Joanne Tod’s first exhibition at the gallery will premiere her most recent body of work dealing with notions of artifacts and museology. Revered for her ability to paint lush fabrics, light effects and glass vitrines, Tod’s work brings to life the antiquities found in such institutions as the British Museum, The Art Gallery of Ontario and the Brooklyn Museum, while investigating notions of appropriation, display and ownership.
“Museums exemplify the idiosyncrasies of particular institutions, and I am trying to illustrate these nuances. I’m interested in what the museum represents: proprietary and intellectual rights, war loot, scholarship, social events – the list goes on. There are many levels of engagement”.
— Joanne Tod
Tod lives and works in Toronto and is a professor at the University of Toronto. Her paintings are widely exhibited across North America and abroad. Collections include the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.