network with experienced professionals. The internship is funded entirely by a donation from a generous patron of the Gallery through the NGC Foundation.

In addition, the Canadian Conservation Institute will host the three aspiring conservators and expose them to the science of conservation and broader issues of heritage preservation.