“Canada is a dynamic work in progress.” The AGO questions the country’s past, present and future

Major exhibition of 33 new and recent works explores what it means to be Canadian now

This summer the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) marks Canada’s 150th birthday with an ambitious contemporary exhibition that critically explores three urgent questions through the eyes of some of the country’s best emerging and established artists: where has Canada come from, what it is now, and where is it going?

Opening on June 29, 2017 and taking over the entire fourth floor of the AGO’s Contemporary Tower, Every. Now. Then: Reframing Nationhood is a dynamic exhibition that aims to address the mistakes of the past, rewrite and reclaim history, and move into the future with new insight. The multimedia installation features 33 new and recent projects by artists from across Canada, including Gu Xiong and Yu Gu, Robert Houle, Meryl McMaster, Seth, Esmaa Mohamoud, Ed Pien and Shuvinai Ashoona, among many others.

Bringing together both the familiar and the unexpected with strong Indigenous voices running throughout, Every. Now. Then: Reframing Nationhood is curated by Andrew Hunter, the AGO’s Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art, with a team of invited local artists, activists and educators including Anique Jordan and Quill Christie.

“At the heart of this exhibition is our fundamental belief that Canada is a dynamic work in progress,” says Andrew Hunter. “At this moment, many contemporary artists are reflecting on and challenging what Canada was, is and will be. Through a variety of visual media they are drawing attention to issues of absence, erasure and memory, and asking creatively, ‘How do we move forward as a country?’ Bringing these works together at this exact moment creates a meaningful opportunity for AGO visitors to hear the stories that haven’t been told, and to consider what it means to be Canadian in 2017.”

Acknowledging that Canada’s sesquicentennial represents a narrow slice of time in the larger historical record, the artworks featured engage with a broad range of cultural, traditional, spiritual and land-based stories. The exhibition, which will run to January 2018, invites visitors to hear working artists such as Camille Turner, Camal Pirbhai and Barry Ace explain what this moment means for them.

According to Camille Turner, “it’s our job as artists to really make things visible, to make the context we’re living in visible. And to ask questions. As a Black Canadian, it’s really important to tell the stories of Black Canada that haven’t been part of the national narrative. This history goes back over 400 years.”

“As artists, we have a responsibility to be the voices of our time,” says Camal Pirbhai. “We feel lied to as Canadians. Through our works, we’re exploring a history that wasn’t taught to us. Using contemporary photographs, we uncover these wrongs of the past. The lies of history still exist, but on different levels. It’s imperative to learn about the past and relate our findings to today – that’s the difference between museums and living art; we’re not only talking about history, we’re talking about now.”

“What can art do in this moment?” asks Barry Ace. “In these challenging times of rapidly shifting political, social and cultural change, the artist’s voice is imperative, for it is through the voice of artist that we can see where we have come from; where we are now; and where we are going.”

An extensive catalogue is being created to accompany the exhibition. Arriving in shopAGO in July 2017, the book will feature essays from Andrew Hunter, Dr. Charmaine Nelson, Anique Jordan, Rosie Spooner, Quill Christie, Rachelle Dickenson and Srimoyee Mitra.

Every. Now. Then: Reframing Nationhood is the anchor of the AGO’s ambitious Canada 150 program, which will also feature a range of smaller exhibitions, installations, digital initiatives and special programs. More details will be announced shortly.

This exhibition is generously supported by Ontario150.

ABOUT THE AGO
With a collection of more than 90,000 works of art, the Art Gallery of Ontario is among the most distinguished art museums in North America. From the vast body of Group of Seven and signature Canadian works to the African art gallery, from the cutting-edge contemporary art to Peter Paul Rubens’s masterpiece The Massacre of The Innocents, the AGO offers an incredible art experience with each visit. In 2002, Ken Thomson’s generous gift of 2,000 remarkable works of Canadian and European art inspired Transformation AGO, an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that in 2008 resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed architectural achievements in North America. Highlights include Galleria Italia, a gleaming showcase of wood and glass running the length of an entire city block, and the often-photographed spiral staircase, beckoning visitors to explore. The AGO has an active membership program offering great value, and the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre offers engaging art and creative programs for children, families, youth and adults. Visit ago.net to learn more.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts and generous contributions from AGO members, donors and private-sector partners.