A common thread of the most exciting public art collections in the world is the evolution of artistic expression over the ages. Consider that art surrounds our lives in every form and in every location. The meaning of art is so vast that sometimes we may be unaware of its impact upon us. When we advertently seek it out, such as in exhibitions, it can be inspiring, illuminating and evocative. The Tate Modern in London, the Louvre in Paris, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome, Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Prado Museum in Spain — one can quickly become immersed by the enormity of the European collections and their variation in technique, subject matter and representation of life over hundreds of years. Yet, you don’t have to travel beyond North America to experience this evolution and beauty. Many galleries and museums in North America house valuable paintings, sculptures and artifacts. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Art Institute of Chicago and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection are stellar examples. Each with its own identity, they collectively present a multitude of cultural traditions and interpretation of environment, from nature to urban life. By showcasing the diversity of the human experience, art gives us a chance to view the history of creative expression through the ages. While there are many art museums on our continent worth commending, I am going to focus on the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Ontario, where I am honoured to serve as a Board of Trustee member. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection Located on a forested, 100-acre property along the Humber River in Kleinburg, a short ride from Toronto, The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is devoted to the art of Canada, with a focus on the Group of Seven, their contemporaries, and the Indigenous peoples of Canada. The property includes the main gallery, a sculpture garden, walking trails, and a cemetery where some Group of Seven artists were laid to rest. In the 1950’s, Robert and Signe McMichael began collecting works of art from artists associated with the Group of Seven, a group of Canadian landscape painters who worked primarily from 1920 to 1933. Initially, the McMichael’s exhibited these paintings within their home. In 1965, they reached a formal agreement to donate their collection to the Government of Ontario, which established an art gallery showcasing them. Today, the museum’s collection includes nearly 7,000 works of art from Canadian artists. Ian A. C. Dejardin, art historian, exhibition curator and museum professional, joined the McMichael Canadian Art Collection as its Executive Director in 2017. About the collection, he said these words: “The global interest and fervour for Canadian art is alive and well.” Why Plan to Visit?The grounds have remained open for hiking seven days a week. The McMichael Gallery recently reopened its doors on July 21, with timed entry admission tickets from Thursdays through Sundays and Holiday Mondays. Gallery hours on those days extend from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. Ready to take in an exhibition? There’s an exciting schedule ahead: Early DaysThe Early Days exhibition vividly highlights the diversity and vitality of Canadian Indigenous art. The McMichael proudly holds more than 1,500 Indigenous works, spanning from 18th century items to the present, including revered artists such as Robert Houle, Norval Morrisseau, Faye HeavyShield and Kent Monkman. Early Days is a compilation of key pieces of art, both historical and recent acquisitions, and tells their stories. It includes the artistic contributions of the Inuit people, with a landmark collection from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-op, including original drawings from Cape Dorset (Kinngait) from the 1950s. These are displayed with other Inuit drawings, prints, sculptures and textiles. McMichael Canadian Art Collection Chief Curator Sarah Milroy discussed the Early Days exhibit with Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore in an interview recorded in November of last year. “The real strength of the collection is that it was made by a third indigenous people,” said Milroy. “It’s Canadian history; Canadian stories. An example of what we’re doing with Early Days is combining brand new work with things already in our collections to kind of animate them and have them talk across time.” Denyse Thomasos: OdysseyMs. Thomasos was a Trinidadian-Canadian artist whose impactful paintings use imagery from many sources, including Caribbean textiles, historic slave ships, shipyards, villages, prisons and graveyards. She made a lasting impact in her too short life (1964-2012) by expressing “the structures that confine and define us—whether political, social or architectural”. As the McMichael describes: “The result is a body of work that recalls the history of the African diaspora with boundless energy and force.” This exhibit is available until October 24, 2021. Jon Sasaki: HomageAs the McMichael describes it: “This photographic exhibition is a suite of photographs depicting petri dishes with bloomed bacterial cultures derived from swabs of the palettes and brushes used by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson.” The images are beautiful and colourful, within large-scale works revealing microscopic detail. Check it out until September 26, 2021. Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern MomentThis significant exhibition of Canadian women artists coincides with the centenary celebration of the Group of Seven and will be complemented by the publishing of a companion book with illuminating essays accompanying the images.
It is a robust collection of more than 200 pieces of art created by a generation of pioneering women “who opened new frontiers for women artists in Canada”. It includes the works of Indigenous women and those from immigrant communities during this era. The gifted Chief Curator Sarah Milroy curates this important compilation, paying long delayed homage to these talented women. You will see the paintings of Emily Carr and those by the famed Beaver Hall Group of Montreal painters alongside sculptures and photographs. This must-see exhibition will run from September 10, 2021 to January 16, 2022. Don’t miss it! |
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February 2022
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