Fall 2026 Exhibitions at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The RMG is pleased to present five new exhibitions

Zoe Ann Cardinal Cire, Tante, 2026, dry earth pigments on raw canvas, 66″ x 49″. Courtesy of the artist.

Zoe Ann Cardinal Cire: In Plains Air

September 26, 2026 – February 14, 2027
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 26, 1 – 3:30pm

In Plains Air presents new works by Zoe Ann Cardinal Cire, shaped by her time on her ancestral territories in Treaty 6. In the bush, the boundaries between inside and outside fall away—the land is home, shelter, and teacher. Cire turns to this context to rethink Western plein-air painting, reframing it through Cree worldviews in which living, making, and being on the land are inseparable.

More info about the exhibition >

Noelle Wharton-Ayer, Bedfellows – Orchid-oeillet, 2024, silver gelatin photogram on Ilford Multigrade Art 300, 16″ x 20″. Courtesy of the artist.

Nightfall

November 21, 2026 – April 18, 2027
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 21, 4 – 7pm

As Earth rotates on its axis, the sun delivers periods of lightness and darkness to the planet, fuelling numerous cycles that unfold within daily life and across deep geological time. Drawing on the transition from day to night as a poetic frame, Nightfall is an invitation to reflect on the relationship between these terrestrial cycles and the material, emotional, and social conditions of our lives. Motivated by the opportunities available to us at the threshold into night, this exhibition asks how we can sense the world differently, turn inward, face our fears, seek shelter with one another, and dream? It is an expression of trust in the role of rest alongside action and of hope in the surrender to distance, darkness, and the unknown.

More info about the exhibition >

Lana Yuan, Wind-sharpened Bone, 2026, PLA, matte black, 5″ x 7″ x 2.6″. Courtesy of the artist.

Lana Yuan: RBC Emerging Artist Residency Exhibition

October 3, 2026 – November 29, 2026
Opening Reception: Sunday, October 18, 2026, 12:30 – 2:30pm

This exhibition will feature new work created by the artist during her residency at the gallery this summer.

More info about the exhibition >

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program is generously sponsored by the RBC Foundation.

Everyday Matters

September 5, 2026 – August 22, 2027

This exhibition explores how artists capture the beauty of daily life through depictions of common objects, places or tasks. Drawn from the Permanent Collection, the artworks in this exhibition invite viewers to reconsider what is worthy of notice and to reflect on how everyday matters shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

More info about the exhibition >

Recent Acquisitions: Abstraction

September 5, 2026 – March 27, 2027

This exhibition presents contemporary abstraction acquired over the past five years that demonstrate the RMG’s continued commitment to telling the ongoing history of abstraction in Canada. These acquisitions broaden that history by embracing a wider range of voices and perspectives, demonstrating how abstraction is an evolving and dynamic genre of art.

More info about the exhibition >

Also On View

Stories in Ink: Illustrations by Oscar Cahén
June 13, 2026 – January 3, 2027

This exhibition presents rarely seen illustrations from the Permanent Collection, revealing Cahén’s ability to craft vivid scenes that capture humour, empathy, and the complexities of the human experience.

More info about the exhibition >

About The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) believes that art plays a vital role in cultivating connected and caring communities. As an artist-centred, community-oriented public art gallery, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, fosters meaningful dialogue, and nurtures a sense of belonging. Through collaborative relationships with artists, partners, and communities, the RMG presents dynamic collections, exhibitions, and programs within an inclusive and equitable environment.

The RMG is the largest public art gallery in Durham Region, located in downtown Oshawa on the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. Each year, we present exhibitions drawn from our Permanent Collection alongside special exhibitions of contemporary art. Our collection of more than 4,700 works is nationally recognized for its focus on the continuing story of Canadian abstraction. Annually, the RMG welcomes approximately 38,000 visitors and engages over 10,000 participants through exhibitions, education programs, volunteer initiatives, event spaces, our shop, artist-in-residence program, and digital offerings. Admission to the RMG is always free, and we typically present more than 100 free public programs each year.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is an accessible venue. To learn more or request accommodations, please visit the website.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
72 Queen Street
Civic Centre
Oshawa, ON L1H 3Z3
www.rmg.on.ca
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