Art Canada Institute

Art Canada Institute We make Canadian art engaging, accessible, & multi-vocal through our open-access bilingual content. The ACI is a registered Canadian charity.

Read our social media policy here: https://www.aci-iac.ca/about/contact/social-media-policy/ The Art Canada Institute is a non-profit research organization based at Massey College, University of Toronto. Founded in 2012, the ACI is the only national institution whose mandate is to promote the study of an inclusive multi-vocal Canadian art history to as broad an audience as possible, in both Englis

h and French, within Canada and internationally. The ACI works with more than 50 of Canada’s leading art historians, curators, and visual culture experts who are dedicated to the creation of authoritative original content on the people, themes, and topics that have defined Canadian art history.

🎓 A big shout-out to Stephen Bulger, Nancy McCain, Bill Morneau, and Tim Griffin. These friends of the Art Canada Instit...
06/16/2026

🎓 A big shout-out to Stephen Bulger, Nancy McCain, Bill Morneau, and Tim Griffin. These friends of the Art Canada Institute are recipients of honorary doctorates in recognition of their exemplary contributions within communities across Canada.

Bulger, who received an honorary doctorate from Toronto Metropolitan University, is founder of the Stephen Bulger Gallery. He has tremendously impacted the arts sector, co-founding Toronto’s annual CONTACT Photography Festival and leading various art boards within Canada and abroad.

ACI Director Nancy McCain and her husband Bill Morneau also received honorary doctorates from Toronto Metropolitan University. In addition to their support for the Art Canada Institute, they are leaders whose philanthropy and chairing of multiple boards – including as co-chairs of the National Arts Centre / Centre national des Arts Next Act Campaign – have invigorated Canada’s communities.

Last week, Bishop's University conferred an honorary Doctorate of Civil Law to current ACI Chair Timothy Griffin, whose convocation speech encouraged graduates to pursue the goal of engaging in philanthropy and to volunteer.

👏Join us in congratulating the recipients of these well-deserved honours.

Image Credits:
1/ Photo of Stephen Bulger by Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star.
2/ Photo of Nancy McCain.
3/ Photo of Bill Morneau.
4/ Still of Timothy Griffin's honorary doctorate speech at Bishop's University.

Iljuwas Bill Reid’s great-great uncle Daxhiigang (Charles Edenshaw) made an argillite dish, shown here, that was include...
06/15/2026

Iljuwas Bill Reid’s great-great uncle Daxhiigang (Charles Edenshaw) made an argillite dish, shown here, that was included in the pivotal exhibition “Arts of the Raven” at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The 1967 show marked a major turning point in Canadian art history by recognizing Indigenous works as art, not artifacts.

Up to that point, the field of art history viewed Indigenous outputs in “primitive art” terms and the study of it as little more than ethnological behaviour.

This moment in Canadian art history would also be the name of a Luke Parnell piece.

Image Credits:
1/ Daxhiigang (Charles Edenshaw) (attributed), Dish, c.1850–1920, argillite, 4.8 x 47 x 22.2 cm, UBC Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver.
2/ Luke Parnell, “Arts of the Raven,” 2014, acrylic on canvas, wall text, 91.4 x 91.4 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario.

Abbas Akhavan’s “Entre chien et loup” was the latest exhibition to grace the Canada Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The...
06/14/2026

Abbas Akhavan’s “Entre chien et loup” was the latest exhibition to grace the Canada Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The piece transformed the pavilion into a greenhouse for Victoria water lilies and a space for reflecting on migration, colonial histories, environmental systems, and the shifting meanings of national identity across time and geography.

In 1958, the brand-new Canada Pavilion opened at the Venice Biennale, with talented Canadians still representing the nation at the 61st iteration of the event.

Image Credits:
1/ Installation view, “Abbas Akhavan: Entre chien et loup,” 2026, Canada Pavilion, 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada and presented in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts. © Abbas Akhavan. Photo: Francesco Barasciutti.
2/ Photo of Abbas Akhavan by Alex de Brabant (2024). Courtesy of the National Gallery of Canada.
3/ Inauguration of the Canada Pavilion at the Biennale Arte XXIX, 1958. Photo by National Gallery of Canada.
4/ Interior view of the Canada Pavilion in Venice, showing work by James Wilson Morrice, 1958. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

“Stages No. 8,” 1986-87, sees Harold Town turn to one of his favourite metaphors, the theatre, to present a central squa...
06/13/2026

“Stages No. 8,” 1986-87, sees Harold Town turn to one of his favourite metaphors, the theatre, to present a central square as a lighted stage toward which all the surrounding layers converge.

Over four decades, Town built a dynamic practice spanning painting, printmaking, collage, drawing, and sculpture. A founding member of the Painters Eleven, his work created a dynamic dialogue between traditional artistic modes and the contemporary urban, technological environment.

🎉 Happy birthday to Harold Town (1924–1990)

📖 Read more about the artist in "Harold Town: Life & Work" by Gerta Moray: https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/harold-town/

Image Credits:
1/ Harold Town, “Stages No. 8,” 1986-87, Thielsen Gallery, London, Ontario.
2/ Harold Town, “Day Neon” (detail), 1953, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa.
3 / Harold Town with his paintings at the Mazelow Gallery in Toronto in 1967, photographed by John Reeves.
4/ Town sitting beside a “Stretch” painting at Mazelow Gallery in 1970. Photograph by Boris Spremo and published in the “Toronto Star.”

Join us on June 18th for the talk "Oscar Cahén: Young in Canada" about the Painters Eleven co-founder, at The Robert McL...
06/13/2026

Join us on June 18th for the talk "Oscar Cahén: Young in Canada" about the Painters Eleven co-founder, at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Art Canada Institute author Jaleen Grove will share the story of Cahén's early career as a publishing illustrator whose works have been showcased on covers of Canadian magazines like Maclean's.

The talk is part of the “Stories in Ink: Illustrations by Oscar Cahén” exhibition, which presents rarely seen illustrations from the artist and surveys his illustration career in the context of the times.

To register for Grove’s talk on June 18th from 7:00pm-8:00pm visit:
https://rmg.on.ca/events/oscar-cahen-young-in-canada/

Explore the sought-out illustrator and abstract artist in Grove’s book in our “Life & Work” series:
https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/oscar-cahen/

Image Credits:
1/ Film still from “Discovering Oscar Cahén: The Warrior” (2023), courtesy of Howard Brull.
2/ Oscar Cahén, cover of “Maclean’s” magazine, April 14, 1956, courtesy of The Cahén Archives.
3/ Oscar Cahén, “Molly Morgan,” c.1955, ink and watercolour on illustration board. Gift of Harold Town, 1971.
4/ Photo of Jaleen Grove.

⚽We're celebrating the Canadian creativity behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup official poster. Created by Vancouver artist ...
06/12/2026

⚽We're celebrating the Canadian creativity behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup official poster.

Created by Vancouver artist Carson Ting in collaboration with Mexican artist Minerva GM and American artist Hank Willis Thomas, the poster brings together visual symbols from all three host nations.

Ting's contribution features iconic Canadian imagery including a moose, Canada geese, a Blue Jay, and a maple leaf, showcasing Canadian culture on one of the world's biggest stages.

🇨🇦 Join us in cheering on Team Canada and celebrating Canadian creativity on the global stage.

Image Credits:
1/ The official 2026 FIFA World Cup poster, created by Canadian artist Carson Ting, Mexican artist Minerva GM and American artist Hank Willis Thomas.
2/ Vancouver artist Carson Ting, one of three artists behind the official 2026 FIFA World Cup poster, is shown in this undated handout photo. HO/The Canadian Press.

Robert Joseph Flaherty’s portrait of sculptors Frances Loring (1887-1968) and Florence Wyle (1881-1968) emphasizes the a...
06/12/2026

Robert Joseph Flaherty’s portrait of sculptors Frances Loring (1887-1968) and Florence Wyle (1881-1968) emphasizes the artistic companionship of the two women, a partnership which lasted for over more than five decades.

This Pride Month, we revisit their works, reflecting on the forms of companionship, collaboration, and devotion that can emerge through a shared life and practice.

Read more in our newsletter:
https://www.aci-iac.ca/newsletters/

Image Credits:
1/ Robert Joseph Flaherty, “Portrait of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle,” 1914, Art Gallery of Ontario AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.
2/ Frances Loring, “Dawn,” c.1948, AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.
3/ Florence Wyle, “Sea and Shore,” c.1950. AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.
4/ Loring and Wyle outside their Glenrose Avenue home, Toronto, pre-1952.
5/ Loring and Wyle drinking tea with statues in the background, Toronto, 1950, courtesy of Archives of Ontario.
6/ Frances Loring, “Queen Elizabeth Way Monument” west of Humber River Bridge, Toronto, 1941, courtesy of Archives of Ontario.
7/ “Loring by Wyle,” c.1914, Loring-Wyle Parkette, Toronto; “Wyle by Loring,” c.1914, Loring-Wyle Parkette, Toronto.

The Art Canada Institute is pleased to announce Dr. Hilary Grant as the recipient of the inaugural New Voices Publishing...
06/11/2026

The Art Canada Institute is pleased to announce Dr. Hilary Grant as the recipient of the inaugural New Voices Publishing Fellowship. She will work on the title “St. John’s Art & Artists.” for ACI’s Cities series.

Valued at $60,000, New Voices Publishing Fellowship was created to help scholars in the early stages of their careers realize ambitious publishing projects that will be read by researchers and art lovers across the country.

Dr. Grant is a cultural studies scholar and art and architectural historian who holds a PhD in Cultural Mediations from Carleton University (Official). Her exploration of how Atlantic Canadian communities use art, heritage, and everyday culture to make meaning through change will be instrumental in the creation of this book.

We are excited to see how this project will take shape.

Image Credits:
(Clockwise, from top-left)
1/ Mary Pratt, Big Spray at Lumsden, 1996, mixed media on paper, 103.5 x 151.8 cm. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Collection. © Estate of Mary Pratt.
2/ Christopher Pratt, Placentia Bay: A Boat in Winter, 1996, colour serigraph on Rising Museum board, 61 x 94.3 cm; image: 45.5 x 79 cm. © Estate of Christopher Pratt.
3/ Hilary Grant, the 2026 recipient of the Art Canada Institute’s New Voices Publishing Fellowship. Courtesy of Hilary Grant.
4/ David Blackwood, January Visit Home, 1975, etching and aquatint on wove paper, overall: 57.4 x 87.9 cm. Collection of the AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, gift of David and Anita Blackwood, Port Hope, Ontario, 1999. © Estate of David Blackwood.
5/ John William Hayward, Town and Harbour of St. John’s Newfoundland, 1911. Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library.

Acclaimed as a sculptor, painter, photographer, and pioneering figure of modern dance in Canada, Françoise Sullivan (b.1...
06/10/2026

Acclaimed as a sculptor, painter, photographer, and pioneering figure of modern dance in Canada, Françoise Sullivan (b.1923), shown here in front of her diptych “Homage to Paterson (Hommage à Paterson),” is known as one of the most enduring artists of her generation, with a professional art practice that spans more than seventy years.

To celebrate the Montreal artist turning 103 today, here are works that showcase her versatility, commitment to self-expression, and improvisation as a way to unleash primal energy.

Read more about this remarkable experimenter in “Françoise Sullivan: Life & Work” by Anne Gérin:
https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/francoise-sullivan/

Image Credits:
1/ Françoise Sullivan sitting in front of “Homage to Paterson (Hommage à Paterson),” 2023. Photo by Felicia Parrillo / Global News.
2/ Françoise Sullivan, “Dance in the Snow (Danse dans la neige),” 1948,
from the album Danse dans la neige Published by Françoise Sullivan in fifty copies, S.l. Images Ouareau (1977).
3/ Françoise Sullivan, “Encounter with Archaic Apollo (Rencontre avec Apollon archaïque), 1974, thirteen photomontages on gelatin silver print, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.
4/ Françoise Sullivan, “Callooh Callay,” 1967, painted steel, University of Regina, Saskatchewan. Photo by Jason Cawood.
5/ Françoise Sullivan “Mountain (Montagne),” 1997, three murals and four benches made of granite, varied dimensions, Pavilion Président-Kennedy, UQAM | Université du Québec à Montréal.

Jordan Bennett is a L’nu (Mi’kmaq) multidisciplinary artist who draws on land, language, and familial knowledge for his ...
06/09/2026

Jordan Bennett is a L’nu (Mi’kmaq) multidisciplinary artist who draws on land, language, and familial knowledge for his practice, with “Tepkik,” 2018” being a fitting work to reflect on this Indigenous Heritage Month.

The piece, inspired by Mi’kmaq petroglyphs and beadwork patterns, envisions Indigenous culture as both rooted in tradition and evolving into the future, grounded in kinship, place, and the enduring power of visual storytelling.

Image Credits:
1/ Jordan Bennett, “Tepkik,” 2018, print on Polysilk, 3M reflective print on aluminum panels, 30.5 x 12.2 x 7.6 m. Installation commissioned by Brookfield Place Toronto. Produced by Pearl Wagner Art Consultants. Courtesy of the artist.

Address

4 Devonshire Place
Toronto, ON
M5S2E1

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Art Canada Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Art Canada Institute:

Shortcuts

Share

Category