Spring 2025 Exhibitions at the MacLaren Art Centre

On Friday, March 21, 6:30 – 9:00 pm, the MacLaren Art Centre unveils its Spring Season of exhibitions. All are welcome to attend. Remarks begin at 7:00 pm. Admission is free, registration encouraged.

Images (left to right): Tony Calzetta, Villa Debris, 1982, intaglio on paper, 48.58 x 38.74 cm. Collection of the MacLaren Art Centre; Jane Buyers, Squash, 1981, lithograph on paper, 101 x 72 cm. Collection of the MacLaren Art Centre, gift of Janusz Dukszta, 2002; Installation detail of Lost and Found: The Inner Child, featuring Arnaud Maggs, Scrapbook 1, 2009, (Collection of MacLaren Art Centre, Bequest from John Reesor, 2010) and Toy Car, 1940-1950s (Collection of the Simcoe County Museum); Harold Klunder, Lethbridge #36, watercolour on paper, 41 x 61 cm, collection of the MacLaren Art Centre, gift of John F. (Jack) Petch, 2003.

Subjective Illuminations: Prints from the MacLaren’s Permanent Collection

March 21 – June 8, 2025
Gallery 3

Subjective Illuminations offers a focused glimpse into the MacLaren Art Centre’s commitment to collecting diverse print artworks, showcasing acquisitions to the Permanent Collection from 1998 to 2017. Including over fifty prints, the exhibition presents a vibrant mix of techniques and subject matter. Borrowing its title from a suite of works by Andrew Smith, the exhibition invites introspection into personal reflections and societal concerns, revealing the unique visions of Carl Beam, Jane Buyers, Alex Colville, and Margaret Priest, alongside other celebrated artists.

Lost and Found: The Inner Child

March 8 – April 10, 2025
Molson Community Gallery
Curatorial Talk: Wednesday, April 9, 12:00 – 1:00 pm. Admission is free, registration encouraged.

Lost and Found: The Inner Child reflects on childhood experiences and memories. It reveals the inner child of Simcoe County, through nostalgic artifacts from the Simcoe County Museum’s collection paired with varied artworks from the MacLaren Art Centre’s collection. The exhibition explores themes of change, imagination, and care, and invites viewers to reflect on personal experiences.

This exhibition is curated by students of the Museum and Gallery Studies program at Georgian College: Evan Helmond, Keegan Smith, Lauren Verbakel, and Sabrina Schoneveld. Grateful thanks to Georgian College and the Simcoe County Museum for their partnership.

Harold Klunder: In Fluid Motion

Extended until June 29, 2025!
Janice Laking Gallery

In Fluid Motion celebrates Harold Klunder’s unique fluency with watercolour, featuring twenty-five works from the MacLaren Art Centre’s Permanent Collection that weave fluid gestures and vibrant hues into shifting symbols and hidden forms. Each composition pulses with a sense of exploration, where washes and staccato marks conjure shifting symbols and narratives.

About the MacLaren Art Centre

The MacLaren Art Centre is the major public art gallery in Central Ontario serving the residents of Barrie, the County of Simcoe, and surrounding area. The Gallery has a significant permanent collection of contemporary Canadian art and presents a year-round programme of exhibitions, education activities, and special events.

The MacLaren is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabek, which include the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Pottawatomi Nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. The local bands consist of the Chippewa Tri-Council, who are made up of Beausoleil First Nation, Georgina Island First Nation, and Rama First Nation. We would also like to acknowledge the Wendat Nation (Huron) who occupied these lands prior to the middle of the 17th century.

As a registered charity, the MacLaren relies on public and private support for its operations and programs. The MacLaren gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of its Members, Patrons, Donors, Sponsors, Partners, the City of Barrie, the Ontario Arts Council, the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, and Canadian Heritage.

MacLaren Art Centre
37 Mulcaster Street
Barrie, ON, L4M 3M2
T: 705-721-9696
www.maclarenart.com

Gallery Hours
Mondays: Closed
Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm
Wheelchair accessible