Fresh Air: New Acquisitions in Context

Acquisitions breathe new life into museum collections. Fresh Air presents a selection of the McMichael’s recent acquisitions, presented in dynamic dialogue with long-held works from the collection. This exhibition offers a fresh perspective on the art of Canada through unexpected juxtapositions and thematic groupings that inspire curiosity, reflection and delight.

Featuring artists such as Tim Whiten, Howie Tsui, and Dana Claxton, Fresh Air expands the story of Canadian art to include a wider range of voices, materials, and approaches. Themes of cultivation, belonging, and landscape are explored from diverse and unexpected perspectives. Works by Frederick Varley, J.E.H. MacDonald, and A.J. Casson appear alongside new additions to the collection by Ben Reeves, Sky Glabush, and Brenda Draney, creating moments of connection and surprise.

The McMichael’s collection is a living, breathing conversation — one that delights in the resonances that appear when old and new are allowed to intermingle. Fresh Air is an invitation to see the McMichael’s collection anew, and to imagine its future as one that reflects the full richness of the country’s artistic landscape.