Over three generations, the Sobey family of Nova Scotia has demonstrated their discerning and enthusiastic commitment to Canadian art. Accompanying a major exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the prestigious Sobey Art Award, Generations tells the story of a visionary family and their engagement with Canadian and Indigenous art.

This sweeping survey encompasses works by the beloved leaders of Canadian 20th-century art — the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson, David Milne, and Emily Carr — as well as offering a rich display of works by Cornelius Krieghoff, the Quebec Impressionists, Automatiste painters Jean Paul Riopelle and Paul-Émile Borduas, and Ukrainian Canadian artist William Kurelek, before moving onward to showcase leading contemporary artists. Among them are international artist Peter Doig, whose works draw on the legacies of Canadian art, and Indigenous artists Brenda Draney, Ursula Johnson, Kent Monkman, and Brian Jungen.

Featuring more than 200 full-colour images, Generations includes an introduction by McMichael Chief Curator Sarah Milroy, essays by McMichael Executive Director Ian A.C. Dejardin, art historians Jocelyn Anderson, John Geoghegan, and Michèle Grandbois, and an interview with contemporary artist Kent Monkman.

Sarah Milroy is a Toronto writer and art critic. She served as editor and publisher of Canadian Art magazine (1991-96) and as art critic of the Globe and Mail (2001-10). Milroy has contributed to publications on the work of Gathie Falk, Jack Chambers, Greg Curnoe and Fred Herzog, and is a regular contributor to Canadian Art, Border Crossings and The Walrus.

Sarah Milroy's profile page

“Generously illustrated and beautifully produced, it will be a welcome addition to many collections.”

<i>Billie Magazine</i>

“A beautifully produced coffee-table style volume, each individual work of art is flawless reproduced and is accompanied by an instructive commentary providing an informative context for the painting and the artist. Of particular interest to art students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Canadian Art History, Generations: The Sobey Family and Canadian Art is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Art History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.”

<i>Midwest Book Review</i>

“Generations: The Sobey Family and Canadian Art is a gorgeous book, suitable for bookshelf display, exploring the prominent Nova Scotia grocer family’s commitment to its Canadian and Indigenous art collection. It catalogues and complements the exhibition that inspired it.”

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