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Canadian and Indigenous Art
Experience art in Canada like never before.
Opened to critical acclaim in June of 2017, the Canadian and Indigenous Galleries present a new way to view the cultural riches of this land.
In these transformed Galleries, the parallel and, at times, interrelated stories of Canadian and Indigenous art in Canada are brought together in one unforgettable display of masterpieces. Almost 800 paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, silver, and decorative art objects from across Canada are on view, dating from 5,000 years ago to 1967.
Visitors can rediscover iconic artworks from the national collection – many of which have been recently restored – or find a new favourite among the objects featured here for the first time. There are 225 additional works to see in the reconfigured Galleries, including recent acquisitions by artists such as A.Y. Jackson, Lawren S. Harris, George T. Berthon, Ruben Komangapik, Tim Pitsiulak, and Emily Carr, among others. Also on view is an impressive selection of objects on temporary loan: among them, close to 100 stunning works by Indigenous artists.
With more open spaces, bold wall colours and airy display cases, the transformed Canadian and Indigenous Galleries are inviting and inspiring. Plan your visit today.
Location
National Gallery of Canada
Canadian and Indigenous Galleries
380 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4
Canada
Gallery Highlights - The Croscup Room
Gallery A103
The Croscup Room, as it is now known, was the main room of a house in Karsdale, Nova Scotia. Somewhere around 1846–1848, its walls were painted by an unidentified artist for shipbuilder William Croscup and his family.
Artwork
Joyce Wieland, Cooling Room II, 1964, metal toy airplane, cloth, metal wire, plastic boat, paper collage, ceramic cups with lipstick, and spoon, mounted in painted wooden case, 114.4 x 94 x 18.3 cm. Photo: NGC
Joyce Wieland
Cooling Room II
Joyce Wieland, Cooling Room II, 1964, metal toy airplane, cloth, metal wire, plastic boat, paper collage, ceramic cups with lipstick, and spoon, mounted in painted wooden case, 114.4 x 94 x 18.3 cm. Photo: NGC
Karoo Ashevak, Figure, 1974, whalebone and black stone (?), 41 x 44.2 x 10.5 cm. Gift of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, 1989 (Gift of John and Judy McGrath, 1984). © Public Trustee for Nunavut, Estate of Karoo Ashevak. Photo: NGC
Karoo Ashevak
Figure
Karoo Ashevak, Figure, 1974, whalebone and black stone (?), 41 x 44.2 x 10.5 cm. Gift of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, 1989 (Gift of John and Judy McGrath, 1984). © Public Trustee for Nunavut, Estate of Karoo Ashevak. Photo: NGC
Prudence Heward, Rollande, 1929, oil on canvas, 139.9 x 101.7 cm. Photo: NGC
Prudence Heward
Rollande
Prudence Heward, Rollande, 1929, oil on canvas, 139.9 x 101.7 cm. Photo: NGC
Cornelius Krieghoff, The Saint Anne Falls, 1855, oil on canvas, 40 x 48.6 cm. Photo: NGC
Cornelius Krieghoff
The Saint Anne Falls
Cornelius Krieghoff, The Saint Anne Falls, 1855, oil on canvas, 40 x 48.6 cm. Photo: NGC
James Wilson Morrice, Blanche Baume, c. 1911-1912, oil on canvas, 61.2 x 50.5 cm. Photo: NGC
James Wilson Morrice
Blanche Baume
James Wilson Morrice, Blanche Baume, c. 1911-1912, oil on canvas, 61.2 x 50.5 cm. Photo: NGC
Emily Carr, Blunden Harbour, c. 1930, oil on canvas, 129.8 x 93.6 cm. Photo: NGC
Emily Carr
Blunden Harbour
Emily Carr, Blunden Harbour, c. 1930, oil on canvas, 129.8 x 93.6 cm. Photo: NGC
Did you know?
The Gallery has put women artists at the centre of several displays in the Canadian and Indigenous Galleries. Discover a few fast facts in these short videos.
In the News
"What a revelation to see the Woodlands School, represented by Norval Morrisseau’s Artist and Shaman Between Two Worlds, hung alongside the work of London, Ont., artists Jack Chambers and Greg Curnoe, including Curnoe’s colourful View of Victoria Hospital, Second Series."
The Globe and Mail
"…the exhibition is, like the nation itself, too vast and diverse to be grasped in one visit, for this history is written by many authors in multiple languages, and the story it tells is grand and sweeping."
Artsfile.ca
Related
Influenced by the compositional forms and colours of Lawren Harris and the Group of Seven, Mabel May's painting of a snow-covered mountain landscape is a lyrical depiction bathed in atmospheric light.
February 5, 2020
J.E.H. MacDonald's seven trips to the Rocky Mountains proved a major source of inspiration. His 1928 painting exemplifies his fascination with the landscape of Yoho National Park.
July 11, 2019
In her paintings, Prudence Heward depicted women, whom she portrayed as self-contained, even defiant, and whose gazes often directly met that of the viewer.
July 5, 2019
