Like many of you, we have been closely following the developments of COVID-19. The safety of our visitors, campers, staff, and volunteers is our top priority. Upon the advice of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, the Gardiner Museum will close temporarily effective Saturday March 14, 2020. We will continue to take guidance from our public health officials regarding the duration of the closure and will post updates to our website and social media channels as they become available. We are grateful for your support and thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to navigate this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Gardiner soon.
The starting dates of our Spring Clay Classes will be delayed. Rest assured that no cancellation penalties will go into effect before the revised dates have been announced. We are working to develop a new schedule as quickly as possible and appreciate your understanding.
The Gardiner Museum is among the few museums in the world focused on ceramics, and is one of the most important specialty museums internationally. It houses approximately 4,000 objects, including European porcelain, ceramics from the Ancient Americas, Chinese porcelain, Japanese porcelain, and contemporary ceramics. Search the collection online!
Support the Gardiner's mission to champion clay, build community, and promote arts education. All of our memberships include a full year of free admission to the Museum, as well as discounts at CLAY Restaurant and the Gardiner Shop, and start and at just $30!
Raw clay is emerging as a compelling medium for contemporary art, taking on new relevance as conversations around identity, visibility, and survival on our planet develop. From sticky and wet to dry and powdery, raw clay speaks to primal themes like the land, the body, and memory. Perhaps most significantly, clay reaffirms our essential connection to the earth. As digital screens come to dominate our vision and disconnect us from an increasingly threatened environment, clay takes on a critical role in resisting our withdrawal into the virtual.
Four new installations by leading artists working with unfired clay—Cassils, Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El Siddique, and Linda Swanson—invite you to discover new possibilities in an ancient medium. The artworks on display are all in flux and will transform throughout the exhibition.
Watch Cassils discuss their world-premiere performance of Up To and Including Their Limits, which took place at the Gardiner on February 20. The physical remnants of that performance, as well as video documentation, are on view in RAW.
Exhibition programs and events
Up to and Including Their Limits SOLD OUT February 20, 7 pm Join the Gardiner for the world premiere of a new performance by Cassils.
Friends Day | RAW March 4, 10 am – 9 pm Gardiner Friends are invited to join us for an exclusive preview of the exhibition before it opens to the public.
RAW Curator Tour March 19, 5 – 6 pm Join Chief Curator Sequoia Miller for a special tour of the exhibition.
RAW Clay, Raw Food March 21, 7 – 10 pm Engage with clay, cuisine, and community in this playful mixer.
Slow Art Day April 4, 1 – 2 pm Take part in Slow Art Day by contemplating RAW’s four multi-sensory installations. Participants will be invited to experience each work for 10 minutes, followed by a group discussion.
RAW Curator Tour April 16, 5 – 6 pm Join Chief Curator Sequoia Miller for a special tour of the exhibition.
Earth Day April 22, 6:30 – 8 pm Celebrate Earth Day at the Museum by joining us in a free, family-friendly earth ball-making workshop.
Thrown Together May 2, 1 – 4 pm This special event combines artist talks, panels, clay demonstrations, and exhibition tours led by artists Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El-Siddique, and Linda Swanson.
Co-Presenting Sponsors
Paint Sponsor
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. canadacouncil.ca
Header image: Magdolene Dykstra, Polyanthroponemia, 2020, Unfired clay and mixed media