Visual art

The Ottawa School of Art’s Orleans Campus presents Deborah Koenker’s solo exhibition Neither Safe Nor Quiet: Trouble Came from March 26 to May 6.

What do mealworms, artists, and researchers all have in common? Art. That’s just one theme captured in a two-day SCI_ART symposium hosted by SAW gallery this weekend in celebration of its 50th anniversary. This birthday event is packed with varied programming, including performances, panels, and book launches that celebrate collaborations between artists, scientists, academics, and nature. 

The environment artist Paul P. worked in has always been one of openness. It wasn’t always the same for the artists displayed next to 30 of his works in the National Gallery of Canada (NGC)’s latest Paul P. exhibition. Those creative minds, dating back to the 16th century, faced repercussions if their depictions of homosexuality became known—from social ostracization to imprisonment.

“Umoja” means unity in Swahili, and it’s also the name of an upcoming evening of multidisciplinary creativity and self-care hosted by The Origin Arts and Community Centre. From yoga to house music, Umoja has plenty in store.

The Sweetly Affordable Art Fair (SAAF) is an outdoor art show at Wesley Clover Parks (401 Corkstown Road) on May 20 and 21. This year’s SAAF is co-occurring in collaboration with the Ottawa Dressage Festival, which will have thousands of visitors. This means SAAF exhibitors can expect many visitors on-site each day of the event!

This weekend, the National Arts Centre will become a magical realm for children, thanks to numerous music-related events at the BIG BANG festival. A part of Winterlude, this celebration of sound offers many free activities, as well as some paid shows.

Falling Men, the latest exhibition by Canadian artist Shane Rhodes, was inspired by the 1940s and 1950s Canadian copyright-free comic book cowboys. The cowboys, as the exhibit’s title suggests, are depicted in a state of physical and moral falling.

Wall Space Gallery is proud to present its first solo exhibition of 2023 with “The Other Day” featuring the works of returning Toronto artist Brian Harvey, whose works pull you from the “now” to enjoy the “then”.

Art House is gearing up to celebrate its sixth anniversary this month with plenty of live entertainment and evocative artwork. It’s a time for reflection and change for the staff at the Centretown art café.

Carleton University Art Gallery (CUAG) recently opened its winter exhibit, Drawing on Our History, celebrating its 30th anniversary. The exhibit showcases drawings on the themes of identity, connection to land, and storytelling.

Trekking through the yet-unplowed wilderness we arrived at The School of the Photographic Arts (SPAO) to celebrate the New Year with a glass of bubbly and to attend the opening reception of Cold Comfort by artist Ella Morton.

Rescued: A Painted Story is the first solo exhibition by painter Clare Thorbes, now exhibited at Happy Goat Coffee, 317 Wilbrod St. in Sandy Hill until December 15.

A group of Iranian-Canadians in Ottawa-Gatineau who call themselves “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (meaning “Woman, Life, Freedom”) hope to amplify the voices of protestors through art and photography with an exhibition at City Hall this weekend titled Call it Revolution.

Across Ottawa, on sidewalks, in parks, and next to buildings, are art museums hidden in plain sight. Most people don’t think of public art this way, which is why Apt613 is launching this Art Walks series to highlight outdoor art in the city. We begin with the sculptures on Elgin Street.

The need for purpose and connection is the epitome of Octopied Mind, which sells shirts featuring unique hand-drawn designs with eye-catching, sometimes provocative, mental health-affirming slogans. Co-CEOs Vezina, 31, and her best friend Jill Davis, 30, began Octopied Mind in 2018