EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
Kim Ondaatje: The House on Piccadilly Street features a group of recently acquired works, created between 1967 and 1969, depicting various scenes of the artist’s Victorian house in London, Ontario. The opposing feelings of comfort and claustrophobia are exquisitely captured in this exhibition of serene screenprints and paintings by the Toronto-born artist.
A generous selection of photographs, letters and sketches from the artist’s archive are part of this revealing exhibition, as is a short film by Ondaatje’s grandson, Khyber Jones. The film, which intimately portrays the artist at her current home, Blueroof Farm, just north of Kingston, Ontario, illustrates Ondaatje’s connection to her artwork, her land and her animals, and underscores the importance of the concept of home to the artist.
Curated by Renée van der Avoird, AGO Assistant Curator, Canadian Art, Ondaatje's unconventional views on domesticity and her resultant artworks provide a compelling addition to the long history of women artists and interior landscapes.