Cal Lane: Industrial Intimacies

Cal Lane, Pantie (detail), plasma cut steel, 2017. Installed in Try Me at Art Mûr, 2017. Image courtesy of Art Mûr. Photograph by Michael Patten.

Cal Lane: Industrial Intimacies

Curated by Karly Boileau
January 24 – April 19, 2026
Cambridge Art Galleries, Queen’s Square

For just over two decades, Cal Lane has transfigured banal, utilitarian objects into artistic wonders that continually delight and inspire audiences. In her most recognizable pieces, Lane uses an oxyacetylene cutting torch and a plasma cutter to carve intricate designs into steel. In other artworks, Lane uses materials ranging from soil to sandpaper to tires, creating juxtapositions between opposites: utilitarian and aesthetic, industrial and domestic, masculine and feminine. Undoubtedly, Lane’s previous career paths in hairdressing and welding help to inform her artistic practice and the nuanced ways she plays with societal norms and expectations. As you make your way through the exhibition, look beyond the surface of objects and see what meanings and connections you bring to each work. Industrial Intimacies at Cambridge Art Galleries, Queen’s Square, is the first retrospective exhibition of Lane’s work in Southwestern Ontario.

– Karly Boileau, Senior Curator

Cal Lane, Pink Pantie, plasma cut steel, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist.

Related Programming

Opening Reception – Cal Lane: Industrial Intimacies
Saturday, January 24, 11:00am – 2:00pm
Cambridge Art Galleries, Queen’s Square
No registration required

Celebrate the opening reception of Cal Lane’s solo exhibition, Industrial Intimacies at the Queen’s Square Gallery. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend.

About the Artist

Cal Lane is an internationally acclaimed sculptor known for turning ordinary objects into lacy artworks. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and a Master degree in Fine Arts in sculpture from State University of New York. To date, her pieces stand alone in capturing a delicacy and intricacy quite apart from her closest contemporaries. Lane’s tapestries, cut into harsh and often preternaturally large steel and iron structures, are sensual, alluring and deeply effeminate. Having spent much of her early life as a hairdresser in her mother’s salon in Vancouver Island, Lane soon became interested in exploring gender roles and conceptual art. Lane’s work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally including Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, France and the USA.

Also On View

Natalie Hunter: You might as well try and hold the sun
August 29, 2025 – August 29, 2026
Cambridge Public Library, Queen’s Square

Sofia Eleni Escobar: Cast Shadow
July 15, 2025 – July 11, 2026
Cambridge Public Library, Hespeler

Mads Brimble: The Keepers
November 21, 2025 – April 13, 2026
Cambridge Public Library, Queen’s Square Artist Garden and Clemens Mill

Belonging Artist in Residence: Alisa McRonald
January 5, 2026 – March 13, 2026
Cambridge Public Library, Preston Gallery

Cambridge Art Galleries
cambridgepl.ca/cambridge-art-galleries
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Cambridge Art Galleries, Queen’s Square
1 North Square
Cambridge, ON N1S 2K6

Hours of Operation
Monday to Thursday, 9:30am – 8:30pm
Friday and Saturday, 9:30am – 5:30pm
Sunday, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Admission is free. All are welcome.

Cambridge Art Galleries is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Neutral peoples. We recognize that this land is part of the Haldimand Tract, extending 10km on either side of the Grand River.

Cambridge Art Galleries presents contemporary art from two galleries in the City of Cambridge: Queen’s Square and Preston. We serve our regional and broader communities through the delivery of contemporary art programs that foster critical cultural dialogue. Our artistic activities engage, embrace, and empower people of all ages and abilities from diverse backgrounds.

Accessibility:
Cambridge Art Galleries, Cambridge Public Library is fully accessible. For more information: cambridgepl.ca/about/accessibility

Media Contact:
Karly Boileau
Senior Curator
Cambridge Art Galleries
kboileau@cambridgepl.ca
519.621.0460 x160