The Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) will present 5 new exhibitions featuring interactive sculptures, video installations, a work of art to climb and slide on, an intimate look at sacred spaces and Group of Seven highlights in the context of its 100th anniversary.
(Re)Collecting the Group of Seven: Celebrating 100 Years (January 18, 2020 to January 10, 2021) showcases Group of Seven works from the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art, with a particular focus on A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, and Arthur Lismer. The exhibition also presents a unique look at the mid to late twentieth-century collecting activities of the Firestone family in Ottawa. Established by Ottawa-based collectors O.J. and Isobel Firestone in the early 1950s, the Firestone Collection of Canadian art, housed at OAG, contains examples of over 600 works by Group of Seven artists. Alexandra Badzak, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Art Gallery says that ‘‘this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Group of Seven’s first painting exhibition and the year-long exhibition celebrates the lasting impact the Group has had on Canadian Art, and the importance of the legacy of the Firestone Family for this City.‘’
RhythmScape features contemporary art inspired by the pulse of life, society and work and was originally shown in South Korea and Japan. OAG will host the North American debut of the international group exhibition (March 12 to September 27, 2020). The exhibition is circulated by The Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, South Korea in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada and supported by the Korean Foundation for International Culture Exchange.
Russell Yuristy: The Inside of Elephants and All Kinds of Things (February 8 to July 26, 2020) celebrates the poignantly playful multimedia practice of Canadian artist Russell Yuristy, founder of the Creative Playground Workshop, through which he created large wooden animal sculptures that doubled as play structures.
Jennifer Dickson: The Credo Project (February 8 to July 26, 2020) is an exhibition of photography by Jennifer Dickson captured during her travels to the U.K., Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Morocco. Each triptych presents architectural spaces of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Catherine Sinclair, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Ottawa Art Gallery says that by “Using strategies ranging from video, dance and photography to sculpture and drawing, these international, national and regional artists present works that explore the ways in which we move through our world, as participants, critics, dissidents, or celebrants.”
Also on view for this period, stunning textile and mixed-media-based work in the exhibition Tethers?Scars: Claudia Gutierrez and Tafui (March 6 to April 26, 2020) in Gallery Annexe.
OAG’s Permanent Collection includes Maura Doyle’s installation Gone (2018) which will be on display in the Mackenzie King Lobby. It chronicles, with a take-away map, lost Ottawa-Gatineau sculptures such as Russell Yuristy’s play structure Beaver (Victoria island, Ottawa, 1979 – c. 1989).
The OAG invites the public to a free opening reception for all exhibitions on Wednesday March 11th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The evening will include a performance by Japanese artist Tetsuya Umeda at 7 p.m. Free childcare is offered during the opening, and every Thursday evening. Admission to OAG is always free.
Jennifer Dickson Speaker Series: An Artist’s Journey
Thursday, March 26, 2020 – 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Join artist Jennifer Dickson for an intimate tour of The Credo Project and a discussion of her travels and access to sacred architectural monuments.
Free, registration required: mho@oaggao.ca or 613.233.8699 +247.
BMO in Conversation: Russell Yuristy and Catherine Sinclair
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 – 6:30 p.m.
Join artist Russell Yuristy and curator Catherine Sinclair in the Alma Duncan Salon as they discuss Yuristy’s practice, the Saskatchewan art scene of the 1960s and public art in Canada.
Free, no registration.
Visit oaggao.ca for a complete calendar.
