This exhibition presented a unique opportunity to view recent work by Toronto-based artist Kim Dorland alongside masterworks from the McMichael’s permanent collection by Tom Thomson, David Milne, Frederick Varley and others. While many of the works on display were painted nearly one hundred years apart, they possess the same spirit and pure painterly approach.

This exhibition payed homage to the century-old tradition of artists venturing into the Canadian wilderness as seen through the eyes of a young Canadian artist whose interest in art is similarly rooted in a strong connection to the land. The selection of works followed Dorland’s personal quest to understand nature and the human relationship to it, and aimed to initiate a dialogue on the subject of what makes the Canadian wilderness so appealing to generations of artists. The inclusion of new works created specifically for this project during Dorland’s tenure as Artist-in-Residence will highlight his response to the gallery’s permanent collection of works by Tom Thomson, members of the Group of Seven, David Milne, and Emily Carr, as well as to the McMichael’s natural setting.

Curated by Katerina Atanassova