We've reopened with modified summer hours and free admission on weekends! There's plenty of space to reconnect and amazing art to discover in all corners of the Museum. Please read our new health and safety policies before your visit.
From sticky to crusty, pliable to powdery, and shaped to shapeless, clay’s ability to transform in real time is prompting a new generation of artists to explore the possibilities of this ancient material. RAW features new work by four artists who are pushing boundaries with unfired clay: Cassils, Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El Siddique, and Linda Swanson. See it now!
We're excited to introduce Clay Date, a new online art fundraiser in support of the Gardiner Museum and inspired by the special exhibition RAW. Presented by the Young Patron Circle's SMASH Committee, Clay Date will virtually unite a community of art enthusiasts and cultural philanthropists for an evening with artist Habiba El-Sayed.
Every object in our permanent collection can be accessed through our eMuseum portal. Learn about individual collecting areas, like Italian Maiolica or Modern and Contemporary Ceramics, or search the full collection by keyword. You'll be amazed by what you discover!
As we begin to welcome visitors back to the Gardiner, we need your support to continue offering innovative and engaging exhibitions, programs, and community projects on site and online. Make a donation and help us build community with clay.
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.
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.
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.
Co-Presenting Sponsors
Paint Sponsor
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. canadacouncil.ca
Header image: Installation photo by Toni Hafkenscheid