Curated by Sherry Farrell Racette, Michelle LaVallee and Cathy Mattes

Indigenous artists have long used beadwork to tell stories, honour loved ones and celebrate beauty. Using techniques and knowledge passed from previous generations, today’s Indigenous artists are using beading to address concerns related to history, decolonization and resistance. Radical Stitch – the largest contemporary beadwork exhibition to date – presents a wealth of works ranging from wearable art and portraiture to installation and video that connect past and present as they imagine new worlds.

The accompanying catalogue celebrates the innovative art of 56 artists from across Turtle Island who have exhibited at most or all of the venues for this touring exhibition. In full, vivid colour, this publication presents 30 figures and 82 plates of their selected artworks, which reflect a range of humour, poignant testimony, and political and social commentary.

Radical Stitch Itinerary:

MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina: 30 April – 25 September 2022
Art Gallery of Hamilton: 11 February – 27 August 2023
Thunder Bay Art Gallery: 13 October 2023 – 3 March 2024
National Gallery of Canada: 17 May – 30 September 2024
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton: 30 November 2024 – 2 March 2025
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis: 12 April – 3 August 2025

Featured in the catalogue: Barry Ace, Eva Talooki Aliktiluk, Carrie Allison, Marcus Amerman, Judy Anderson, Kristen Auger, Kaylyn Baker, Christi Belcourt, Michael Belmore, Catherine Blackburn, Katherine Boyer, Jackie Larson Bread, Marcia Chickeness, Hannah Claus, Dana Claxton, Jon Michael Robert Corbett, Ruth Cuthand, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Marcy Friesen, Teri Greeves, Joyce Growing Thunder, Justine Gustafson, Donald & Carla Hemlock, Maria Hupfield, Lizzie Ittinuar, Bev Koski, Casey Koyczan, Jennine Krauchi, Martha Kyak, Mindy Lauren Magyar, Amy Malbeuf, Jean Marshall, Audie Murray, Nadia Myre, Margaret Nazon, Candace Neumann, Niap, Shelley Niro, Elias Not Afraid, Jamie Okuma, Sandra Okuma, Taqralik Partridge, Jobena Petonoquot, Memory Rose Poni-Cappo, Alesia Poncho & Farlan Quetawki, Skawennati, Samuel Thomas, Marie Watt, Olivia Whetung, Dyani White Hawk, Kenneth Williams Jr., Nico Williams, Will Wilson, Summer Yahbay

Printed in Canada
Softcover
20.32 x 26.67 cm (8 x 10.5 in.)
Publication date: 2024

Mary Pratt (1935-2018)
Red Currant Jelly, 1972

Pratt often took domestic imagery as her subject, believing that commonplace objects were “worthy of a close look.” The acclaimed Newfoundland painter experimented with light to transform an ordinary moment into a charged dramatic scene.

6.5 x 9 cm (2.5 x 3.5 in.)

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Mary Pratt (1935-2018)
Red Currant Jelly, 1972

Pratt often took domestic imagery as her subject, believing that commonplace objects were “worthy of a close look.” The acclaimed Newfoundland painter experimented with light to transform an ordinary moment into a charged dramatic scene.

Card dimensions: 13.5 x 17.5 cm (5.3 x 6.8 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Edited by Stephanie S. Dickey and Jochen Sander with contributions by Jonathan Bikker, Jan Blanc, Sonia Del Re, Stephanie S. Dickey, Rudi Ekkart and Claire van den Donk, Robert Fucci, Jasper Hillegers, Maarten Prak, Jochen Sander, Friederike Schütt, Martin Sonnabend.

Around the age of 25, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) moved from his hometown of Leiden to Amsterdam, which was the commercial capital of northern Europe at that time. Considered a bold step for a fledgling artist, this change demonstrates that Rembrandt wanted to benefit financially from Amsterdam's robust art market. He soon married the cousin of a successful art dealer, and came into frequent contact with wealthy and sophisticated patrons who eagerly commissioned him to paint their portraits. The artist's style quickly evolved from the small, meticulous panels of his Leiden period to the broadly brushed, dramatically lit and realistically rendered canvases for which he is renowned.

Rembrandt in Amsterdam explores this pivotal transition in the artist’s career and reveals how the stimulating and affluent environment of Amsterdam inspired him to reach his full potential. Lavishly illustrated, this volume offers a fascinating look into Amsterdam’s unparalleled creative community and its role in Rembrandt’s development of a wide-ranging brand that comprised landscapes, genre scenes, history paintings, portraits and printmaking.

Hardcover | 384 pages
24.8 x 29.9 cm (9.7 x 11.7 in.)
Publication date: 2021

Edited by Stephanie S. Dickey and Jochen Sander with contributions by Jonathan Bikker, Jan Blanc, Sonia Del Re, Stephanie S. Dickey, Rudi Ekkart and Claire van den Donk, Robert Fucci, Jasper Hillegers, Maarten Prak, Jochen Sander, Friederike Schütt, Martin Sonnabend.

Around the age of 25, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) moved from his hometown of Leiden to Amsterdam, which was the commercial capital of northern Europe at that time. Considered a bold step for a fledgling artist, this change demonstrates that Rembrandt wanted to benefit financially from Amsterdam's robust art market. He soon married the cousin of a successful art dealer, and came into frequent contact with wealthy and sophisticated patrons who eagerly commissioned him to paint their portraits. The artist's style quickly evolved from the small, meticulous panels of his Leiden period to the broadly brushed, dramatically lit and realistically rendered canvases for which he is renowned.

Rembrandt in Amsterdam explores this pivotal transition in the artist’s career and reveals how the stimulating and affluent environment of Amsterdam inspired him to reach his full potential. Lavishly illustrated, this volume offers a fascinating look into Amsterdam’s unparalleled creative community and its role in Rembrandt’s development of a wide-ranging brand that comprised landscapes, genre scenes, history paintings, portraits and printmaking.

Hardcover | 384 pages
24.8 x 29.9 cm (9.7 x 11.7 in.)
Publication Date: 2021

Edited by Sylvie Lacerte with contributions by Gilles Daigneault, Vera Frenkel, Manuel Mathieu, Caroline Monnet, Marc-Antoine K. Phaneuf and Marc Séguin

Marking the centenary of his birth, the exhibition Riopelle, à la croisée des temps introduces Jean Paul Riopelle as a tireless experimenter and innovator, anchored in the contemporary realm. Drawing on the artist’s work across various mediums and materials, guest curator Sylvie Lacerte paints a portrait of Riopelle as a visionary trailblazer. Offering a unique take on this famed Canadian artist, this retrospective presents his acclaimed works alongside creations rarely or never before shown in public.

This richly illustrated catalogue features essays by art specialists and artists who reflect on Riopelle’s legacy as they look at his work. Discover the full force of his legendary influence on both his contemporaries and artists working today, all of whom represent a broad range of cultural and aesthetic perspectives.

Hardcover | 208 pages
Publication Date: 2023

Edited by Sylvie Lacerte with contributions by Gilles Daigneault, Vera Frenkel, Manuel Mathieu, Caroline Monnet, Marc-Antoine K. Phaneuf and Marc Séguin

Marking the centenary of his birth, the exhibition Riopelle: Crossroads in Time introduces Jean Paul Riopelle as a tireless experimenter and innovator, anchored in the contemporary realm. Drawing on the artist’s work across various mediums and materials, guest curator Sylvie Lacerte paints a portrait of Riopelle as a visionary trailblazer. Offering a unique take on this famed Canadian artist, this retrospective presents his acclaimed works alongside creations rarely or never before shown in public.

This richly illustrated catalogue features essays by art specialists and artists who reflect on Riopelle’s legacy as they look at his work. Discover the full force of his legendary influence on both his contemporaries and artists working today, all of whom represent a broad range of cultural and aesthetic perspectives.

Hardcover | 208 pages
Publication Date: 2023

Sarah Milroy

Sans invitation : Les artistes canadiennes de la modernité offers commentary on a generation of extraordinary women painters, photographers, sculptors, architects and filmmakers from a century ago — pioneers who opened new frontiers for women artists in Canada — as well as works made by their Indigenous female contemporaries working in traditional media, for a cross-country snapshot of female creativity in this dynamic modern moment.

Hardcover | 320 pages
Publication Date: 2021

This notecard features the artwork Sans titre (1953) by Jean Paul Riopelle (1923-2002).

Card dimensions: 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

This notecard features the painting Sans titre (1965) by Jean Paul Riopelle (1923-2002).

Card dimensions: 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Josée Drouin-Brisebois

As the commissioning institution for the 55th International Art Exhibition, the National Gallery of Canada presents the work of Shary Boyle, a consummate object maker who uses imaginary narratives to explore human psychological and emotional states. The catalogue highlights the artist’s practice, which spans a diversity of media, including fine craft, drawing, sculpture, experimental performance and immersive installations.

Paper | 192 pages
Publication Date: 2013

English, French and Italian

Melissa Bennett, Greg Hill, and David W. Penney

Shelley Niro is widely known for her ability to explore Traditional Stories, transgress boundaries, and embody the ethos of her matriarchal culture. A member of the Six Nations Reserve, Turtle Clan, Bay of Quinte Mohawk, she uses a wide variety of media, including photography, installation, film, and painting to bring greater visibility to Indigenous women and girls.

Pushing the limits of photography, Niro incorporates imagery from Traditional Stories to focus on contemporary subjects with wit, irony, and parody. Throughout her work — in her portraiture, sculptures, landscape paintings, photography, and film and video work — Niro challenges common preconceptions about gender, culture, and Indigenous Peoples.

Hardcover | 304 pages
20.5 x 25 cm (8.1 x 9.8 in.)
Publication Date: 2023

Published by the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and distributed by Goose Lane Editions.

Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch accompanies an international touring exhibition organized by the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian with the collaboration of the National Gallery of Canada.

Melissa Bennett, Greg Hill, and David W. Penney

Shelley Niro is widely known for her ability to explore Traditional Stories, transgress boundaries, and embody the ethos of her matriarchal culture. A member of the Six Nations Reserve, Turtle Clan, Bay of Quinte Mohawk, she uses a wide variety of media, including photography, installation, film, and painting to bring greater visibility to Indigenous women and girls.

Pushing the limits of photography, Niro incorporates imagery from Traditional Stories to focus on contemporary subjects with wit, irony, and parody. Throughout her work — in her portraiture, sculptures, landscape paintings, photography, and film and video work — Niro challenges common preconceptions about gender, culture, and Indigenous Peoples.

Hardcover | 304 pages
20.5 x 25 cm (8.1 x 9.8 in.)
Publication Date: 2023

Published by the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and distributed by Goose Lane Editions.

Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch accompanies an international touring exhibition organized by the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian with the collaboration of the National Gallery of Canada.

Shine a Light Surgir de l'ombre: Canadian Biennial 2014 (Bilingual)

Josée Drouin-Brisebois, Greg Hill, Andrea Kunard, Jonathan Shaughnessy and Rhiannon Vogl

Shine a Light Surgir de l’ombre highlights an exemplar selection of recent acquisitions to the National Gallery of Canada’s Canadian Contemporary, Indigenous and Photographs holdings. This biennial showcases the production of twenty-six artists from different generations and backgrounds, and features over eighty works ranging from film and video installations to sculptures, paintings, drawings and photographs. Often looking to past events, literature, films, places, cultural movements and traditions, the artists in the exhibition are very much ingrained in issues of the present day. Their works encourage us to reconsider time and the writing of history, our relationship to the natural world, the powerful role of images in how information is communicated, and how we perceive and interpret accepted facts.

Featured artists: David Armstrong Six, Shuvinai Ashoona, Nicolas Baier, Shary Boyle, Edward Burtynsky, Tammi Campbell, Mario Doucette, Geoffrey Farmer, David Hartt, Isabelle Hayeur, Phillippa Jones, Stéphane La Rue, Rita Letendre, An Te Liu, David McMillan, Damian Moppett, Luke Parnell, Vanessa Paschakarnis, Ed Pien, Tim Pitsiulak, Kelly Richardson, Jeremy Shaw, Althea Thauberger, Jutai Toonoo, Howie Tsui, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun

Softcover | 260 pages
20.32 x 27.3 cm (8 x 10.75 in.)
Publication Date: 2014

Jin-me Yoon (b. 1960)
Souvenirs of the Self (Lake Louise), 1991

Yoon emigrated from South Korea to Vancouver in 1968. While studying contemporary art, she was exposed to artists and theorists engaged with questions of sexual and cultural difference. Her work is recognized for contributing to the ongoing discussions concerning identity and place.

9 x 6.5 cm (3.5 x 2.5 in.)

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Jin-me Yoon (b. 1960)
Souvenirs of the Self (Lake Louise), 1991

Yoon emigrated from South Korea to Vancouver in 1968. While studying contemporary art, she was exposed to artists and theorists engaged with questions of sexual and cultural difference. Her work is recognized for contributing to the ongoing discussions concerning identity and place.

Card dimensions: 17.5 x 13.5 cm (6.8 x 5.3 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Edited by Reid Shier with contributions by Ma’an Abu Taleb, Erika Balsom, Samir Gandesha, and George E. Lewis.

Stan Douglas, one of the most compelling voices in Canadian contemporary art, has long explored critical sociocultural and political change. His exhibition for the 59th Biennale di Venezia, 2011 ≠ 1848, reflects upon the language of protest, revolution and the uprisings witnessed across the globe in 2011. Douglas’ four large-scale hybrid documentary photographs re-stage protests in Tunis, London, New York and Vancouver, and his two-channel HD video, ISDN, presents Grime and Mahraganat rappers exchanging subversive lyrics between studios in London and Cairo.

This stunning 288-page illustrated catalogue, published in English, French and Arabic, features some 100 full-colour detailed images that meticulously capture behind-the-scenes views of Douglas’ elaborate productions. Essays by leading international cultural thinkers examine the artist’s work in relation to music, political economy, contemporary media theory and the rise of Grime and Mahraganat.

Hardcover | 288 pages (100 illustrations)
24.8 x 27.5 cm (9.8 x 10.8 in.)
English, French and Arabic
Publication Date: 2022

Josée Drouin-Brisebois

The National Gallery of Canada is the commissioning institution for the 54th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale featuring the work of acclaimed artist Steven Shearer. Under its pop-cultural surface, Shearer’s work is surprisingly complex and insightful. By showing us aspects of popular culture from many different points of view, he exposes the false hierarchy of high and low art and prompts us to consider the more interesting differences between the cultural industries and the art world. The generously-illustrated catalogue published to accompany the Venice exhibition highlights Shearer’s paintings, text-based works, sculptures and photographic compilations.

Paper | 257 pages
Publication Date: 2011

English, French and Italian

Lucius R. O’Brien (1832-1899)
Sunrise on the Saguenay, Cape Trinity, 1880

O’Brien was appointed in 1880 as the first president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Canada’s first national arts organization. His painting Sunrise on the Saguenay, Cape Trinity was his diploma work, honouring his membership to the Academy, and was one of the earliest works to enter the NGC collection.

9 x 6.5 cm (3.5 x 2.5 in.)

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Lucius R. O’Brien (1832-1899)
Sunrise on the Saguenay, Cape Trinity, 1880

O’Brien was appointed in 1880 as the first president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Canada’s first national arts organization. His painting Sunrise on the Saguenay, Cape Trinity was his diploma work, honouring his membership to the Academy, and was one of the earliest works to enter the NGC collection.

Card dimensions: 17.5 x 13.5 cm (6.8 x 5.3 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.