Vacations filled with bars and restaurants are always a pleasure — but if it’s beauty you’re after, no excursion tops a trip to the museum. This summer, Canadian art exhibitions brim with offerings from artists and communities across the country. The vast and varied lineup of gallery shows in Canada speaks to the multicultural and cross-generational context of the modern art world. We’ve researched art exhibitions across Canada to find shows worth travelling for, compiling a range of retrospectives, group shows, and features across the country. Take a look at a famed fashion designer in Québec City, stroll through an immersive, high-tech spin on reality in Toronto, or travel out west to see towering sculptures pop against Vancouver’s cityscape.
Curated by Hadas Maor and Tan Michael Haring, this high-tech art exhibition is best described as an adventure. Seeing the Invisible, organized by the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in partnership with Outset Contemporary Art Fund, takes augmentation to the extreme with digitally-activated artwork. Attendees start their route at MOCA, where the museum lays out the exhibition. From there, viewers download an app and plunge into virtual reality. The artworks, found at numerous locations scattered throughout Toronto, are the work of thirteen artists. Their pieces explore the link between technology, nature, and artwork. The exhibition’s structure naturally contextualizes these connections, enhancing the experience for viewers and deepening artists’ message. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto until September 30, 2023.
Maynard Johnny Jr. Protector, 2023 Silkscreen print, 35 x 35 inches. Courtesy of the artist
Bright Futures
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Kelly Robinson, Bracelet, 2023, Silver, 2 inches high. Courtesy of the artist
Bright Futures
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Bill Reid, Swg’ag’an, Sockeye Salmon Pool, 1991, Serigraph on paper, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.43, Photo by Kenji Nagai
Bright Futures
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Bill Reid, Wire Bull, 1986, gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.67. Photo by Kenji Nagai
Bright Futures
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Yolonda Skelton Chilkat, Dress and Eagle Train, 2022, Pleated Chiffon and Ponti Dress with Beaver fur trim. Ultrasuede Appliqued Cuffs and Removable Wool Suiting, Appliqued Eagle Train. Courtesy of the artist
Bright Futures
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Natasha Seymour, Button Blanket Earrings, 2023, melton cloth, seed beads, brain tanned moose hide, abalone. Courtesy of the artist
Bright Futures
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Bill Reid, Beaver and Eagle Bracelet, 1970, 22k gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2006.1.2.1. Gift of Anton and Hildegard Cavelti, Photo by Kenji Nagai.
Vancouver’s Bill Reid Gallery presents Bright Futures, an art exhibition honouring Bill Reid’s legacy alongside the work of emerging, contemporary Indigenous artists. The show is as much retrospective on Reid’s work as it is a celebration of the evolving Northwest Coast art scene. Featured artwork was curated as a testament to Bill Reid’s enduring influence on the area’s artists and art exhibitions, showcasing the vibrance of Indigenous artwork and looking towards the future with excitement. On view at Bill Reid Galleryuntil January 14, 2024.
Alexander McQueen: Art Meets Fashion (Québec City)
On the British fashion scene, Alexander McQueen was a bit of a wild child. His designs left behind an undeniable legacy of controversy, disruption, and — of course — elegance. Art Meets Fashion was conceived as a collaboration between the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museé national des beaux-arts du Québec. The two parties developed the show to memorialize Alexander McQueen’s interdisciplinary approach to fashion design. Described as an art exhibition dedicated to McQueen’s “creative universe,” the art exhibition boasts over 60 fashion ensembles from the designer alongside a multitude of paintings and artworks that served as inspiration. On view at Musée national des beaux-arts du Québecuntil September 10, 2023.
40 years after the formation of the Canadian Floor Masters (CFM), the Ottawa Art Gallery has prepared a collection dedicated to the region’s hip-hop scene. Featured materials account for hip-hop’s “five pillars:” breaking, emceeing, DJ-ing, graffiti, and knowledge. The exhibition’s launch party kicks off with a dance performance followed by speeches, a schedule that emphasizes the subculture’s broad spectrum of artistic practice. On view at the Ottawa Art Galleryuntil February 18, 2024.
Around the globe, Dempsey Bob is known as one of the most prolific wood carvers. In Montreal, Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob follows his meteoric rise to international acclaim, starting with his roots on the Northwest Coast. Selected pieces highlight Dempsey Bob’s sculptural work with vessels and wall sculptures alongside masks and regalia. The museum offers gallery guides to complement the exhibition with expert insight. On view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until September 10, 2023.
Deep in the heart of Canada’s largest city lies a museum dedicated solely to footwear, aptly titled the Bata Shoe Museum. Their recent installation, In Bloom, made our list of standout art exhibitions. The show explores the extent to which nature influences and inspires footwear fashion. Murals of bright petals and drooping leaves crawl along the exhibit’s dark walls, while floral-patterned shoes from all over the world sit for viewing. On view at the Bata Shoe Museum until October 6, 2024.
Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity (Halifax)
Installation photo of Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity, on view at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Photo by RAW Photography
Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity
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Installation photo of Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity, on view at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Photo by RAW Photography. Art: Olinda Reshinjabe Silvano, Wilma Maynas, Ronin Koshi, Non Kenebo, 2018. & Couzyn van Heuvelen, Qamutiik, 2019.
Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity
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Outi Pieski, Birit and Katja Haarla, Guhte gullá / Here to hear, 2021. On view at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Photo by RAW Photography
Arctic/Amazon: Networks of Global Indigeneity
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Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Idiot Strings – Credible, 2022. On view at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Photo by RAW Photography
After 2022’s stay in Toronto, Arctic/Amazon: Global Networks of Indigeneity journeyed to the Atlantic shore. The exhibitioncomprises an array of works from Indigenous artists tied to the Amazon and Arctic, exploring concepts like global Indigeneity and climate change. The exhibition’s themes originate from a September 2019 symposium titled “Arctic/Amazon,” jointly hosted by the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Power Plant Gallery. Media covers a vast spectrum of artwork: patterned textiles and captivating murals adorn the walls while sculptures rise up from the floor. On viewat the Art Gallery of Nova Scotiauntil September 17, 2023.
Try as they might, gallery walls can’t house every art piece. That’s why Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes went outside the box for his installation, titled PACE IN SPACE! Reyes designed his boxy sculptures to synthesize machine and human forms, playfully depicting the ever-deepening relationship between humans and technology. Washed in vibrant monochrome hues, the sculptures stand cheerfully outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. On viewat the Vancouver Art Galleryuntil October 8, 2023.
Pierre Paulin (1927-2009), “577” chair, called “Tongue”, 1966. MMFA, Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, gift of Réjean Tétreault in memory of Claude Beaulieu. Photo MMFA, Christine Guest
The Pop of Life!
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Eddie Squires (1940-1995), “Lunar Rocket” fabric, 1969, printed cotton, printed by Stead McAlpin & Co., Carlisle, England, for Warner & Sons, Braintree, England. MMFA, Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, gift of Eddie Squires. Photo MMFA
The Pop of Life!
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Gruppo Architetti Urbanisti Città Nuova, (1961-1998), “Nesso” lamp, 1962. MMFA, Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, gift of Louise Lalonde. Photo MMFA
In case you’re booked up during the other art exhibitions, we’ve included a show slated to debut at the end of August. Promising never-before-seen pieces, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is already building hype. Curved furniture and fixtures bear an authentic mid-century modern look, their bright palettes bursting with inspiration. Meanwhile, playful paintings embody old-school glamour. Canadian pop artists including Pierre Ayot are interspersed with the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, centring the international art movement around its Canadian wing. On view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Artsfrom August 31, 2023 — March 24, 2024.
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Карпин о «Динамо»: «У нас нехватка кадров, так скажем. Говорить про “довольны”, “недовольны” — мне надо командой заниматься. А трансферная кампания — прерогатива клуба. Кто&nbs
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