The Magazine

Join us in celebrating the recent achievements of Congolese-born, Montreal-based artist Moridja Kitenge Banza, from the launch of his first monograph to the debut of the inaugural Congo Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Plus, enjoy a newly released short film on his practice.

In this Director’s Choice essay, Sarah Milroy explores David Milne’s Passing Car, 1913, a vibrant depiction of modern New York painted at the height of the artist’s early career. The article considers Milne’s innovative painterly language, his complicated relationship with urban life, and the lasting significance of this rare surviving city scene in the McMichael collection.

Melanie Authier’s dynamic abstract paintings create immersive spaces charged with movement, light, and shifting sensation. Highlighting a recent acquisition to the McMichael’s collection, this article explores how Authier transforms memory, atmosphere, and the language of painting into richly layered contemporary abstraction.

The paintings of Bess Harris capture the spirit of the landscape through a vivid, intuitive approach shaped outside formal academic training. An artist, writer, and critic deeply embedded in Canada’s modernist art community, she made significant yet often overlooked contributions to Canadian art history.

As the 2026 Venice Biennale opens, this article highlights Canadian artists with close ties to the McMichael whose work is part of the international exhibition. From Bonnie Devine to Abbas Akhavan, discover how these artists’ practices connect conversations taking place at the McMichael to the global contemporary art stage.

Marking the third anniversary of Uses of Enchantment: Art and Environmentalism, this article revisits Shary Boyle’s haunting explorations of apocalypse, fantasy, and environmental anxiety. Featuring an excerpt by writer Ruth Jones, it examines how Boyle’s imaginative works reflect contemporary fears surrounding climate change and ecological collapse.

Explore how this striking work reveals J.E.H. MacDonald’s bold and experimental late style, capturing the physical intensity and modernist vision of his encounters with the Canadian Rockies.

A recent gift of Nunavik wall hangings highlights the remarkable legacy of Inuit artist Mina Kumarluk Napartuk—discover how her work bridges tradition, community, and innovation in Arctic textile art.

People of the Watershed brings John Macfie’s photographs of northern Indigenous communities into focus—discover how this intimate and far-reaching project captures lives, relationships, and a moment of profound change.

A newly installed work by Toronto artist Aaron Jones transforms the Grand Hall—discover how Lithic layers image, material, and meaning to explore identity, resilience, and the search for grounding.

Now on tour, Rita Leistner: The Tree Planters offers a striking look into the demanding world of reforestation—explore how these powerful photographs capture endurance, landscape, and the human stories behind Canada’s forests.

Look back at the McMichael’s history with the renowned artist Kenojuak Ashevak and her time spent at the gallery.