The MicMichael Canadian Art Collection in Vaughan will be launching a new exhibit this February, aiming to highlight an often-overlooked figure in Canadian art history.
The exhibit is called “Bertram Brooker: When We Awake!”, and it highlights the work of Booker, the first Canadian to exhibit abstract paintings. Brooker was a well-known polymath, who in addition to being a painter was a Governor General’s Award-winning novelist. The showcase is the first such one of Booker’s work in over 50 years, with paintings depicting everything from realistic portraits to cubist still lifes. Paintings displayed include “Sounds Assembling”, “Oozles” and “Phyllis (Piano! Piano!)” as well as sculptures, works of graphic design, and more.
The exhibit is curated by Michael-Parks Taylor, with supporting information highlighting Booker’s place in visual art in Canada and the world. “When We Awake” will be featured during the McMichael’s in-person tours, and take place alongside existing exhibitions on the works of Moridja Kitenge Banza and Marcel Dzama. Exhibitions such as this typically use tools such as brochure printing, signage, and special lecture events to provide education and place art works in context of historic trends and the artist’s life, such as the controversy Brooker’s work engendered at the time.
“Bertram Brooker: When We Awake!” will open at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on February 10, and run until June 2, 2024.
