Beyond the Label: John Geoghegan on Old Growth

Why do the Group of Seven’s paintings continue to resonate more than a century later? And how can we look at these familiar works with fresh eyes? 

Dive deeper into Old Growth: Masterworks by the Group of Seven and Their Contemporaries with the McMichael’s curator, John Geoghegan, in a new curatorial talk, now available on our YouTube channel. Geoghegan reflects on how the Group of Seven and their contemporaries helped shape Canada’s visual identity—and why their work continues to inspire both admiration and debate today. 

On view until July 26, 2026, the exhibition brought together more than 130 works from the McMichael’s permanent collection. Like the towering trees of an old-growth forest, these works are deeply rooted in cultural memory and central to the McMichael’s identity. Featuring masterworks by Tom Thomson, Lawren S. Harris, Emily Carr, A.Y. Jackson, and J.E.H. MacDonald, the exhibition was organized geographically, guiding visitors from the forests of Algoma to the peaks of the Rockies and the expanses of the Arctic tundra. 

Yet Old Growth is more than a celebration of familiar icons. Alongside these canonical works are paintings by the artists’ contemporaries — including Anne Savage, Kathleen Daly Pepper, and Bess Harris — whose contributions broaden and enrich the narrative of Canadian early modernism. Their inclusion offers visitors the opportunity to encounter works that may be less familiar but are no less significant in shaping the story of art in Canada. 

In the talk, Geoghegan highlights a selection of works in greater depth, offering insights that move beyond what can be captured on a gallery label and opening up new ways of seeing and understanding these paintings. 

Even if you were able to visit Old Growth, this curatorial interpretation offers fresh perspectives on some of Canada’s most celebrated artworks.