Group of Seven

June 30, 2003 7:18 AM

The Group of Seven. Arguably Canada's most important artists, the Group of Seven "popularized the concept of an art founded on the Canadian landscape, gave many Canadians a sense of national identity and enabled them to discover the beauty of their own country." Peruse an art gallery and marvel at the beauty they portrayed. (Mangled quote from the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery) Equally important was Emily Carr. While her style was similar to that of the Group of Seven, her interest in First Nations became her trademark. Some of her paintings.
posted by ashbury (9 comments total)

Those in Toronto, don't forget to check out the Tom Thomson exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Also worth checking out is the album Music Inspired by the Group of 7 by the Rheostatics, a project commissioned by the National Gallery.
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:25 AM on June 30, 2003

good stuff

(and thanks for all the canada posts lately, ash--most of us a little south of you know so little about it)
posted by amberglow at 7:31 AM on June 30, 2003

Typical. Why must everyone rip off Kurosawa?
posted by BigPicnic at 8:47 AM on June 30, 2003

Wow, great stuff. The Group of Seven is mentioned in Robertson Davies's novel, What's Bred In The Bone, but I've never seen any of their work before today.
posted by eilatan at 9:36 AM on June 30, 2003

Thanks for the intro to Emily Carr. What a fantastic painter. She's like a less-nuts Charles Burchfield. And thanks for mentioning Robertson Davies, eilatan. Anytime the words "great" and "Canada" are used in the same sentence, Davies should be in there somewhere.
posted by Faze at 10:08 AM on June 30, 2003

Yep, good stuff. Thanks.
posted by plep at 11:33 AM on June 30, 2003

Tom Thomson was an astounding colourist, something which may or may not come across in reproductions--he could use the pink and orange pallette like nobody else. The quick sketches which he did out in the woods are particularly wonderful. And Emily Carr's work is just the greatest, particularly for those of use who grew up in this part of the world--she encoded a way of seeing this landscape for us.

Happy Canada Day, ashbury.
posted by jokeefe at 1:00 PM on June 30, 2003

I mean, tomorrow.
posted by jokeefe at 1:01 PM on June 30, 2003

/homesick sniffle
I found some great close ups (click on the thumbs) so I can smell the skies and the pines, all greenness and sap, and the sharp dry snowsmell of glaciers and mountain lakes and...
and look at the oil paint. look at the hand of the painter. and the freedom.
posted by spandex at 3:18 PM on June 30, 2003