A message from our Executive Director and Chief Curator, Sarah Milroy. Thank you for an unforgettable final weekend! Stay tuned and follow along for updates in the months ahead and we'll see you back here in 2029. 🌿

Autumn in Algoma. 🍂 Lawren Harris painted 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 (c. 1923) during his time in Ontario's Algoma District — a region that elicited some of his most sensuous and warm work, a world away from the stark grandeur of his later Lake Superior and Arctic scenes. In the foreground we see a stand of tree trunks, mostly bare but for a few colourful boughs of abstracted foliage. Beyond lies an expansive lake, rendered in a broad swath of delicately modulated colour, and in the distance, the forested hill is but a collection of uniform shapes standing in for trees. Harris’s unadorned vista evokes a feeling of calm, expressing the spiritual resonance he would increasingly strive for in his works Lawren S. Harris (1885–1970), 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦, c. 1923, oil on canvas, 82.5 x 102.8 cm, Gift of Colonel R.S. McLaughlin, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 1968.7.5 © Family of Lawren S. Harris

Please note: our parking lot is now closed. 🏗️ As construction moves into its next stage, the parking lot is no longer accessible by car. The grounds and trails remain open and accessible on foot until further notice. Thank you for your patience as we transform — we look forward to welcoming you back in 2029! Learn more → mcmichael.com/mcmichael-reim…

Calling all teachers! 🍎 Join us on Sunday, October 25 from 11 am–12:30 pm for a free virtual event introducing what’s new at the McMichael for the 2026–27 school year. We’ll be previewing two new curriculum-connected artmaking programs — both developed in collaboration with artists and designed to bring meaningful creative experiences directly into your classroom. Following the previews, the McMichael’s Head of Creative Learning will join for a Q&A about educational programming during our multi-year redevelopment. Free for teachers + one guest. The event will take place on Zoom—a link will be sent upon registration. Register now → tickets.mcmichael.com/Select…

“Art must be even more than translation. An artist never insults nature by trying to reproduce her creations. Learning from nature, an artist tries himself to create.” — Elizabeth Wyn Wood Happy birthday, Elizabeth Wyn Wood! Born in Orillia, Ontario, Wood (1903–1966) transformed what sculpture in Canada could be. At a time when the landscape was largely the domain of painters, she brought it into three dimensions, translating islands, rocks and trees into clean, curving forms. Her sculptures of islands in Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe were groundbreaking, marking the first time an artist in Canada sculpted the landscape in three dimensions. In 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯, Wood depicts a lone, windswept pine on a small rocky island — a subject beloved by her contemporaries in the Group of Seven. Through minimal, elegantly executed forms, Wood created a dynamic and expressive vision of the Canadian landscape. Her work confidently stands alongside that of the painters of her day, while demonstrating the unique possibilities of sculpture as a way of seeing and interpreting the land. Elizabeth Wyn Wood (1903–1966), 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯, 1928, plaster, 80.3 x 105.2 x 19.7 cm, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, purchased 1991, 1991.13.

90,000+ works. 450 cartons. 300 crates. One remarkable team. 📦 While the McMichael building undergoes a once-in-a-generation redevelopment, our Collections, Conservation, Tech Services and Library & Archives teams have been hard at work on a full collection decantation — carefully relocating one of Canada's great art collections, one work at a time. Get an inside look at the process — and meet the dedicated team making it happen — in a new article from McMichael Magazine. → mcmichael.com/from-the-archi…

📚✨ Today we celebrate the incredible educators who inspire us every day! At the McMichael, we're grateful for the teachers and teaching artists across the country who bring Canadian art into classrooms and communities. Thank you for your passion, creativity, and commitment to inspiring the next generation. Happy #WorldTeachersDay! 🙌 Learn more about our in-classroom and virtual education programs → mcmichael.com/learn/schools/

Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we're reflecting on 𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 by Pierre Aupilardjuk — and the story behind the work. The sculpture’s title speaks to longstanding inequities between settlers and Indigenous peoples, and to the ways Indigenous knowledge, generosity and collaboration have been relied upon throughout the history of colonial settlement. The work comes to the McMichael with the following story from Aupilardjuk: “My mother and father had made an igloo on the ice in front of the Catholic church in Naujaat. A priest had come from Kugaaruk (Pelly Bay) to Naujaat. It was the time of year when there is no sun. The Catholic priest asked for their qudlik. He wanted to give it to a teacher who wanted one. My mother and father thought they would get paid, or be given something to eat, so my mother cleaned it very nicely and gave it to my father to give to the priest. They received nothing in return. That winter, they had no light, heat, or cooked food. My parents really suffered, and they both said they did not know how they survived that year.” The stories held within the collection continue to invite reflection — and to remind us of the importance of listening to Indigenous artists and the histories they carry forward. 🖼️ Pierre Aupilardjuk (b. 1965), 𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 2016, smoke-fired porcelain. Gift of Marnie Schreiber, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2023.2.

On Thursday, October 29, show your support for Canadian artists, galleries and our creative ecosystem at the Opening Night of Art Toronto 🎨 With 4 pm or 6 pm entry, Opening Night is your chance to explore the fair before it opens to the public, get first access to work from leading galleries, and enjoy complimentary drinks and light bites while mingling with artists, collectors and gallerists in a lively party atmosphere. Hosted by and benefiting the McMichael. Your ticket also includes premium re-admission every day at 11 am and VIP Lounge access all the weekend. First Edition tickets are almost gone — once they sell out, prices go up! Get yours now → mcmichael.com/event/art-toro…

This month in McMichael Magazine. 📖 Explore the latest stories from our curators and contributors, including: 📜 Moving Mountains — an inside look at the extraordinary work of relocating 90,000+ works from our collection as we prepare for redevelopment 🎨 Artist Spotlight: Anne Savage — curator John Geoghegan on one of Canada's most distinctive landscape painters 🌸 A new acquisition: Rody Kenny Courtice's 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 (1954) — a vivid introduction to one of Canadian modernism's most overlooked voices 📖 An excerpt from filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal's moving essay on Ann MacIntosh Duff 🎥 Beyond the Label — curator John Geoghegan's new talk on 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩: 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 ✏️ A newly acquired graphite drawing by A.Y. Jackson — the only known work by the artist depicting the McMichael's own grounds 👑 Camille Turner's landmark retrospective Hometown Queen at the Art Gallery of Hamilton — and the McMichaels' recent acquisition of Pride and Possibilities Read the latest at magazine.mcmichael.com 🖼️ Anne Savage (1897–1971), Green Shores, Laurentians, c. 1935, oil on canvas, 76.5 x 102 cm, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, bequest of Annie D. Savage Estate, 1974.1.

We’re delighted to see so many artists connected to the McMichael represented at The Armory Show in New York this weekend! Special congratulations to Sandra Brewster and Manuel Matthieu who are highlighted in the New York Times as two of the "12 Artists on the Rise at The Armory Show." 🖼️ Sandra Brewster's 𝘖𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 (2023), part of our permanent collection, was recently on view in 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘈𝘪𝘳, and many visitors will remember her on site in spring 2025 installing her site-specific exhibition 𝘍𝘐𝘚𝘏. Watch David Hartman's short film documenting her process → youtu.be/G8RVAqHKzPQ 🖼️ Manuel Matthieu's 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 (2023) entered the McMichael collection last year at Art Toronto as a promised gift of Christine and Andrew W. Dunn — you may have spotted it greeting guests at our front admission desk. Read the NYT article here → nytimes.com/2026/09/24/arts/… Other McMichael artists at the Armory Show this weekend include: 🖼️ Rajni Perera, whose solo exhibition 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 was on view at the McMichael in 2022–23 before a cross-country tour. Watch a David Hartman film of Perera in her studio → youtu.be/0e3nNWLkg-I 🖼️ Melanie Authier, whose work 𝘝𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩 (2023) was included in 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘈𝘪𝘳. Read more in McMichael Magazine → mcmichael.com/acquisitions/m… 🖼️ Winnie Truong, whose three-dimensional cut-paper dioramas merging human and plant life, was included in 𝘜𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 (2023), a group exhibition exploring how contemporary artists respond to climate change, species loss, and environmental degradation. Congratulations to all! If you're in New York this weekend, go find them at the Armory Show. 1/ Installation view of 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘈𝘪𝘳: 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵 at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2026. 2/ Sandra Brewster installing 𝘍𝘐𝘚𝘏 at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2025. 3/ Manuel Matthieu's 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 (2023), on view at Art Toronto, 2025. 4/ Installation view of Rajni Perera: Futures at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2022-23.

“I want to have a certain beauty. But this beauty is not going to hide the pain or the sadness. Sometimes, it will reveal it, but sometimes, it will also be there to invite you to come.” — Moridja Kitenge Banza In the latest installment of our film series with Canadian filmmaker David Hartman, step inside the studio of Congolese-born, Montreal-based artist Moridja Kitenge Banza. Through conversations on memory, migration, and identity, Banza reflects on how personal experience and the intertwined histories of colonialism in both the Congo and Canada shape the physical and psychological landscapes within his work. Watch the film here → youtu.be/8boXGeTW2nY?si=-mkD…

Happy 100th birthday, Takao Tanabe. 🎉 Born in 1926 in the fishing community of Seal Cove, BC, Tanabe faced hardship early in life. When he was 11, his family moved to Vancouver. Five years later, with the onset of WWII, they were forcibly relocated to an internment camp in Lemon Creek, BC — among the 22,000 Japanese Canadians displaced by the government during the war. After the war ended, Tanabe made his way east and eventually began his formal artistic training in Winnipeg. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 #23 (1972) is from the series for which he is best known: more than 200 minimalist paintings of the flat Canadian Prairie, made throughout the 1970s. Tanabe knew that landscape intimately — traversing it on countless hitchhiking and driving trips between Winnipeg and Banff, where he led the Banff School from 1973 to 1980. While most works in the series are spare, horizontal and restrained in colour, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 #23 is of another order. Larger in scale and bolder in palette, Tanabe segments the topography into washes of luminous colour that seem to sculpt the open space — the Prairie rendered not as emptiness, but as presence. What makes Tanabe's work so singular is the way it holds multiple traditions at once — the influence of Japanese brushwork and sumi-e, the lessons of American colour field painting, and the influence of the vast prairie landscape. "Takao Tanabe changed the way we see Canada, transforming its vast prairies and coastlines into some of the most powerful and enduring landscapes in Canadian art." — Ian Thom 🖼️ Takao Tanabe (b. 1926), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 #23, 1972, acrylic wash on canvas, 111.5 × 183 cm. Gift from the Christopher Bredt and Jamie Cameron Collection, 2021.10.4. McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

New to the collection. ✨ We're proud to announce the acquisition of two works by Iranian Canadian artist Azadeh Elmizadeh: 𝘈 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 (2025) and 𝘌𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 (2025). To make these paintings, Elmizadeh brought bundles of linen from a Tehran bazaar to a mountainous region outside the city, pressing them against rock to capture the texture of the landscape with charcoal, ochre and natural pigments — before rinsing, drying, and painting them in her Toronto studio. The works hover between abstraction and representation, their richly layered surfaces giving way to ghostly birds and suggestions of the simurgh, the mythological creature of Persian folklore. Read the full story in McMichael Magazine → mcmichael.com/acquisitions/a… 🖼️ Azadeh Elmizadeh, 𝘌𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 2025, charcoal and indigo pigment, salt, oil on linen, 193 × 139.7 cm. Purchased with the generous support of the McMichael Transformation Fund, 2025.28. © Azadeh Elmizadeh 🖼️ Azadeh Elmizadeh, 𝘈 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 2025, red ochre pigment, salt, oil on linen, 193 × 139.7 cm. Purchased with the generous support of the Edith Kennethea Dunn Memorial Acquisition Fund for Canadian Women Artists, 2025.15. © Azadeh Elmizadeh

𝘙𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 opens at the Yukon Arts Centre today. 🌲 If you’re in Whitehorse, join photographer Rita Leistner and McMichael curator John Geoghegan for a free conversation this Saturday, September 12 at 1 pm. They’ll discuss the making of the series, the tree planters at its heart, and the ideas that shaped the exhibition. “I wanted to elevate tree planting in the public consciousness to honour and respect the people doing this work.” — Rita Leistner Learn more → yukonartscentre.com/whats-on… 🖼️ Rita Leistner (b. 1964), 𝘑𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩, 2017, 101.6 x 137.2 cm, pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Silk Baryta Paper flush mounted to Aluminum Composite Panel, Courtesy of Rita Leistner / Stephen Bulger Gallery. © Rita Leistner

The McMichael, wherever you are. 🎨💻 While our doors are temporarily closed for a once-in-a-generation redevelopment, we're continuing to connect groups with the art of Canada through private guided virtual tours. Whether you're planning a corporate event, a birthday, or a wine-and-cheese night with friends, get in touch and we'll find the right experience for your group. Book your virtual tour today → mcmichael.com/visit/group-vi…

Start your Art Toronto weekend with us at Opening Night on Thursday, October 29. Be among the first to preview and acquire exceptional works from leading galleries before Art Toronto opens to the public at this signature event, hosted by and benefiting the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Canada’s only museum devoted exclusively to Canadian art. Enjoy complimentary drinks and light bites while connecting with artists, gallerists and collectors in a lively party atmosphere. Opening Night tickets also include premium re-admission starting at 11 am all weekend long, plus access to the VIP Lounge throughout the weekend. First Edition tickets are nearly sold out. Purchase yours now to secure the current ticket price. Opening Night Sponsor: Hatch Art Toronto Opening Night Committee: Emily-Jean Alexander • Ameet Bhojwani • Kulin Matchhar • Angelica Demetriou • Heather Bala Edwards • Jane Edwards • Zoe Foster • Roz Heintzman • Nicole Jolly • Hannah Kim • Alex Lambert • Lily Li • Michelle Meneley • Pam Meredith • Deanne Moser • Suzanne Palko • Anjli Patel • Nancy Rowat • Steven Wilson

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾 To celebrate, we’re taking a closer look at 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘰𝘨 by renowned Kinngait artist Kananginak Pootoogook (1935–2010), from the Kinngait Drawing Archive. Kananginak was best known for his sensitive, highly detailed depictions of Arctic wildlife — particularly birds — and for the gentle humour he often brought to his subjects. 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘰𝘨 offers a glimpse into another dimension of northern life: the essential relationship between people and the animals who made life in the Arctic possible. One of the founding figures of the Kinngait graphic arts movement, Kananginak began drawing and printmaking in the late 1950s, with work included in the very first annual Cape Dorset print collection in 1959. His legacy endures through the thousands of drawings preserved in the Kinngait Drawing Archive. Explore the archive → iningatilagiit.ca Kananginak Pootoogook (1935–2010), 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘰𝘨, 1983-1984, coloured pencil and felt-tip pen on paper, D.33.519

"I think in a sense the things I show are moments in which everything seems perfect and something is revealed." —Alex Colville In celebration of Alex Colville's birthday, we're taking a closer look at 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬 (1959), a work from the McMichael's permanent collection. In this meticulously composed scene, a Mercury truck winds down Main Street, crates of milk nestled in the trunk bed. A young boy balances on the running board, bottle in hand, while a black dog, perched proudly at the tailgate, meets our gaze with steady resolve. The truck, angled as it turns, creates a dynamic sense of movement as it prepares to descend the hill, accentuated by the bold red of the Stedmans storefront. Every detail—from the gleaming milk bottle to the dog’s unwavering stare—reveals Colville's hallmark precision. 🖼️ Alex Colville (1920-2013), 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬, 1959, Oil and synthetic resin on hardboard, 65.4 cm x 65.4 cm, Gift of ICI Canada Inc.