Fourteen Canadian Artists to Know

Across North America and abroad, cultural organizations have been asked to present solutions to help eradicate the systemic racism that exists in our societies and institutions. At the Art Canada Institute we are listening. We recognize that art history has obscured and overlooked artists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. This online exhibition celebrates the works of fourteen Black Canadian artists—historical and contemporary—to help change the conversation and build a multi-vocal narrative. In addition to this list there are many more names to know—they are essential to redefining how we understand and appreciate this country’s art.


  • Deanna Bowen

    Deanna Bowen “The Klan Comes to Town” (still), 2013

  • Anique Jordan

    Anique Jordan “Mas’ at 94 Chestnut”, 2016

  • Denyse Thomasos

    Denyse Thomasos “Urban Jewel”, 1995

  • Kit Lang

    Kit Lang “Incendiary, Marie-Joseph Angélique”, 2012

  • Stan Douglas

    Stan Douglas “Luanda-Kinshasa”, 2013

  • Edith Hester Macdonald-Brown

    Edith Hester Macdonald-Brown “Untitled”, 1906

  • Kapwani Kiwanga

    Kapwani Kiwanga “Shady”, 2018

  • Robert S. Duncanson

    Robert S. Duncanson “Owl’s Head Mountain”, 1864

  • Unknown photographer

    Unknown photographer “Tintype of Young African American Woman Seated at Table”, n.d.

  • Oreka James

    Oreka James “Untitled”, 2016

  • Tim Whiten

    Tim Whiten “Siege Perilous”, 1988

  • Syrus Marcus Ware

    Syrus Marcus Ware “Portrait of QueenTite Opaleke” from the Activist Portrait Series, 2016

  • Liz Ikiriko

    Liz Ikiriko “Homegoing I”, 2017

  • Camille Turner

    Camille Turner “Hometown Queen”, 2011

More Online Exhibitions

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