City: Vaughan

John Scott: Firestorm presents the work of the late Canadian artist John Scott (1950–2022), gathering paintings, drawings, and sculptures made by Scott from the 1980s through the 2010s.

The exhibition focusses on works that explore machine imagery, conflict, violence, and surveillance. Growing up on the Canadian/American border in Windsor, Ontario, in the 1950s and 1960s, Scott developed an acute awareness of American politics and militarism. Depictions of stealth bombers, firearms, and tanks were used by Scott to comment on human vulnerability and the threat of nuclear arms, violence, and the threat of tyranny – all subjects expressed in his raw and urgent graphic style.

Firestorm is guest curated by Dr. John O’Brian, who has undertaken new research to position Scott’s accomplishment within a global context. The exhibition celebrates a unique and singular voice in the history of Canadian art, one grappling with the acute threats to humanity in our times.

The recent digitization of the Kinngait Drawings Archive—89,000 works strong and held by the McMichael for more than three decades—has allowed unprecedented curatorial access to the origins of this now world-renowned graphic tradition.
Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this once-in-a-generation exhibition of more than 200 works will foreground the cultural continuities of life in Kinngait in the face of dramatic societal change over more than five decades. The adaptability and resilience of this unique community has been documented in works that depict intergenerational knowledge transfer, community building, and boundless imagination.

This exhibition will reveal overlooked bodies of work by some of the country’s most beloved artists including Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat as well as introduce audiences to hitherto unknown artists whose work was suppressed by the aims of the print program that prioritized the tastes of settler markets in the South.

Since the 1990 transfer of 90,000 works on paper from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, new generations of Kinngait artists have emerged onto the contemporary art scene, capturing visions of their community into the new millennium.

From the exacting, illustrative style of artists such as Itee Pootoogook and Tim Pitsiulak, to the dreamscapes of Ooloosie Saila and Shuvinai Ashoona, Kinngait artists have continued to innovate with drawing as a medium unto itself—moving beyond its role as a preparatory step in the printmaking process. In the 2000s, artistic practice shifted with the introduction of large-scale works on paper and an embrace of candid, often humorous depictions of contemporary Inuit life. Prefabricated houses, snow machines, and trips to the co-op store mark the established way of life in the hamlet today, but the values of cooperation and care remain the same.

Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this exhibition is presented in dialogue with Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait.

Samedi, le 26 avril 2025 | 10 h à 12 h

Participez à une Matinée francophone spéciale en compagnie d’Anne-Marie Bouchard, ancienne conservatrice au Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) et commissaire de l’exposition Le Fleuve des rêves : l’impressionnisme et le Saint-Laurent. Cette activité intimiste vous donnera l’occasion de découvrir les artistes préférés de Mme Bouchard présentés dans l’exposition. Vous pourrez converser en français avec elle, dans une atmosphère décontractée, tout en dégustant croissants et café.
Activité gratuite à l’achat d’un billet d’entrée. Inscription requise.

John Scott: Firestorm presents the work of the late Canadian artist John Scott (1950–2022), gathering paintings, drawings, and sculptures made by Scott from the 1980s through the 2010s.

The exhibition focusses on works that explore machine imagery, conflict, violence, and surveillance. Growing up on the Canadian/American border in Windsor, Ontario, in the 1950s and 1960s, Scott developed an acute awareness of American politics and militarism. Depictions of stealth bombers, firearms, and tanks were used by Scott to comment on human vulnerability and the threat of nuclear arms, violence, and the threat of tyranny – all subjects expressed in his raw and urgent graphic style.

Firestorm is guest curated by Dr. John O’Brian, who has undertaken new research to position Scott’s accomplishment within a global context. The exhibition celebrates a unique and singular voice in the history of Canadian art, one grappling with the acute threats to humanity in our times.

The recent digitization of the Kinngait Drawings Archive—89,000 works strong and held by the McMichael for more than three decades—has allowed unprecedented curatorial access to the origins of this now world-renowned graphic tradition.
Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this once-in-a-generation exhibition of more than 200 works will foreground the cultural continuities of life in Kinngait in the face of dramatic societal change over more than five decades. The adaptability and resilience of this unique community has been documented in works that depict intergenerational knowledge transfer, community building, and boundless imagination.

This exhibition will reveal overlooked bodies of work by some of the country’s most beloved artists including Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat as well as introduce audiences to hitherto unknown artists whose work was suppressed by the aims of the print program that prioritized the tastes of settler markets in the South.

Since the 1990 transfer of 90,000 works on paper from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, new generations of Kinngait artists have emerged onto the contemporary art scene, capturing visions of their community into the new millennium.

From the exacting, illustrative style of artists such as Itee Pootoogook and Tim Pitsiulak, to the dreamscapes of Ooloosie Saila and Shuvinai Ashoona, Kinngait artists have continued to innovate with drawing as a medium unto itself—moving beyond its role as a preparatory step in the printmaking process. In the 2000s, artistic practice shifted with the introduction of large-scale works on paper and an embrace of candid, often humorous depictions of contemporary Inuit life. Prefabricated houses, snow machines, and trips to the co-op store mark the established way of life in the hamlet today, but the values of cooperation and care remain the same.

Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this exhibition is presented in dialogue with Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait.

The recent digitization of the Kinngait Drawings Archive—89,000 works strong and held by the McMichael for more than three decades—has allowed unprecedented curatorial access to the origins of this now world-renowned graphic tradition.
Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this once-in-a-generation exhibition of more than 200 works will foreground the cultural continuities of life in Kinngait in the face of dramatic societal change over more than five decades. The adaptability and resilience of this unique community has been documented in works that depict intergenerational knowledge transfer, community building, and boundless imagination.

This exhibition will reveal overlooked bodies of work by some of the country’s most beloved artists including Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat as well as introduce audiences to hitherto unknown artists whose work was suppressed by the aims of the print program that prioritized the tastes of settler markets in the South.

Since the 1990 transfer of 90,000 works on paper from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, new generations of Kinngait artists have emerged onto the contemporary art scene, capturing visions of their community into the new millennium.

From the exacting, illustrative style of artists such as Itee Pootoogook and Tim Pitsiulak, to the dreamscapes of Ooloosie Saila and Shuvinai Ashoona, Kinngait artists have continued to innovate with drawing as a medium unto itself—moving beyond its role as a preparatory step in the printmaking process. In the 2000s, artistic practice shifted with the introduction of large-scale works on paper and an embrace of candid, often humorous depictions of contemporary Inuit life. Prefabricated houses, snow machines, and trips to the co-op store mark the established way of life in the hamlet today, but the values of cooperation and care remain the same.

Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this exhibition is presented in dialogue with Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait.

Friday, June 27, 2025 | 8 pm

Join acclaimed Canadian mezzo-soprano Julie Nesrallah for an enchanting evening of Italian music and song, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Morrice in Venice. This special concert will transport you through the melodies and landscapes that inspired James Wilson Morrice’s evocative paintings.

Presented in celebration of Italian Heritage Month in Ontario, this performance pays tribute to Italy’s rich artistic and cultural legacy.

PLUS! Arrive early for a special gallery tour of Morrice in Venice at 6:30 pm, included with admission.

Members: $40 | General Public: $50
Includes all-day gallery admission.

The recent digitization of the Kinngait Drawings Archive—89,000 works strong and held by the McMichael for more than three decades—has allowed unprecedented curatorial access to the origins of this now world-renowned graphic tradition.
Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this once-in-a-generation exhibition of more than 200 works will foreground the cultural continuities of life in Kinngait in the face of dramatic societal change over more than five decades. The adaptability and resilience of this unique community has been documented in works that depict intergenerational knowledge transfer, community building, and boundless imagination.

This exhibition will reveal overlooked bodies of work by some of the country’s most beloved artists including Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat as well as introduce audiences to hitherto unknown artists whose work was suppressed by the aims of the print program that prioritized the tastes of settler markets in the South.

Since the 1990 transfer of 90,000 works on paper from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, new generations of Kinngait artists have emerged onto the contemporary art scene, capturing visions of their community into the new millennium.

From the exacting, illustrative style of artists such as Itee Pootoogook and Tim Pitsiulak, to the dreamscapes of Ooloosie Saila and Shuvinai Ashoona, Kinngait artists have continued to innovate with drawing as a medium unto itself—moving beyond its role as a preparatory step in the printmaking process. In the 2000s, artistic practice shifted with the introduction of large-scale works on paper and an embrace of candid, often humorous depictions of contemporary Inuit life. Prefabricated houses, snow machines, and trips to the co-op store mark the established way of life in the hamlet today, but the values of cooperation and care remain the same.

Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this exhibition is presented in dialogue with Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait.

The recent digitization of the Kinngait Drawings Archive—89,000 works strong and held by the McMichael for more than three decades—has allowed unprecedented curatorial access to the origins of this now world-renowned graphic tradition.
Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this once-in-a-generation exhibition of more than 200 works will foreground the cultural continuities of life in Kinngait in the face of dramatic societal change over more than five decades. The adaptability and resilience of this unique community has been documented in works that depict intergenerational knowledge transfer, community building, and boundless imagination.

This exhibition will reveal overlooked bodies of work by some of the country’s most beloved artists including Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat as well as introduce audiences to hitherto unknown artists whose work was suppressed by the aims of the print program that prioritized the tastes of settler markets in the South.

Since the 1990 transfer of 90,000 works on paper from the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, new generations of Kinngait artists have emerged onto the contemporary art scene, capturing visions of their community into the new millennium.

From the exacting, illustrative style of artists such as Itee Pootoogook and Tim Pitsiulak, to the dreamscapes of Ooloosie Saila and Shuvinai Ashoona, Kinngait artists have continued to innovate with drawing as a medium unto itself—moving beyond its role as a preparatory step in the printmaking process. In the 2000s, artistic practice shifted with the introduction of large-scale works on paper and an embrace of candid, often humorous depictions of contemporary Inuit life. Prefabricated houses, snow machines, and trips to the co-op store mark the established way of life in the hamlet today, but the values of cooperation and care remain the same.

Curated by Emily Laurent Henderson, Associate Curator, Indigenous Arts and Culture at McMichael, this exhibition is presented in dialogue with Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait.