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Roberta Staley is a Vancouver-based author, magazine editor and documentary filmmaker.
A dentist of note This “entertainment dentist” parlays his love of the arts into supporting new talent
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The same week that Dr. Kenneth Montague was accepted into dental school at the University of Toronto, McGill University in Montréal welcomed him into its music program. But there was no question what he would choose. “Like a good immigrant son,” Montague chose dentistry. Music remained a huge part of his life, however. When he opened Word of Mouth Dentistry in 1992 in Toronto, an eclectic range of reggae and world music filled the rooms, while clinic walls featured original, contemporary artwork. Patients from the acting, visual art, video, film and musical worlds came to his office, in part because—knowing how cash-strapped artists often are—he charged them on a sliding scale based
upon ability to pay. Further cementing his reputation as Toronto’s “entertainment dentist,” Montague dabbled in the film industry, providing dental services, for example, to Australian actor Russell Crowe when he played the character of boxer Jim Braddock in Cinderella Man, filmed in Toronto. As a dentist with “the heart of an artist,” Montague’s creativity and community spirit goes beyond creating a bright, energetic dental office. An unusual cultural upbringing blended Canadian, American and Caribbean sensibilities, thanks to Jamaican immigrant parents who loved the arts, taking their children to museums and galleries in their home city of Windsor, ON, as well as Detroit, Michigan, located just across the river. Music and art vied for Montague’s attention and, five years after opening Word of Mouth, he founded Wedge Curatorial Projects, a non-profit arts organization and gallery showcasing the works of African-Canadian artists. Its name was inspired by its location: the gallery was wedged into Montague’s home, utilizing his 15-metre-long hallway with its fiveDr. Kenneth Montague at home with his art “We live in such a rich country; we should do all that we can do”
metre-high ceilings. It became a creative hub, helping launch emerging artists’ careers and establishing Montague as a globally respected art connoisseur whose collection was in demand for exhibition in North American galleries and museums. Equally importantly, he says, the gallery was a way to begin showcasing AfricanCanadian history and their contributions to Canadian culture. It was also a way to document important historical events such as The Underground Railroad, the secret network that allowed American slaves to escape to freedom into Canada during the 19th century.
Today, as a trustee at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Montague and other curators and art arbiters are “deeply engaged” in discussions about bringing not only African-Canadian but Indigenous and other previously underrepresented art into the mainstream, honouring and acknowledging their contributions to Canadian culture. “As representatives of public art institutions, we’re all trying hard to fill in the blanks and tell the full story,” says Montague. Recently, Montague was part of the AGO team that acquired a unique collection of vintage Caribbean photography, collected by New York’s Patrick Montgomery, for the gallery. The largest known collection of Caribbean historical photographs, it includes more than 3,500 images. “School groups can come through the AGO and see this wonderful archive alongside Picasso and Monet, which is an important thing to feature in an art gallery when you have this huge CaribbeanCanadian population in Toronto,” Montague says. Montague gives a leg-up not only to artists but high school students by providing internship opportunities in professional settings. Perturbed by the lack of African-Canadian students in medical and dental school while he was a student, Montague helped start the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s Summer Mentorship Program. Today, black and Indigenous Grade 11 students who are considering careers in the health sciences
can now spend their summers in professional offices throughout the Greater Toronto Area, thanks to Montague’s initiative that combines academics and practical hands-on experience. “These kids get this incredible, once-ina-lifetime experience,” he says. Montague also created a scholarship a decade ago supporting students from continental Africa who attend his first alma mater, The University of Windsor. His annual donation is matched by the university, covering tuition as well as books and some living expenses. The scholarship isn’t limited to students in the sciences; those in the humanities can apply as well. An independent committee from the university chooses the recipient based upon need and academic performance. “It’s a small finger in the dam,” says Montague. “I’m hoping that other people will jump in and start doing more of this.” Montague has also worked abroad, volunteering twice at an orphanage in rural Mali in West Africa, cleaning teeth, filling cavities, teaching the kids oral healthcare and providing them with free dental care products. “We live in such a rich country; we should do all that we can do.”
Such myriad activities that centre around helping others are in his “DNA,” says Montague. “I had incredible parents who were very generous.” He recalls his father saying, “‘we lift as we rise,’ which is to say that, as you do well, you’ve got to reach back and pull up everyone else. It’s a pretty great lesson.” Dr. Montague was accepted into a music program the same time as dental school…he chose dentistry but music remains a huge part of his life, along with philanthropy
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