Newsletters
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April 12, 2024
Pop Goes Art in Canada Past and Present
Join us on this journey into Canadian modern and contemporary art through the lens of Pop.
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April 5, 2024
Close-Up: Edward Burtynsky’s Iconic Nickel Tailings #34
Edward Burtynsky’s most expansive retrospective exhibition is now on. To mark the moment, we’re taking an in-depth look at his masterpiece Nickel Tailings #34, Sudbury, Ontario, 1996.
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March 29, 2024
Art Postcard with Wishes for a Great Long Weekend
In 1920, the Paisley, Ontario-born David Milne (1882–1953) created this mesmerizing and thriving spring landscape.
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March 22, 2024
On View: Kenojuak Ashevak, Grandmother of Inuit Art
The touring exhibition Kenojuak Ashevak: Life and Legacy is now on view at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton. We spoke to its Curator of Indigenous Art, Emma Hassencahl-Perley.
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March 15, 2024
Spring Into Canadian Art: 12 Must-See Exhibitions
This season promises a new growth of can’t-miss Canadian exhibitions showcasing contemporary stars and historical favourites.
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March 8, 2024
Rebel, Genius, Pioneer: Photographer Margaret Watkins. ACI’s New Book Releases Today.
On this International Women’s Day, join us in celebrating the release of Margaret Watkins: Life & Work by Mary O’Connor, the only open-access publication on the pioneering Hamilton, Ontario-born photographer. With her radically experimental compositions, Watkins transformed the worlds of art, lens-based compositions, and advertising.
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March 1, 2024
The Close-Up: Ray Cronin On Maud Lewis’s Roadster and Cow
In celebration of the legendary Nova Scotia folk artist’s birthday on March 7, Ray Cronin, author of ACI’s Maud Lewis: Life & Work, guest edits our spotlight on Roadster and Cow, c.1960s.
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February 23, 2024
A Question of Authenticity: The Fake Sketches Attributed to the Group of Seven’s J.E.H. MacDonald
Today, we dive into one of the most discussed stories in Canadian art in decades: ten fake oil sketches that are now the focus of the Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition J.E.H. MacDonald? A Tangled Garden. To learn about the genesis of the exhibition, we talked to VAG Executive Director and CEO Anthony Kiendl.
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February 16, 2024
The Pratt Family: A Canadian Art Dynasty
To mark Family Day next Monday, we’re looking at the famous Canadian art couple Mary and Christopher Pratt, the tremendously successful careers they each forged, and the legacies they passed on to their children, artists Barbara Pratt and Ned Pratt.
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February 9, 2024
Surrealism in Canada: Mysteries of the Unconscious
In February 1955, Alfred Pellan became the first Canadian to have a solo show at the Musée national d’art moderne, where he exhibited a series of Surrealist works. To commemorate this moment, we’re highlighting Canadian artists whose surreal works have unlocked imaginations and subconscious minds.
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February 2, 2024
Spotlight: Denyse Thomasos Her Epic Painting and Vision
To mark the beginning of Black History Month, we’re looking at the work, words, and extraordinary career of the late Trinidadian Canadian artist Denyse Thomasos (1964–2012).
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January 26, 2024
The Close-Up: Dempsey Bob on the Northwest Coast Masterpiece Wolf Headdress
After nearly two years on the road, Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob is entering its final month at its final stop: the Kelowna Art Gallery. In honour of this major retrospective, we are spotlighting Bob and his Northwest Coast masterpiece Wolf Headdress, 1988–89.
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January 19, 2024
Bertram Brooker: The Radical Pioneer of Canadian Abstraction
Ninety-seven years ago this month, Bertram Brooker became the first artist to hold a solo exhibition of abstract painting in Canada.
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January 12, 2024
Agnes Martin & Glenn Gould: A Cross-Disciplinary Connection
A little-known fact from art and history is the intersection of two internationally renowned Canadians: pianist Glenn Gould and artist Agnes Martin. Sixty-eight years ago this month, in January 1956, Gould released his landmark recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations. In celebration of this cultural touchstone, we take a closer look at his work and its significance within Martin’s 1976 film, Gabriel.
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January 5, 2024
A New Year in Canadian Art: 10 Must-see 2024 Exhibitions
Early 2024 is brimming with can’t-miss exhibitions showcasing the best of Canadian art.
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December 29, 2023
Gone but Not Forgotten: Canadian Art Lives Lived
Celebrated figures in Canadian art are remembered by their colleagues, peers, and friends.
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December 22, 2023
Stories to Celebrate: Highlights of 2023
A selection of stories that inspired us.
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December 15, 2023
Moments of Peace: 4 Artist Reflections
Thought-provoking and hopeful perspectives on peace, community, and our interconnected world.
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December 8, 2023
Takao Tanabe: Canada’s Legendary Landscape Artist
Despite limited exposure to the arts in his youth, Takao Tanabe is revered for his ability to distill landscapes into evocative images that blur the lines between representation and abstraction. Today, the Art Canada Institute celebrates the publication of Takao Tanabe: Life & Work by Ian Thom, which delves into the artist’s prolific career as a painter, printmaker, educator, and creative visionary.
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December 1, 2023
Taking the Prize: 2023 Canadian Art Award Winners
Who in Canada won this year’s most prestigious art prizes? Here’s a look at the talents defining and shaping this country’s art with their groundbreaking work.
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November 24, 2023
In the Know: November - 8 Stories on Art in Canada
Our monthly roundup of the top headlines and most talked about stories from the Canadian art world.
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November 17, 2023
Françoise Sullivan at 100: Pioneer of Art & Dance
Still producing work in her eleventh decade, acclaimed Quebec sculptor, painter, photographer, and modern dancer Françoise Sullivan celebrated her one hundredth birthday this past June. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is honouring her singular career with a new exhibition of recent paintings as well as major works from its collection.
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November 10, 2023
Art and Remembrance: The Canvas of War
Two years ago, the Art Canada Institute published the groundbreaking and comprehensive War Art in Canada by Dr. Laura Brandon, CM. In honour of Remembrance Day tomorrow, we asked her to guest-edit this week’s newsletter.
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November 3, 2023
Celebrating British Columbia’s First Internationally Acclaimed Woman Artist: The Groundbreaking Sophie Pemberton
Today, the Art Canada Institute celebrates the publication of Sophie Pemberton: Life & Work by Kathryn Bridge, which explores the Victoria, B.C.-born artist’s trailblazing international career. The significance of Pemberton’s role in Canadian art has only recently begun to be reassessed, despite the acclaim she received during her lifetime for her realist portraits and modern, Impressionist-influenced canvases.
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October 27, 2023
In the Know: October - 10 Stories on Art in Canada
Our monthly roundup of news from across the country.
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October 20, 2023
Jean Paul Riopelle & the Artists He Inspired
To mark the centennial of the birth of the Montreal-born artist, a new retrospective at the National Gallery of Canada revisits his epic oeuvre and its influence on generations of contemporary artists.
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October 13, 2023
Creativity in the Maritime City: ACI’s Newest Publication Halifax Art and Artists
Today the Art Canada Institute proudly launches Halifax Art and Artists: An Illustrated History by Ray Cronin. A deep dive into art in one of Canada’s oldest settlements, the book explores how residents and visitors past and present have transformed the port city into a centre of artistic innovation.
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October 6, 2023
The Close-Up: Fringe by Rebecca Belmore
October is Women’s History Month in Canada. To mark the occasion, we’re spotlighting renowned contemporary artist Rebecca Belmore and her powerful work Fringe, 2007, which honours the resilience of Indigenous women past and present.
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September 29, 2023
In the Know: 10 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
As we head into autumn, we’re bringing you the most talked about stories from across the country.
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September 22, 2023
10 Photography Pioneers From Our New Publication Photography in Canada, 1839–1989
Today the Art Canada Institute proudly publishes Photography in Canada, 1839–1989: An Illustrated History by Sarah Bassnett and Sarah Parsons. This publication—the first comprehensive book to be published on the history of the art form in Canada—tells the story of camera-based creativity from its introduction to the country in 1839.
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September 15, 2023
Six New Open-Access Books on Art In Canada: Titles Coming Soon
This year we proudly mark our tenth anniversary. Here’s a preview of the six new releases slated for the months ahead.
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September 8, 2023
The Close-Up: Robert Houle & His Iconic Work Kanata
September 13 is the anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, fought 264 years ago between France and Britain. In his iconic 1992 work, Kanata, Saulteaux artist Robert Houle revisits not only this pivotal moment in Canadian history, but also one of North America’s most famed paintings—from a First Nations perspective.
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September 1, 2023
An Artful Autumn: 11 Must-See Exhibitions
Usher in fall with exciting new shows featuring famed artists and outstanding young talents.
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August 25, 2023
In the Know: 11 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
Our monthly roundup of the latest developments in the Canadian art world.
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August 18, 2023
The Close-Up: On Jeff Wall & His "Picture for Women"
Tomorrow is World Photography Day, and to mark the occasion, we’re exploring Jeff Wall’s pioneering 1979 work, "Picture for Women."
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August 11, 2023
New Abstract Art in Canada: 10 Contemporary Painters
Sixty-eight years ago this month, in August 1955, the legendary Emma Lake Artists’ Workshops were first held in northern Saskatchewan, where avant-garde figures spearheaded the development of modernist abstraction in Canada. To honour this moment in history, we’re looking at ten painters who are following their legacy.
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August 4, 2023
A Close Look at a Canadian Masterpiece: The Iconic Alex Colville Painting To Prince Edward Island, 1965
Few images of summer are as spellbinding as Alex Colville’s 1965 painting To Prince Edward Island. Here’s our in-depth look at a Canadian classic.
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July 28, 2023
In the Know: 9 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
As July wraps up, we're bringing you the major headlines and most talked about stories from the Canadian art world.
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July 21, 2023
Canadian Showstoppers: Summer Exhibitions to See
A roundup of some of the most compelling Canadian art on offer this summer.
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July 14, 2023
For Muharram, the First Month of the Islamic New Year: 9 Commentaries on Artists to Watch
Based on the lunar Hijri calendar, Muharram is a holy month (second only to Ramadan in significance). In its honour, we asked Jamelie Hassan, artist, curator, and recipient of a Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2001, to introduce us to groundbreaking talents of Muslim heritage.
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July 7, 2023
Kanesatake Resistance: Seven Artists Weigh In
To mark the 33rd anniversary of the standoff that garnered headlines around the world, we take a close look at Indigenous art made in response to the Kanesatake Resistance, the resulting military response, and the complicated nature of reconciliation.
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June 30, 2023
In the Know: 10 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
Our monthly roundup of news from across the country.
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June 23, 2023
Boldly Rewriting Histories: Meet the Art Canada Institute 2023 Research Fellow Recipients
Three years ago, ACI set out to create a fellowship for groundbreaking scholars who are working to redefine the country’s art history. Today, we announce this year’s cohort.
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June 16, 2023
Family Matters: Creative Fathers and Children in Canadian Art
In honour of Father’s Day this Sunday, we’re spotlighting artist dads whose creativity and talent inspired their children to follow their lead.
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June 9, 2023
Announcing the Winners of the 2023 Great Canadian Art Inspiration Student Challenge
We asked secondary school students to create works based on the examples of Canadian art and its history for this competition, the only one of its kind in the country. Here’s what they came up with.
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June 2, 2023
Queer Creativity: 7 Trailblazers in Art in Canada
In celebration of Pride Month, we’re showcasing audacious, campy, and romantic works by famed 2SLGBTQI+ figures in Canadian art.
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May 26, 2023
In the Know: 10 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
Our monthly roundup of news from across the country.
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May 19, 2023
Camera Ready: Canadian Photography at Contact
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is the world’s largest annual celebration of its kind. Here’s a look at exhibitions that have caught our eye.
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May 12, 2023
My Mother, My Muse: Shelley Niro’s the Rebel
In honour of Mother’s Day on May 14, we’re taking a long look at one of the most iconic images in Canadian art.
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May 5, 2023
Six Asian Canadian Artists: Visionaries on Our Radar
May is Asian Heritage Month. To celebrate, we’re looking at some of today’s most innovative emerging and early-career Asian Canadian artists [en anglais seulement].
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April 28, 2023
In the Know: 9 Notable Stories on Art in Canada
Our inaugural monthly roundup of notable art news from across the country.
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April 21, 2023
Anatomy of a Crime: The Norval Morrisseau Art Forgeries
Investigators are calling it “the biggest art fraud in world history.” The primary victim is the “grandfather” of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada, Norval Morrisseau.
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April 14, 2023
The Enfant Terrible of Quebec Art: ACI’s Newest Publication on Modern Maverick Alfred Pellan
With the publication of Alfred Pellan: Life & Work by Maria Rosa Lehmann, ACI celebrates the landmark Quebec artist known for his controversial views, vibrant colours, and belief in the infinite possibilities of creative expression.
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April 7, 2023
Spring’s Awakening: A Closer Look at New Growth
In recognition of spring’s new growth, this long weekend we invite you to look closely at this intriguing botanical photograph.
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March 31, 2023
Six Double Takes: Realist Painters in Action
These Canadian artists and their true-to-life paintings make us question our perception of veracity.
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March 24, 2023
Making Waves: 9 Artists on the Politics of Water
Over the last week, leaders from around the globe have attended the UN 2023 Water Conference to focus on how the resource is a dealmaker for both sustainable development goals and our planet’s health. Here’s a look at how Canadian artists have examined our relationship to the earth’s most precious resource.
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March 17, 2023
Her Art, Her Ancestry, Her Words: Meryl McMaster Shares Her Story
The Ottawa-based artist walks us through her recently opened exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, which explores her Indigenous and European ancestry.
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March 10, 2023
Canadian Art at the Oscars: How Larry Towell’s photographs influenced Sarah Polley’s Women Talking
This Sunday, March 12, marks the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, and “Women Talking” (2022), written and directed by Canada’s Sarah Polley, is nominated for two Oscars. As Polley has explained, the work of renowned Canadian photographer Larry Towell was a key influence on her acclaimed film. Here’s a closer look.
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March 3, 2023
Know Her Name: Canadian Women Artists on the International Stage
In honour of International Women’s Day, we’re looking at women whose art transcends borders.
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February 24, 2023
Rising Up: 7 Black Artists to Watch
In celebration of Black History Month, we talked to those in the know about rising talents whose careers you want to watch.
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February 22, 2023
The Big Chill: Snow in Canadian Art
For centuries, artists have depicted snow in all its forms as an indelible part of the Canadian winter landscape.
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February 10, 2023
The Look of Love: 12 Canadian Works
To mark Valentine’s Day, we’re featuring a dozen pieces that celebrate lovers, mothers, a Hollywood icon, and the staying power of an old flame.
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February 3, 2023
Canadian Black Art Matters: About the Past and Present for a Better Tomorrow
February is Black History Month. These works honour the contributions, stories, and traditions of Black Canadians and their communities.
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January 27, 2023
Loss, Survival, and Healing: Remembering the Holocaust
On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we are sharing Canadian works that honour the resilience and stories of survivors and reflect on lessons from the past.
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January 20, 2023
Pivotal & Pioneering Modernists: Montreal’s Beaver Hall
This month marks the anniversary of the Beaver Hall Group's first annual show in January 1921.
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January 13, 2023
Remembering Michael Snow: His Iconic, Irreverent, and Epic Talent
"My paintings are done by a filmmaker, my sculpture by a musician, my films by a painter, my music by a filmmaker, my paintings by a sculptor, my sculpture by a filmmaker, my films by a musician, my music by a sculptor… who sometimes all work together.” ~Michael Snow, 1967
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January 6, 2023
Exhibitions for a New Year: 12 Great Winter Shows
Head into 2023 with this roundup of some of our favourite Canadian exhibitions.
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December 23, 2022
From the ACI Team to You: Our Art Favourites of 2022
For our last newsletter of the year, here’s a showcase of unforgettable Canadian works spotted by the ACI team in the past twelve months.
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December 16, 2022
Gone But Remembered Always: Canadian Art Lives Lived
This year saw the passing of many talents in the Canadian art world. They were individuals who changed this country’s cultural landscape and dared us to see things differently. We honour their memories with recollections from their loved ones, peers, and colleagues.
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December 9, 2022
Making Their Mark on Canadian Art: 2022 Prize Winners
Our country’s most prestigious art awards honour figures at the forefront of visual culture. Here’s a look at who, over the last year, was honoured for their groundbreaking work.
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December 2, 2022
Being Legendary by Kent Monkman, Published by ACI
The Art Canada Institute is delighted to announce the release of the book Being Legendary at Royal Ontario Museum: Confronting Colonialism, Rethinking History, created in partnership with the artist.
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November 25, 2022
Calgary’s Trailblazing Modernist: ACI’s Newest Publication on the Art of Marion Nicoll
Marion Nicoll challenged gender norms and conservative attitudes in Calgary to usher in a modernist era with her innovative abstract paintings. Today the Art Canada Institute celebrates the publication of “Marion Nicoll: Life & Work” by Catharine Mastin, which explores the artist's extraordinary legacy.
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November 18, 2022
Within these Walls: Quebec City Artists
On the birthday of the iconic Quebec City painter Jean Paul Lemieux (1904-1990), we are highlighting the artists who have gained acclaim within and beyond his beloved city.
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November 11, 2022
Portraits of Valour To Honour and Respect
For Remembrance Day, we reflect on Canadian works that explore the contributions, sacrifices, and resilience of those who have served our country in pursuit of peace and justice.
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November 4, 2022
Looking at Jin-me Yoon: ACI's Newest Publication by Author Ming Tiampo
Today the Art Canada Institute proudly releases a book about Jin-me Yoon, the first critical biography to explore her singular oeuvre and highlight the artist’s life and career.
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October 21, 2022
Stealing the Show: Art Crime in Canada
Last week’s publication of “The Great Canadian Art Fraud Case: The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson Forgeries” by Jon S. Dellandrea had us take a look at this case and some of the most notorious art crimes in Canadian history.
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October 14, 2022
Picturing Place: Latin American Artists in Canada
In 2018, the Parliament of Canada proclaimed October as Latin American Heritage Month. To celebrate, we're highlighting works by artists from the region that explore questions of place and identity.
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October 7, 2022
New Season, New Narratives: 14 Essential Autumn Exhibitions
As we settle into fall, museums across the country exhibit a stellar set of shows that challenge conventional histories and art-making.
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September 30, 2022
Elegies of Survival: 10 Indigenous Artists Remember Residential Schools
The work of many of this country’s most celebrated artists documents one of its darkest moments in history. On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, take a moment to look at it.
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September 23, 2022
Blowing the Horn for Canadian Jewish Art
On Sunday, Jews around the world will listen to sounds of the shofar—a ram’s-horn trumpet created in ancient times—to mark the start of Hebraic year 5783 and fall’s High Holidays. In celebration, we’re ringing out a roster of artworks exploring the cultural vibrancy of Judaism in Canada.
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September 16, 2022
Open Books on Canadian Art: ACI's 2022–2023 Season
Since 2013, when the Art Canada Institute was founded, we have published a dozen open-access art books each year, released from fall through spring. Here’s a preview of what’s coming up in the months ahead.
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September 9, 2022
12 Art Arguments, Controversies & Disputes
The last century of Canadian art has seen many altercations. With the recent outcry over Ken Lum’s “The Buffalo and the Buffalo Fur Trader,” a new type of dispute comes to the fore.
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September 2, 2022
The Way We Work: 10 Canadian Looks at Labour
Heading into Monday’s holiday, we’re showcasing artists who celebrate, challenge, and, in some cases, hope to change the way we think about work.
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August 26, 2022
“Together We Broke Down Barriers”: Norval Morrisseau & the Rise of the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated
In the early 1970s a group of seven artists known as the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated (PNIAI) broke new ground in the representation, proliferation, and dissemination of First Nations art practices in Canada.
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August 19, 2022
Alex Colville's Radical Realism
Next week marks the birthday of Canada’s famed Maritime painter. To celebrate the occasion, we’re turning to ACI’s publication “Alex Colville: Life & Work,” where author Ray Cronin explores the artist’s enigmatic scenes that consider relationships between nature and machines, humans and animals, and order and chaos.
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August 12, 2022
Young at Art: 12 Early Creators
Today is International Youth Day—commemorated every year on August 12. To mark it, we’re looking at accomplished works that established and emerging Canadian artists produced in the early days of their careers.
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August 5, 2022
Rebels with a Cause: On “Refus global” Turning 74
Seventy-four years ago, on August 9, 1948, the avant-garde artists known as the Automatistes sent shock waves through society with the release of the anti-religious manifesto “Refus global.” Today the document is revered not only as the most important cultural publication in Quebec’s history, but for propelling the province into the modern era.
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July 29, 2022
A Taste for Travel: 11 Canadian Works
Inspired by the promise of adventure this long weekend, we're showcasing artists who capture the pleasures of travel and the destinations that enchanted them.
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July 22, 2022
Ottawa Art & Artists: A Capital for Creativity
The ACI proudly publishes “Ottawa Art & Artists: An Illustrated History“ by Jim Burant, which explores the work of talented creators from the pre-contact era to the present who have made a lasting impact on the rich culture of the city.
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July 15, 2022
The Shape of Water: 11 Canadian Works
With its offer of clarity, purity, refreshment, and mystery, summer has long brought water’s transfixing qualities and sublime beauty into the focus of artists.
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July 8, 2022
Natural Attraction: 10 Nunavut Landscapes
July 9 is Nunavut Day, which commemorates Parliament’s approval of the Nunavut Act, making the region a Canadian territory. To celebrate, we’re highlighting Inuit creators and artists from the South whose work is profoundly inspired by the majestic beauty of this northern landscape.
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July 1, 2022
Canada & Questions: 13 Essential Works
On Canada Day, we’re looking at eye-opening art that makes us rethink conventional narratives of our nation’s identity and history.
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June 24, 2022
Boldly Rewriting Histories: Meet the ACI 2022 Inaugural Research Fellows
Two years ago, we set out to create Canada’s only initiative to redefine this country’s art history through a fellowship for ground-breaking scholars. Today we announce this year’s recipients.
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June 17, 2022
Family Guy: Portraits of Fatherhood
Diverse perspectives on what it means to be a father and to forge an irreplaceable bond with one’s children.
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June 10, 2022
Canadian Showstoppers: Summer Exhibitions To See
Take a break from the heat at museums across the country and visit these not-to-be-missed shows of Canadian art.
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June 3, 2022
General Idea: Queering Canadian Art
Emerging out of 1960s counterculture, the pioneering Toronto-based artist trio known as General Idea became famed for their provocative critiques of celebrity, media, and consumption as well as for their taboo-breaking works about the AIDS crisis. A new retrospective at the National Gallery of Canada highlights the group’s immense impact within our country and internationally.
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May 27, 2022
Gathie Falk & Her Appetite for Art
For more than six decades, artist Gathie Falk has crafted surreal and dreamlike works that recast everyday items like fruit, shoes, and sofas as objects of wonder. Today the Art Canada Institute celebrates the publication of “Gathie Falk: Life & Work” by Michelle Jacques, which explores the incredible diversity of a pivotal practice grounded in what the artist calls the “veneration of the ordinary.”
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May 20, 2022
Northern Exposure: Canadian Photography at CONTACT
The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is currently on through the month of May. We’re sharing some of our favourite highlights from the world’s largest event dedicated to the medium.
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May 13, 2022
Lasting Legacies: 12 Influential Asian Canadian Artists
This Asian Heritage Month, we’re celebrating the achievements of figures past and present who have made their mark on Canadian art.
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May 6, 2022
Memorable Mothers: Canadian Works We Love
Eleven artists from across the country honour mothers and the strength, joy, care, and wisdom they bring to our lives.
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April 29, 2022
Arnaud Maggs: The Big Picture
Arnaud Maggs was a successful graphic designer and magazine photographer before he became renowned for his images of faces and objects presented in grids. Today the Art Canada Institute proudly publishes “Arnaud Maggs: Life & Work” by Anne Cibola, which explores how the artist chronicled people and paraphernalia with layers of meaning.
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April 22, 2022
On Arts International Stage—Stan Douglas: 2011 ≠ 1848 at the Venice Biennale
This week the 59th Venice Biennale opened—also known as the Olympics of the art world. Canada is represented by Vancouver’s multidisciplinary, internationally revered talent Stan Douglas, whose art questions historic reactions to political and economic inequality and the interconnected potency of global calls for change.
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April 8, 2022
Making Art History: The Subversive and Sensual Provocations of Kent Monkman
The Art Canada Institute is proud to announce the release of “Kent Monkman: Life & Work” by Shirley Madill, the first comprehensive book on the internationally celebrated talent whose bold interventions into Western art history have transformed contemporary visual culture and made him the only Canadian artist to be commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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April 1, 2022
The Art of Illusion: Twelve Canadian Works
Playing with perception, these mesmerizing pieces challenge our understandings of the familiar, demonstrate the technical skills of their creators, and stimulate new ways of seeing our world.
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March 25, 2022
Radical Beauty: Impressionism in Canada
Impressionism is one of the most famous and beloved styles of art. Yet until now our country's contribution to this international art movement has been little known. A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada will change this.
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March 18, 2022
Who are You? The Art of Shary Boyle
Last month, Shary Boyle’s bold exhibition “Outside the Palace of Me” opened at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum. The Art Canada Institute published the book that accompanies the show, featuring unforgettable works that offer a commentary on identity in the early twenty-first century and reflections on how, through a reconsideration of our actions, we may achieve a more just, joyous, and tolerant future.
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March 11, 2022
Breaking the Bias: Ten Women Artists Shattering Stereotypes
Combating gender inequality and discrimination in its many forms, these artists have created thought-provoking works that expose destructive societal biases while shedding light on disregarded experiences and histories.
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March 4, 2022
“Totally Devastated by What Is Happening Now in Ukraine”
Russia’s unprovoked assault on Ukraine now enters its second week. More than one million refugees have fled its borders as civilian casualties intensify. In this country—which has the world’s third largest Ukrainian population—the powerful work of Ukrainian Canadian artists urges us to stand in solidarity with those calling for our help.
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February 18, 2022
Our Families, Our Art: 12 Canadian Works
How families in Canada look and are defined has evolved and expanded over the centuries. These artists reflect on what family means to them and the importance of preserving and passing on traditions, stories, and values through the generations.
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February 11, 2022
The Art of Affection: 12 Canadian Works
Gripped by feelings of desire and devotion, these artists depict love in all its beauty, power, and complexity.
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February 4, 2022
Beauty, Joy, and Belonging: Photography of the African Diaspora
Toronto’s Dr. Kenneth Montague has established one of the world’s most revered art collections dedicated to African diasporic culture and contemporary Black life. Now a new book about this insightful, innovative, and internationally celebrated body of work explores how photographers picture Black identity.
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January 28, 2022
Lives Lost and Remembered: Reflecting on the Holocaust
To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, we are featuring Canadian works that honour the victims of the Holocaust and reflect on its enduring legacy.
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January 14, 2022
Get Outside: 10 Artful Reasons
So long as gathering indoors remains unsafe, we are taking a cue from some of Canada’s most revered creators who reveal that heading outside is the way to go [en anglais seulement].
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January 7, 2022
The Ordinary Extraordinary: 10 Canadian Sights
Canadian artists have long been stimulated by the quotidian beauty of their homes, neighbourhoods, and cities. Now we’re taking inspiration from them.
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December 17, 2021
Jewels of Winter From Us to You: 14 Seasonal Favourites
For our last newsletter of 2021, the ACI team is sharing Canadian works that highlight what we love most about the holiday season.
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December 10, 2021
Taking the Prize: 2021 Art Award Winners
Who won this year’s most prestigious art prizes honouring the outstanding achievements of leading Canadian creators? Here’s a round-up of the voices who are shaping the future of contemporary art.
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December 3, 2021
Faces of Our Time: Photographs of Yousuf Karsh
Yousuf Karsh is one of the greatest portrait photographers of the twentieth century. A new exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts explores how the unrivalled talent and distinctive style of this famed Canadian artist made him sought after by the most influential figures of his era.
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November 26, 2021
Season’s Readings: Six Great Holiday Gifts
For the art lovers in your life, the Art Canada Institute has you covered with this selection of our beautifully illustrated and insightful books guaranteed to both provoke and delight.
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November 19, 2021
Riopelle's Magnetic North: A Contemporary Take on an Historic Great
Jean Paul Riopelle is Canada’s most internationally renowned twentieth-century painter. Yet until now little discussion about his work has addressed how the Montreal artist was inspired by Indigenous art and the northern landscape. A travelling exhibition uncovers new insights and raises timely questions about these aspects of the famed creator’s output.
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November 11, 2021
Lest We Forget: Art of Remembrance
On this Remembrance Day, the Art Canada Institute proudly publishes "War Art in Canada: A Critical History" by Laura Brandon. As well, tonight we are hosting an ACI Art Talk to launch the book and explore how war artists have shaped our nation’s history and honoured those who bravely and selflessly served their country.
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November 5, 2021
Best in Show: Must-See Exhibitions of the Season
Immerse yourself in the best of Canadian and international art through these stellar exhibitions currently on view across the country.
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October 29, 2021
Supernatural Sightings: Eleven Canadian Works
To mark Halloween this Sunday, we’re looking at artists who have a gift for making the familiar seem very strange.
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October 22, 2021
Looking at the Overlooked: Announcing ACI's New Canadian History Fellowships
The history of Canadian art exhibited in museums, taught in schools, and written in books has been dominated by white male artists. Through the annual funding of five transformative scholarships—each valued at $30,000—that spotlight artists who have long been marginalized, ACI’s Redefining Canadian Art History Fellowships will change how we understand this country’s cultural narrative.
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October 15, 2021
Karen Tam: Celebrating the Resilience of Chinese Canadians
Responding to the recent rise in anti-Asian violence and discrimination, the Montreal artist explores the challenges and resilience of Chinese Canadians since the nineteenth century in ACI’s new online exhibition.
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October 8, 2021
Fall of the Wild: Ten Canadian Scenes
Autumn is in the air. Inspired by its distinctive hues and intense energy, these artists offer vivid depictions of nature in transition.
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October 1, 2021
Introducing Canada’s Uninvited Modern Women Artists
The Group of Seven’s all-male membership left their exceptionally talented female contemporaries underrecognized. A groundbreaking new exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection advances a powerful new narrative.
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September 24, 2021
Mad for Maud: Why We Love Lewis
In the ACI's new book, Ray Cronin tells the story of Maud Lewis (1901–1970), a prolific painter whose brightly coloured depictions of the landscapes, animals, and flowers of Nova Scotia redefined folk art and whose indomitable spirit continues to captivate.
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September 17, 2021
The Politics of Art: Canadian Creators on Matters of the State
As Canada heads to the polls on September 20th, we look at artists across the country who have explored pivotal political moments.
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September 10, 2021
The Day that Changed the World: Canadian Artists Remember 9/11
September 11, 2021, marks the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks—unprecedented events that left the world reeling. These artists reflect on the wide-ranging impacts of this day on America, our country, and humanity as a whole.
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September 3, 2021
Our Future Artists: Winners of the Canadian Art Inspiration Contest
Last spring the Art Canada Institute asked students across Canada to offer a fresh interpretation of some of this country’s greatest works of art. Today we are proud to share the results of our inaugural creative challenge.
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August 27, 2021
Six New Books for Canadian Art Lovers
The Art Canada Institute is proud to announce the next season of the Canadian Online Art Book Project—coming soon in 2021 & 2022.
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August 20, 2021
Photography Pioneers: Twelve Canadian Artists
In honour of this week’s World Photography Day, we’re looking at some of this country’s innovators who have helped define the medium since its mid-nineteenth-century creation.
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August 13, 2021
Rembrandt van Rijn: Canada’s Contemporary Lens On the Dutch Old Master
The National Gallery of Canada’s new exhibition on Rembrandt is the first major show of the revered painter’s work to go on display in this country since 1969—and the first to connect the Dutch Republic of Rembrandt’s time and seventeenth-century Turtle Island.
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August 6, 2021
Inspired by Tom Thomson: 12 Canadian Artists Respond
This week, on August 5, 1877, in Claremont, Ontario, one of the country’s most famed artists was born. Both loved and contested, arguably no other painter has had as indelible an impact on the country’s cultural landscape as he did. To mark the anniversary of Thomson’s birth, we’re looking at contemporary works that address his extraordinary achievement.
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July 30, 2021
Sights of Summer: Twelve Canadian Works
As the country reopens, the season feels especially ripe. These works of art from across Canada celebrate the brightest time of the year.
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July 23, 2021
The Art of Athletics: Ten Canadian Works
Sports have long served as a rich source of creative inspiration. On the opening day of the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, we’re highlighting art that explores the world of athletics.
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July 16, 2021
True Patriot Love: Remembering Joyce Wieland’s Landmark Canadian Exhibition
On the anniversary of one of the National Gallery of Canada’s most famed exhibitions, we’re looking at its creator, Joyce Wieland, her provocative and singular vision, and why her work continues to resonate today.
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July 9, 2021
Bright Northern Lights: Ten Artists of Nunavut
This Nunavut Day, we’re showcasing works by some of the most prominent modern and contemporary Inuit artists from the northernmost territory in Canada.
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July 2, 2021
Robert Houle: Art for Mourning and a Call for Change
Saulteaux artist and curator Robert Houle has played a crucial role in initiating discussions about political and cultural issues surrounding First Nations peoples. At a time of mourning and urgent need for change, his art has particular poignance, encouraging a renewed vision of the world.
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June 25, 2021
Mastery of Metal: The Sculpture of Robert Murray
Some of Canada’s best-known public sculptures are by the revered abstract artist Robert Murray. In ACI’s new online exhibition we are showcasing his large-scale steel and aluminum constructions and their transformative effect.
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June 18, 2021
Faces of Fatherhood: Ten Canadian Works
These artists’ intimate reflections explore heartfelt and often-overlooked aspects of men’s lives—and those who love them.
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June 11, 2021
Calculated Beauty: The Art and Science of Kazuo Nakamura
Today the Art Canada Institute proudly publishes Kazuo Nakamura: Life & Work by John G. Hatch, which tells the story of how the Japanese Canadian Nakamura persevered through internment during the Second World War to become an internationally renowned painter and a creator of compositions inspired by nature, science, and mathematics.
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June 4, 2021
Portraits of Pride: Works by Ten Canadian Artists
June marks the celebration of Pride Month. Saluting many of the greatest figures in Canadian art who are part of the LGBTQ2S+ community, we’re showcasing works of early pioneering artists alongside those by important creators working today.
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May 28, 2021
Frontier Camera Man: The Remarkable Story of Chinese Canadian C.D. Hoy
As we celebrate Asian Heritage Month, today the Art Canada Institute presents an online exhibition on a groundbreaking photographer whose work documents a multicultural community at the turn of the century.
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May 21, 2021
Artful Excursions: 12 Visual Getaways
While we wait to journey outside of our cities, we’re looking at twelve artists whose works transport us to captivating locales in Canada and abroad.
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May 14, 2021
Magnetic Vision: The Group of Seven and Emily Carr at 101
Passionate that unique Canadian art could spring from encounters with nature, the Group of Seven initiated the country’s first major national art movement with landscape-inspired paintings and an enduring legacy—celebrated this spring in three exhibitions.
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May 7, 2021
Mother and Muse: Eleven Canadian Works
Reflecting on the theme of motherhood, artists from across the country capture the joys, struggles, and wide-ranging experiences of being a mother.
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April 30, 2021
The Art of Money: Colville’s Centennial Coins
Fifty-four years ago Expo 67 opened in Montreal—and the coins created by revered Canadian painter Alex Colville were a part of the world fair festivities. On the anniversary of the event ACI is launching a new online exhibition about the famed currency that marked the country’s 100-year celebration of Confederation.
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April 23, 2021
Our Earth, Our Art: Eleven Canadian Works
In recognition of this week’s Earth Day, we’re looking at artists who highlight not only the planet’s beauty but also its role as the very foundation of life and culture.
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April 16, 2021
Qaumajuq’s Bright Northern Light: Forging the Future of Inuit Art
Dr. Stephen Borys, director and CEO of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, on the making of the world’s largest museum of Inuit art.
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April 9, 2021
Master of the Monument: The Genius of Walter S. Allward
The Battle of Vimy Ridge not only defined a key military moment for Canada, it marked a turning point in the nation’s art history.
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April 2, 2021
Wishing You a Safe and Happy Long Weekend
Over the break, explore our collection of newsletters, featuring curated selections of groundbreaking historical and contemporary Canadian art.
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March 26, 2021
Sensations of Spring: Twelve Canadian Works
Captivated by the optimistic spirit of the new season, these pieces explore nature’s magnificent reawakening and the continuity of cultural traditions.
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March 19, 2021
Courting Controversy: 10 Canadian Art Provocations
Disrupting public expectations of art, these polarizing works sparked passionate debates among critics and everyday citizens across the country.
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March 12, 2021
William Notman: Then and Now
Canada’s first internationally famed photographer, Montreal-based William Notman was a pioneer of Canadian image making whose iconic works continue to inspire artists today.
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March 5, 2021
Choose to Challenge: Twelve Visionary Women Artists
Forging their own paths in a male-dominated art world, these distinguished women have transformed Canadian art through their unique vision, talent, and leadership.
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February 26, 2021
Role Play: The Many Faces of Suzy Lake
Decades before “the selfie” sparked a cultural revolution, Suzy Lake altered the course of art history by making herself the subject of her photographs. Today the Art Canada Institute proudly publishes “Suzy Lake: Life & Work” by Erin Silver, which explores how throughout Lake’s celebrated career she used her camera to push the boundaries of photography and inspire a new generation of artists.
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February 19, 2021
Living in Colour: Canadian Chroma
Beat the winter blues with these bright works. Here are twelve artists drawn to sumptuous hues and the splendour of colour.
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February 12, 2021
The Look of Love: The Art of Affection
How do Canadian artists depict devotion and adoration? Here’s a showcase of ten works.
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February 5, 2021
Artist and Abolitionist: Edward Mitchell Bannister
ACI’s new online exhibition explores the life and work of this Canadian-born Black painter, who achieved international recognition while fighting against slavery and racial segregation.
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January 29, 2021
Commemorating, Remembering, and Bearing Witness
International Holocaust Day through the works of Canada’s artists
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January 22, 2021
Art, Activism, Politics: A Canadian Commentary
Works by those who have waded into the sociopolitical discourse, using their creativity as a force for change.
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January 15, 2021
Brave New Worlds: Shuvinai Ashoona’s Art
Shuvinai Ashoona has forged a fantastical, elaborate style of drawing by fusing Inuit tradition and Western popular culture with her extraordinary imagination. ACI’s new online exhibition explores how her astonishing images of surreal settings and otherworldly creatures have made this Nunavut-based artist an internationally celebrated name.
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January 8, 2021
Fresh Starts: Eleven Canadian Artistic Reinventions
Galvanized by inspiration and creative transformation, these visual artists steered their practice in dramatically different directions.
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December 18, 2020
Eight Great Holiday Works: Some Favourites from Us to You
For our last newsletter of 2020, the ACI team presents some of our favourite winter scenes that celebrate the season.
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December 11, 2020
Catalyst for Change: Iljuwas Bill Reid
Few twentieth-century artists have been catalysts for the reclamation of a culture. In the ACI’s new art book Iljuwas Bill Reid: Life & Work, the celebrated curator and scholar Gerald McMaster makes it clear that the iconic Northwest Coast creator was one of them [en anglais seulement].
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December 4, 2020
On the Money: Pitseolak Ashoona
Ten reasons why the great Kinngait artist deserves to be on our next five-dollar bill.
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November 27, 2020
Michael Snow: This and That
A new exhibition reveals the path that led the artist to his internationally renowned Walking Woman series—and far beyond.
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November 20, 2020
American Beauty: Canadian Artists in the USA
As American Thanksgiving approaches, and as we watch historic events unfold south of the border, this week we are looking at ten Canadian artists who have made an indelible mark on American art with work that transcends geographical borders.
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November 13, 2020
William Brymner: Putting Canada on the Map
ACI's new book reveals the story of how one artist managed to inspire generations of students to embrace innovation.
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November 13, 2020
Honour and Sacrifice: The Art of Remembrance
Explore artists’ images of war with works that pay homage to our country’s armed forces and all those who served.
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October 30, 2020
Terrible Beauties: Haunting Canadian Art
Subtly eerie and downright terrifying, in this week’s showcase of works, artists bring the fearsome and the fantastical to life.
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October 23, 2020
Kent Monkman Matters
Why mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People) is more resonant than ever
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October 21, 2020
Join Us In Celebrating Canadian Art & Artists at Art Toronto 2020
Canada’s largest and most celebrated art fair goes digital and cross-country for the first time in 21 years. We are honoured to be hosting two talks.
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October 16, 2020
Art For Social Change
Striving for equality and social justice, these artists have dedicated their work to forging meaningful change.
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October 9, 2020
Falling into Canadian Fall
Harvesting, migration, colours, and celebration: enjoy the season through these 12 works.
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October 2, 2020
Creativity in the Time of COVID
Commenting on fear, comfort, healing, and change, artists are marking history with these works.
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September 25, 2020
New Books on Five Trailblazing Artists
Five additions to ACI’s Canadian Online Art Book Project spotlight some of the country’s foremost visionaries.
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September 18, 2020
On William Kurelek: Painter and Prophet
While popularizing Prairie life, he expounded humanity’s limitations.
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September 11, 2020
Famous Canadian Art Educators and Their Students
A look at who taught who.
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September 4, 2020
Make It Work: 13 Canadian Artists on Labour
Art that brings the meaning of industry, employment, toil, and effort into focus.
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August 28, 2020
Helen McNicoll’s Radical Light
An insightful commentary on the famed Canadian Impressionist.
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August 21, 2020
Summer Highlights Part II
Back by popular demand: 10 more Canadian works celebrating the season.
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August 14, 2020
Saskatchewan’s Famed Emma Lake Artists
Summer Workshops that Changed Canada.
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August 7, 2020
Robert Houle: Rebel and Iconoclast
A look at Houle’s transformative role in First Nations art.
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July 31, 2020
Canadian Summer Scenes Part I
Iconic depictions of the best of the season.
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July 24, 2020
Go West: Celebrating the Work of Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald
Why He Was Much More Than the Group of Seven’s Only Prairies-Based ember.
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July 17, 2020
Get Outside: Canadian Public Art Encounters
Some of our favourite public art installations from across the country.
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July 10, 2020
Re-Joyce! Wieland!
Joyce Wieland: Remembering Canada's first living woman artist to have a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada.
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July 3, 2020
Looking at Me: 10 Canadian Self-Portraits
Studies of the self that offer insight into this country and its creators.
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June 26, 2020
Annie Pootoogook’s Northern Revolution
ACI’s newly released Annie Pootoogook: Life & Work reveals how one artist transformed the world’s understanding of Inuit art.
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June 20, 2020
Our Fathers, Our Art: Great Canadian Works
Ten artworks we love that celebrate all aspects of the paternal.
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June 12, 2020
Seeing the Future with General Idea
What the art of AA Bronson, Felix Partz, and Jorge Zontal can teach us about tomorrow.
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May 29, 2020
Tranquil Beauty: 10 Canadian Still Lifes
Enjoy this week’s selection of works illustrating the extraordinary range of still lifes in Canadian art.
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May 22, 2020
Why We Love Greg Curnoe’s Art — Especially now
This formidable multidisciplinary artist changed our country with his technicolour anti-establishment output, his nationalist politics, and his passionate belief in regionalism.
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May 15, 2020
Ten Canadian Art Escapes
Take a trip to these destinations presented by some of our most celebrated artists.
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May 8, 2020
Our Mothers, Our Art: Canadian Works We Love
Ten artists and ten art historians celebrate all aspects of the maternal.
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May 1, 2020
Watch 5 Favourite Canadian Art Talks
Five great Canadian art historians on five remarkable artists.
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April 24, 2020
The Magic of Mary Pratt: New ACI Book
ACI’s latest book, Mary Pratt: Life & Work by Ray Cronin, reveals the story of this iconic Newfoundland artist.
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April 16, 2020
The Joy of Canadian Art: 10 Works You Want to Know
Our round-up of some of the country’s most engaging works held in public galleries across the nation and abroad.
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April 9, 2020
The Comfort of Colville: Inspiration in an uncertain time from an iconic Canadian artist
How the beloved East Coast artist Alex Colville forged order through chaos in his paintings of everyday life.
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April 2, 2020
Stay Home with Kent Monkman
Now available-online (free) and in print-the book about the groundbreaking art event at The Met.
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March 18, 2020
ACI March Newsletter
Discover new Canadian art history articles, videos, and features, available online at the Art Canada Institute!
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March 18, 2020
The Comfort of Canadian Art During Social Distancing
ACI is committed to bringing the world stories about Canadian art and artists at a time when they are needed more than ever.
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February 11, 2020
ACI February Newsletter
Discover new Canadian art history articles, videos, and features, available online at the Art Canada Institute!
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January 14, 2020
ACI January Newsletter
Discover new Canadian art history articles, videos, and features, available online at the Art Canada Institute!
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