The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is thrilled to announce the re-opening of the Gallery to the public on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. For the re-opening there will be three new exhibitions on view including Group of Seven: The View from Here, Emily Kewageshig: Mooshknemgog Bmaadziwin / Full Circle, and Steve Driscoll: ‘I closed my eyes but the light was still there’. Learn more about these new exhibitions below.

In order to protect the health and wellbeing of visitors and staff, the Gallery has implemented new protocols for visiting. There will be a limit of 10 visitors permitted inside the Gallery at a time to allow for physical distancing. This may also mean that visitors are asked to wait in line before entering the building. To accommodate new cleaning and health precautions, the Gallery will be re-opening with limited hours which are Wednesday to Saturday, 12:00 PM-4:00 PM. Please remember to be patient with Gallery staff during this time, as these new protocols have been implemented to ensure the health and safety of everyone. Full details on the Gallery’s new health and safety protocols can be found on our website www.tomthomson.org and we ask that you please familiarize yourself with these protocols prior to visiting the Gallery.

An easy way to remember the Gallery’s new attendance limit is “Bring Your Groups of Seven”. Throughout their time the members of the Group of Seven changed but their number always stayed below ten, so call your Carmichael, Harris, Jackson, Lismer, MacDonald, and Varley, and tell them you’re going to The TOM! Don’t forget to share your experience at the Gallery with The TOM using the hashtag #BringYourGroupsofSeven.

As always at The TOM, Members Get More! Members of the Gallery get early access to our re-opening – starting July 22 Members are welcome to visit the Gallery. Want to support the Gallery and get early access to our re-opening? Memberships can be purchased through the Gallery’s website.

About the Exhibitions:

Emily Kewageshig: Mooshknemgog Bmaadziwin / Full Circle
On View until October 17, 2020

After becoming a mother in 2018, Emily Kewageshig reflected on how everything in life in cyclical; a concept informed by her Anishinaabe heritage. Like a circle, without a beginning or end, the earth orbits the sun, the seasons come and go in faithful order, and every living thing is bound to its life cycle.

The paintings in Mooshknemgog Bmaadziwin / Full Circle explore this theme through universal narratives of birth, death, and rebirth. The works offer poetic and shifting views of the natural world, combining traditional symbolism with imagery derived from the artist’s memories, dreams, and teachings to contemplate the concepts of holism and metaphysical essence.

Collectively Kewageshig’s work highlights the interconnectedness of all living things while promoting the need for harmony and balance so that the life cycle of each plant, animal, and person, can be preserved for the vitality of future generations.

Steve Driscoll: ‘I closed my eyes but the light was still there’
On View until October 17, 2020

‘I closed my eyes but the light was still there’ marks a new phase of exploration for respected Toronto-based artist, Steve Driscoll. Elements of his signature technique – painting with pigmented urethane – are evident, but have been presented with a twist. Driscoll has printed high-resolution photographs of his paintings on backlit glass. The effect infuses his work with fresh energy, illuminating his vision of the northern landscape.

‘I closed my eyes but the light was still there’ offers a glowing, hypnotic escape. The light pulsates through the trees and water, taking the audience on a journey deeper into the wilderness, beyond the surface of the glass, and towards recollections of precious moments outdoors.

Group of Seven: The View from Here
On View until October 10, 2020

The Tom Thomson Art Gallery celebrates the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Group of Seven.

Although Tom Thomson died in Algonquin Park 3 years before the formation of the Group, his shared vision and camaraderie left a lasting impression on them. Some of these artists honoured that bond by donating their time and artwork to support the establishment of the Gallery in Owen Sound as a memorial to Thomson in the 1960s. Complemented by gifts of art from private collectors, and supplemented by a few acquisitions made possible through financial donations, the Gallery has assembled a nationally significant collection of artwork by Tom Thomson and members of the Group. Showcasing the Gallery’s impressive collection, The View from Here takes you on a visual tour across the country as experienced by the Group.

More than just captivating artworks, the paintings, prints, and drawings represent tangible connections between the members of the Group and Owen Sound, the legacy of community donors, and the importance of the Gallery’s collection within the larger Group of Seven story. The View from Here offers an intimate, local perspective on the artists that helped share the Nation.

source: media release, Tom Thomson Art Gallery