[BCMA] [MEDIA RELEASE] Group of Seven art exhibition ends soon

Wed Feb 24 11:17:02 PST 2021

For Immediate Release

Last chance to see rarely exhibited art by Group of Seven

Northern Pine: Watercolours and Drawings by the Group of Seven from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection closes March 7, 2021

February 25, 2021 - Kelowna, BC: The clock is ticking for Okanagan residents who hope to see a rarely exhibited selection of watercolours and drawings by Canada's iconic Group of Seven.

The exhibition was organized by the Kelowna Art Gallery to mark the 100th anniversary of the first Group of Seven art show that took place back in 1920.

In charge of hand-picking the art was Ian Thom, who is a Governor General's award-winning national treasure, and the driving force behind over 100 exhibitions shown across Canada, as well as the writer of dozens of publications, and former Curator at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

"We are so privileged to have Ian Thom's hands at the helm of this landmark exhibition", says Nataley Nagy, Executive Director at the Kelowna Art Gallery. "Many of the intimate working sketches and studies visitors are able to see haven't been shown for decades, and in just two weeks they will no doubt be tucked away again for years. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this collection of work exhibited together. And it's happening here in Kelowna."

Northern Pine: Watercolours and Drawings by the Group of Seven from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection presents sixty-six of the Group's largely unknown works, including a selection of watercolour studies, graphite sketches, and a rare portfolio of lithographs.

The Group of Seven was formed by artists Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, and F.H. Varley. They were responsible for the first major national art movement in Canada and are perhaps best known for their vivid oil paintings showcasing the Canadian landscape.

"The McMichael's collection of drawings and other works on paper by the members of the Group of Seven is a treasure from our museum's holdings too often hidden from view," says Sarah Milroy, Chief Curator at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, where the majority of the art is borrowed from. "Often accomplished works of art in their own right, these drawings provide us a backstage pass to the workings of the Group, and they challenge the gravity with which their paintings have increasingly been viewed. This was a band of upstarts and adventurers after all, and their drawings return us to that fact."

Northern Pine closes on March 7, 2021.

The Kelowna Art Gallery is located at 1315 Water Street in downtown Kelowna. For more information, visit www.kelownaartgallery.com<http://www.kelownaartgallery.com> or call the Gallery at 250-762-2226.

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Webpage: https://kelownaartgallery.com/northern-pine/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/
Video Tours & Talks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkdERNZLBgKzkfANakggL6dcsMhhD2xr0

[image credits]

Lawren Harris, Maligne Lake, Jasper Park, photolithograph from Canadian Drawings, A Portfolio of Prints by Members of the Group of Seven, published by Rous & Mann Limited, Toronto, 1925, edition 3/100. Private Collection.

Franklin Carmichael, Lake Superior, 1926, watercolour on paper, 28.5 x 34.2 cm. Gift of Mrs. R.G. Mastin. McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Arthur Lismer, Tom Thomson, 1912 - 1913, ink over graphite on paper, 25.7 x 30.8 cm. Gift of the Founders, Robert and Signe McMichael. McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Arthur Lismer, Islands of Spruce, photolithograph from Canadian Drawings, A Portfolio of Prints by Members of the Group of Seven, published by Rous & Mann Limited, Toronto, 1925, edition 3/100. Private Collection.

To arrange an interview, for additional images, or for other media enquiries, please contact:

Joshua Desnoyers
Marketing and Events Coordinator

Kelowna Art Gallery
1315 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9R3
250-762-2226 ext. 305
250-762-9875 fax
josh at kelownaartgallery.com<mailto:josh at kelownaartgallery.com>  |  www.kelownaartgallery.com<http://www.kelownaartgallery.com>

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