David Blackwood. Night Passage, 1978. Etching and aquatint on wove paper, Overall: 61.5 x 80.5 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Gift of David and Anita Blackwood, Port Hope, Ontario, 1999. © Estate of David Blackwood. 99/942

David Blackwood: Home

Opening October 18, 2025

Located on Level 1 in Margaret Eaton Gallery ( #137), Marvin Gelber Gallery (#136), and Betty Ann & Fraser Elliott Gallery (#135)
Admission is always FREE for AGO Members, AGO Annual Passholders & Ontarians 25 and under. Learn more.

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

One of Canada's best-known printmakers, David Blackwood (1941–2022) put onto paper an enduring vision of Newfoundland. Born and raised on Bonavista Bay, his hauntingly beautiful images—suffused with struggle and myth—are drawn from childhood memories, dreams, superstitions, legends, and oral traditions.

Tracing Blackwood’s career from his first days as an art student at the Ontario College of Art to his final drawing, this expansive retrospective brings together more than 80 drawings and prints, alongside proofs, copperplates, and archival materials. Thanks to the generosity of the artist and his family, the AGO is home to Blackwood’s archives, and the largest collection of his work in the world. Curated by Alexa Greist, Curator & R. Fraser Elliott Chair, Prints and Drawings at the AGO, this exhibition aims to reveal the creative evolution of a beloved Canadian artist.

Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
David Blackwood (1941–2022) was born and raised in the community of Wesleyville, on Bonavista Bay in Newfoundland. In 1961, Blackwood left Newfoundland to attend the Ontario College of Art where he studied under John Alfsen, Carl Schaefer, William Roberts, Eric Freifeld, Rowley Murphy, and Jock MacDonald. After graduating in 1963, Blackwood settled in Port Hope, Ontario, but continued to return to Newfoundland each summer. He died in 2022.

David Blackwood: Home

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

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