Abstraction in Canada, the 1950s and 60s will draw from the Nickle’s considerable holdings of abstract painting from across Canada – in order to provide a context for the work of architect Ron Thom also on exhibition. From Thom’s mentors BC Binning and Jack Shadbolt, to members of the Painters Eleven, the Regina Five and the Neo Plasticiens, mavericks from Alberta and conceptually based works from the West Coast, the Nickle holds a stunning history of the pockets of abstraction that developed and cross fertilized across Canada during this period. The exhibition will provide both an overview of the history of abstract painting, and an aesthetic exploration of some of the finest works in our collection including Marion Nicoll, Maxwell Bates, Harry Kiyooka, Roy Kiyooka, Ronald Bloore, Ted Godwin, Ken Lochhead, Marcel Barbeau, Claude Tousignant, Guido Molinari, Jack Bush, and others.