The RBC Art Collection, established in 1929, currently holds more than 6,000 pieces of art. The collection is actively growing, with a focus on acquiring works from emerging and contemporary Canadian artists and an aim to reflect the diversity and innovative ideas from the art community that enriches and inspires us all.

The RBC Community Gallery is free for the general public to visit and the exhibit is rotated bi-annually, with new artwork featured every six months.

Presenting: Archives of Influence

In Archives of Influence, we get a glimpse into some of the ways contemporary artists derive their inspiration – ranging from aesthetic, familial, and ethereal sources – and how they look towards the future, while simultaneously acknowledging the past.

Jane Hutchison, RBC’s Art Collection Manager who curated the exhibition shares, “this exhibition focuses on the traditions and tropes within Canadian art history that have been explored by generations of artists. Whether historical or emerging – these artists expand upon similar subject matter such as landscapes, technology and architecture and pulled inspiration from various sources, including the artists that came before them.”

Left to right, Stefan Hancherow, Corrie Jackson, Jane Hutchison. From left to right – RBC’s Curatorial Department: Stefan Hancherow (Art Curator), Corrie Jackson (Senior Art Curator) and Jane Hutchison (RBC Corporate Art Collection Manager).

Kenojuak Ashevak – Owls Together Kenojuak Ashevak – Owls Together, 1994

The collection begins with “Owls Together,” a stonecut print by Kenojuak Ashevak, one of Canada’s most revered Inuit artists. She created some of the most iconic and instantly recognizable images in Canadian art, and one of her most-visited and beloved subjects is depicted in this print – two lively owls intertwined as one. The owl was a constant source of inspiration for Ashevak, and in Inuit culture, the owl serves as an important symbol that is prominently featured and admired. Ashevek’s work acts as an anchor to this exhibition, paying tribute to the influential artists that came before us.

Print by Jon Sasaki Jon Sasaki – Microbes Swabbed from a Palette Used by AY Jackson, 2020

Painting by A.Y. Jackson A.Y. Jackson – Gatineau Farm, 1948

Painting by F.H. Varley F.H. Varley – Barrier (Scene in the Rockies), ca. 1960

The exhibition also features Jon Sasaki’s, “Microbes Swabbed from a Palette Used by AY Jackson,” which at first glance, looks like an abstract painting. But look a little closer, and you will see that this photograph is a microscopic landscape of its own. To create this work, Sasaki went to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario and took swabs from the paintbrushes, palettes and paint boxes used by the original members of the Group of Seven and put them in a petri dish to grow spores. He then magnified and photographed the surprising bacterial cultures that sprung up, creating a beautiful photograph that strikes a sense of allegiance with the famed Group of Seven landscapes. Hanging right next to Sasaki’s work, we find a pair of landscape oil paintings by two founding members of the Group of Seven – “Gatineau Farm” by A.Y. Jackson and “Barrier (Scene in the Rockies)” by F.H. Varley.

“This photograph is such a clever way to forge a direct interaction with the Group of Seven,” says Hutchison. “I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to highlight these A.Y. Jackson and FH Varley works we have in the collection. Looking at these pieces together, they form a lovely springboard to the rest of the exhibition and this consideration of connections between generations.”

Art by Teto Elsiddique as well as Azza El Siddique Teto Elsiddique – Neckrings, A Breezy Thing, 2017 (left) and Azza El Siddique – neckrings, a breezy thing, 2023 (Rust)

On the other side of the exhibition space is a prominent wall which was also featured at Art Toronto, Canada’s largest art fair, of which RBC is the principal sponsor. This wall examines how newer generations of artists engage with and look back to the legacy left behind by older artists in our collection. In this unique instance, we have artworks created by two siblings.

On the left showcases an acrylic painting by Teto Elsiddique titled, “Neckrings, A Breezy Thing”. Teto was a talented emerging artist who suddenly passed away in October 2017. This painting was acquired by RBC as part of the 2017 RBC Canadian Painting Competition where he received an honourable mention. Teto Elsiddique stated that his work “wrestles with the index of past cultural identifiers that have transgressed borders, leaving echoes in our everyday language, gestures and material existence.” He used various mediums to depict abstract bodies and narratives that he stated, “situate a migratory black experience within different cultures, across different continents and different timelines.” His work speaks to his experience of being born in England, raised in Sudan and Canada, and having studied and worked in the United States.

To the right, we see a work by Teto’s sister, Azza El Siddique, titled “neckrings, a breezy thing (Rust)”. RBC commissioned Azza to create this piece for Art Toronto in 2023 where it was first unveiled. The artwork is deeply personal and reflects Azza’s own iteration of Teto’s “Neckrings, A Breezy Thing”. It is made from etched steel and iron oxide that will corrode and transform over time, highlighting the themes of change and impermanence. In recent years, Azza has been inspired by her late brother’s work and has started to revisit his practice through her own artmaking. “In a very different medium, Azza revisits Teto’s work through alchemy to stretch notions of materiality and explore this new energy and dynamism, while honouring her late brother’s legacy,” says Jane Hutchison.

Art by Kyung Soon Park, as well as Heather Goodchild. Kyung Soon Park – When the hydrangeas bloom, 2023 (left) and Heather Goodchild – Through to Paradise, 2023 (Rust)

Another wall of the RBC Community Gallery features two more artworks acquired at this year’s Art Toronto. On the left, we have Kyung Soon Park’s oil painting titled, “when the hydrangeas bloom” which portrays a beautiful floral landscape in which Park invites viewers to share her colourful appreciations of the peace she finds in nature. Next to it hangs “Through to Paradise” by Heather Goodchild, a hand-hooked rug made of wool and burlap which depicts an ethereal, dreamlike landscape that invites viewers to get lost in. Goodchild’s work explores themes including symbolism, ritual, morality and the collapse of the hierarchy of artistic disciplines. Her practice highlights the integration of craft into a contemporary art context, most notably through her work using the folk technique of rug hooking.

“The landscapes in which we situate ourselves can take on so many different forms and you can see that theme woven throughout this exhibition,” says Jane Hutchison. “Despite using different mediums, these two landscapes provide you with a portal into a quiet space and creates a really beautiful moment of reflection.”

If you are local to or visiting Toronto, you can visit Archives of Influence at the RBC Community Gallery until July 31, 2024.

RBC’s support of the arts stretches beyond visual arts – Introducing SoundsUnite

RBC is a long-standing supporter of the arts, including music, theatre, dance, literature and film. This month, SoundsUnite, in collaboration with RBCxMusic, proudly launched its innovative platform bringing comprehensive music education capabilities (such as lessons covering music theory, instrument proficiency, production techniques), music wellness resources and collaboration and creativity tools to emerging musicians. With support from the RBC Foundation through RBCxMusic, all Canadian youth (ages 15-29) and emerging musicians will have unrestricted access to the advanced-level subscription, with the RBCxMusic Emerging tier, off the SoundsUnite app.

Learn more about RBC’s support of the arts.

 

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