The Great Farewell, 2001
137.2 x 114.3 cm
Inscriptions
signed, inscribed and dated, ‘Danby / © ‘01’ (lower right)Provenance
Estate of the artistExpositions
Guelph, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, University of Guelph, Ken Danby, December 2002.
Toronto, Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Land, Water and Light: Ken Danby Landscapes, October 2 - November 21, 2004.
Brandtford, Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, Ken Danby: Canadian Icon, April 24, 2004 - June 6, 2004.
Guelph, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, University of Guelph, Ken Danby 1940-2007, October-December 2007.
Halifax, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Arena: The Art of Hockey, April 5, 2008 - June 8, 2008; Edmonton; Art Gallery of Alberta, 2008-2009.
Guelph, Guelph Civic Museum, Ken Danby: Five Decades, November 2016 - January 2017.
Documentation
Ken Danby, The Great Farewell: The Creation of Wayne Gretzky's Official Retirement Portrait (Guelph: Mill Studios Corporation, 2001), [reproduced on the cover].
Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Land, Water and Light: Ken Danby Landscapes (Guelph: Mill Studios Corporation, 2004), 65 [reproduced].
Ray Cronin et al., Arena: The Art of Hockey (Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 2008), 53 [reproduced].
In April 1999, after watching Wayne Gretzky’s final game, Ken Danby was deeply moved by the emotional farewell. As a long-time fan and friend, having presented him with his second Hart Trophy in 1984, Danby felt compelled to capture this moment in a painting, a powerful symbol of gratitude and respect. His vision was to depict Gretzky alone on the ice, waving goodbye to his fans.
Danby reached out to Wayne and his agent, both of whom were enthusiastic about the project. Over several months, he studied photographs from the game and met with Wayne for head studies, ultimately selecting the perfect pose. Danby even used a computer program to recreate the night sky over Madison Square Garden, aligning it with the exact moment of Gretzky’s farewell. "The positioning of the planets and stars were so appropriate, it was as if they were predetermined," he writes in his manuscript.[1]
The final piece, painted in acrylic, was unveiled in May 2001, during a special event at Wayne's Toronto restaurant. The painting captured not only the end of an era in hockey but also the profound connection between Wayne and his fans. As Danby reflects, "It was the end of an era for all of us."[2]
In an interview, Gretzky recalled his excitement to be part of the project. He said, "I said, 'This is just too good, we got to do this.' Ken took charge, telling me, 'Leave it in my hands.' He would visit me at my hotel to take photos and gather ideas. When I finally saw the painting, it was an emotional experience, it was fabulous." When asked if he had any input, Gretzky humorously replied, "It would be like him telling me how to play hockey."[3]
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Footnotes:
[1] Ken Danby, “Ken Danby on the Artist’s Life,” in Beyond the Crease: Ken Danby, ed. Ihor Holubizky, Greg McKee, and Andrew Oko (Fredericton: Goose Lane Editions, 2016), 116-117, 119.
[2] Ken Danby, interview by Dan Matheson, An Interview with Artist Ken Danby, Canada AM - CTV Television, May 4, 2001.
[3] Wayne Gretzky, interview by Dan Matheson, New Painting Captures Wayne Gretzky's Final Moments on Ice, Canada AM - CTV Television, May 4, 2001.
