Yesterday we drove to Kleinburg Ontario and the McMichael Gallery, a tranquil haven of Canadian art our family first visited more than 50 years ago when I was but a lad. We wanted to take in the exhibition entitled Generations: The Sobey Family and Canadian Art and it was well worth the trip. Admission was free as part of a Tuesday promotion which we appreciated because the gasoline to get there certainly wasn't. Even with pre-booked tickets the gallery was busy, mostly with other geezers, and we were among the minority wearing masks.
I've written about my undergraduate degree in art history and my conviction that visual art at its best is a spiritual experience. There is a long history of that artistic connection with the Christian church, along with music.
The eclectic Sobey collection doesn't included many overtly religious pieces and some are even creatively irreverent, thinking of Kent Monkman -- he really is brilliant. Lots of the works were by Canadian artists I know well but I hadn't seen them before anywhere. We overheard McMichael executive director Ian Dejardin reflecting on a luminous Emily Carr painting to a companion, one which again was new to us and breath-taking.
So often when we visit the McMichael there are the bonus exhibitions, the ones we hadn't anticipated seeing when we came for the main event. This time it was the Jewish Life in Canada series by the late William Kurelek. I blogged about these paintings created by devout Roman Catholic Kurelek for his Jewish friend Avram Isaacs, an art dealer. This was the first time I've seen them "up close and personal."
If this wasn't enough the A Like Vision: The Group of Seven at 100 is still there and worthwhile. You've got two more free community access Tuesdays before the opportunity concludes so book your tickets now!
Jewish Wedding Calgary -- William Kurelek
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