Fall 2025 Exhibition at McIntosh Gallery, London

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 25, 5 – 7pm | Remarks at 5:45pm
This event is free and open to the public. Visitor parking information.

Jamie Q, The Possibilities are Endless, 2012, 6-colour screen print. Purchase, Saward Memorial Fund, 2012. Collection of McIntosh Gallery, Western University.

Holding Patterns: the long view – A Look Inside the McIntosh Gallery Collection

Curated by Rachel Deiterding
September 25 – December 6, 2025

Holding Patterns: the long view examines the McIntosh Gallery collection through the lens of collection data–the information that is recorded to describe, organize, and preserve knowledge about each artwork.

Through a curatorial approach that centres data, the selected artworks present a proportionally accurate overview of the 4,350 artworks in the gallery’s care. They make visible trends in collecting activity, artistic approaches, and how information has been categorized to offer insights into the collection’s purpose and evolving priorities.

Among the many stories the data tells is a century-long history of collecting, the who, what, when of the collection since its inception in the 1920s. Yet data is not neutral. Equally present are the stories that are missing from the data, the gaps and inconsistencies that leave us with more questions than answers and inform what we ask next.

Reflecting on decades of collecting, the exhibition recognizes data as both a historical and a future-oriented tool. Its insights and its omissions shape the questions we ask and how we imagine the future of the collection. Read more

Featured Artists: Kenojuak Ashevak, Eric Atkinson, Carl Beam, Micheline Beauchemin, Ron Benner, Michael Bidner, Rudolf Bikkers, David Blackwood, Charles John Collings, William Nichol Cresswell, Greg Curnoe, Geraldine Davis, Michael Durham, Brian Fisher, Robert Fones, Annie French, Paddy Gunn O’Brien, Wyn Geleynse, Jamelie Hassan, Thomas Hodgson, Walter Jule, Brian Jones, Antje Laidler, Suzy Lake, Stanley Lewis, Arther Lismer, Stephen Livick, Kenneth Lochhead, Ron Martin, Clark McDougall, Ray Mead, David Milne, Kim Moodie, Shelley Niro, Kim Ondaatje, Gerald Pedros, Jamie Q, Angie Quick, Gillian Saward, Becky Singleton, Gordon Appelbe Smith, Michael Snow, Jamasie Teevee, Ningiukulu Teevee, Colette Urban, Aidan Urquhart, Tony Urquhart, Victor Vasarely, Eddy Weetalukektak, Joyce Wieland, Jeff Willmore, and Tim Whiten.

Related Programming:

Let’s Talk Collections: Where Art and Data Intersect
Thursday, October 16, 5 – 6pm
Free | Open to the public

Get an inside look at the McIntosh Gallery collection in this curator-led exhibition tour of Holding Patterns: the long view. The tour will explore collections data as a tool for understanding the history of museum and gallery collections. Participants will be immersed in surprising details and puzzling challenges that emerged through the development of this exhibition.

Mindful Mondays
Monday, September 29, 12:15 – 1pm, facilitated by Benjamin Tran
Monday, October 20, 12:15 – 1pm, facilitated by Kerri Murphy Phillips
Monday, November 17, 12:15 – 1pm, facilitated by Benjamin Tran
Free | Open to the public

Art inspires calm. Discover the power of art and mindfulness as tools to reduce stress and encourage connection in this guided mindfulness experience. Sometimes art can seem intimidating, but there are many different ways in. This session will encourage participants to look deeply, engage multiple senses, and explore new perspectives.

Into the Vault: Building Collections Management Skills
Curious about working in museums? Come build knowledge, skills, and confidence to take into your career in this series of hands-on professional development workshops. No experience required!

Condition Reporting
Wednesday, October 8, 6 – 9pm

Cataloguing and Digital Collections Management Systems (PastPerfect)
Wednesday, October 22, 6 – 9pm

Object Handling and Collections Q&A
Wednesday, November 19, 6 – 9pm

Registration required due to capacity limitations. Workshops are free and open to the public.

If possible, we encourage participants to register for all three workshops. The workshops are designed to be experienced in series. Western University students who attend all three workshops are eligible to receive credit on their Western Co-Curricular Record.

The Connecting to Collections project is generously supported by Catherine Elliot Shaw.

McIntosh Gallery
1151 Richmond Street
London, ON N6A 3K7
mcintoshgallery.ca
mcintoshgallery@uwo.ca
(519) 661-3181

Facebook @McIntoshGallery
Instagram @McIntoshGallery

Our Hours
Monday to Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 12 – 4pm
Sundays and Holidays: Closed
McIntosh Gallery offers free admission to all exhibitions and events

Accessibility:
We regret that McIntosh Gallery is not wheelchair accessible.