9 Canadian Art Exhibitions Worth Travelling For

Cormac Newman July 11, 2023

Vacations filled with bars and restaurants are always a pleasure — but if it’s beauty you’re after, no excursion tops a trip to the museum. This summer, Canadian art exhibitions brim with offerings from artists and communities across the country. The vast and varied lineup of gallery shows in Canada speaks to the multicultural and cross-generational context of the modern art world. We’ve researched art exhibitions across Canada to find shows worth travelling for, compiling a range of retrospectives, group shows, and features across the country. Take a look at a famed fashion designer in Québec City, stroll through an immersive, high-tech spin on reality in Toronto, or travel out west to see towering sculptures pop against Vancouver’s cityscape.

Seeing the Invisible (Toronto)

Seeing the Invisible virtual art exhibition MOCA Toronto

Refik Anadol, Machine Hallucinations: Nature Dreams AR, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Ai Weiwei, Gilded Cage (AR), 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Water Serpent, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Mel O’Callaghan, Pneuma, 2021. Courtesy of the artist, Galerie Allen, Paris, Kronenberg Mais Wright, Sydney, and Galeria Belo-Galsterer, Lisbon.

Timur Si-Qin, Biome Gateway, 2021. Courtesy of the artist and Société, Berlin.

Pamela Rosenkranz, Anamazon (Limb), 2021. Courtesy of the artist, Karma International, Sprüth Magers & Miguel Abreu Gallery.

Seeing the Invisible

1 of 6

Refik Anadol, Machine Hallucinations: Nature Dreams AR, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Seeing the Invisible

2 of 6

Ai Weiwei, Gilded Cage (AR), 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Seeing the Invisible

3 of 6

Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Water Serpent, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.

Seeing the Invisible

4 of 6

Mel O’Callaghan, Pneuma, 2021. Courtesy of the artist, Galerie Allen, Paris, Kronenberg Mais Wright, Sydney, and Galeria Belo-Galsterer, Lisbon.

Seeing the Invisible

5 of 6

Timur Si-Qin, Biome Gateway, 2021. Courtesy of the artist and Société, Berlin.

Seeing the Invisible

6 of 6

Pamela Rosenkranz, Anamazon (Limb), 2021. Courtesy of the artist, Karma International, Sprüth Magers & Miguel Abreu Gallery.

Learn More

Curated by Hadas Maor and Tan Michael Haring, this high-tech art exhibition is best described as an adventure. Seeing the Invisible, organized by the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in partnership with Outset Contemporary Art Fund, takes augmentation to the extreme with digitally-activated artwork. Attendees start their route at MOCA, where the museum lays out the exhibition. From there, viewers download an app and plunge into virtual reality. The artworks, found at numerous locations scattered throughout Toronto, are the work of thirteen artists. Their pieces explore the link between technology, nature, and artwork. The exhibition’s structure naturally contextualizes these connections, enhancing the experience for viewers and deepening artists’ message. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto until September 30, 2023.

Bright Futures (Vancouver)

Bill Reid Gallery Bright Future Art Exhibition

Maynard Johnny Jr. Protector, 2023 Silkscreen print, 35 x 35 inches. Courtesy of the artist

Kelly Robinson, Bracelet, 2023, Silver, 2 inches high. Courtesy of the artist

Bill Reid, Swg’ag’an, Sockeye Salmon Pool, 1991, Serigraph on paper, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.43, Photo by Kenji Nagai

Bill Reid, Wire Bull, 1986, gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.67. Photo by Kenji Nagai

Yolonda Skelton Chilkat, Dress and Eagle Train, 2022, Pleated Chiffon and Ponti Dress with Beaver fur trim. Ultrasuede Appliqued Cuffs and Removable Wool Suiting, Appliqued Eagle Train. Courtesy of the artist

Natasha Seymour, Button Blanket Earrings, 2023, melton cloth, seed beads, brain tanned moose hide, abalone. Courtesy of the artist

Bill Reid, Beaver and Eagle Bracelet, 1970, 22k gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2006.1.2.1. Gift of Anton and Hildegard Cavelti, Photo by Kenji Nagai.

Bright Futures

1 of 7

Maynard Johnny Jr. Protector, 2023 Silkscreen print, 35 x 35 inches. Courtesy of the artist

Bright Futures

2 of 7

Kelly Robinson, Bracelet, 2023, Silver, 2 inches high. Courtesy of the artist

Bright Futures

3 of 7

Bill Reid, Swg’ag’an, Sockeye Salmon Pool, 1991, Serigraph on paper, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.43, Photo by Kenji Nagai

Bright Futures

4 of 7

Bill Reid, Wire Bull, 1986, gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2002.1.67. Photo by Kenji Nagai

Bright Futures

5 of 7

Bright Futures

6 of 7

Natasha Seymour, Button Blanket Earrings, 2023, melton cloth, seed beads, brain tanned moose hide, abalone. Courtesy of the artist

Bright Futures

7 of 7

Bill Reid, Beaver and Eagle Bracelet, 1970, 22k gold, Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection, 2006.1.2.1. Gift of Anton and Hildegard Cavelti, Photo by Kenji Nagai.

Learn More

Vancouver’s Bill Reid Gallery presents Bright Futures, an art exhibition honouring Bill Reid’s legacy alongside the work of emerging, contemporary Indigenous artists. The show is as much retrospective on Reid’s work as it is a celebration of the evolving Northwest Coast art scene. Featured artwork was curated as a testament to Bill Reid’s enduring influence on the area’s artists and art exhibitions, showcasing the vibrance of Indigenous artwork and looking towards the future with excitement. On view at Bill Reid Gallery until January 14, 2024.