New installation opening April 25, highlights Orillia-born artists’ sensuous landscapes and figures
TORONTO — One of Canada’s pre-eminent modernist sculptors, Elizabeth Wyn Wood (1903-1966) captured her love of the rugged Canadian landscape and the resiliency of the human figure in marble, stone and bronze. This spring, to celebrate the recent acquisition of three works by Wyn Wood, the Art Gallery of Ontario presents a focused installation of her works. Opening April 25, 2026 in the Jennings Young Gallery on Level 2, Elizabeth Wyn Wood, is curated by Renée van der Avoird, the AGO’s Associate Curator of Canadian Art.
“Elizabeth Wyn Wood’s contribution to sculpture in Canada was profound – as an artist, educator, and advocate. A student and peer of the Group of Seven, she was tireless in her defense of the medium, stepping out of their shadows to chart a new way forward,” says Renée van der Avoird, the AGO’s Associate Curator of Canadian Art. “These three new acquisitions, seen in tandem with two of her most iconic works, highlight her contributions not just to Toronto and its built environment, but her energetic synthesis of influences and materials across four decades.”
Born in Orillia, Wyn Wood graduated from the Ontario College of Art (now OCAD University) in 1925, where she was taught by Group of Seven members Arthur Lismer and J.E.H. MacDonald. Wyn Wood’s early artistic concerns – simplified natural forms, rich materials – are embodied in Northern Island (1927). Three gleaming, gold-plated rocks emerge from a black marble base, representing deep, placid water. A lone sweeping tree, likely a jack pine, arches over the trio of rocks. In her work, the vision of the windswept tree is dramatically recast for the machine age as sleek and streamlined.
After graduation in November of 1926, Wyn Wood spent two months studying at the New York Student Arts League. Her work during this time showed a renewed interest in the human figure. Wyn Wood’s Man and Woman (1927-1928; realized in marble 1969), describes in luminous polished marble an intimate scene of two seated figures, finding shelter in each other. That angularity is echoed in the newly acquired sculpture Regeneration (1938), a dazzling plaster and gilt portrait of a seated mother and child, reminiscent of Egyptian statuary.
In the 1930's Wyn Wood received her first major commission for a public monument, and today her work adorns public spaces and buildings across Canada. In 1958, Wyn Wood was commissioned by architects Marani and Morris, to create two bas-relief carvings for the exterior of the Maclean-Hunter Publishing office (now the United Building) at the northeast corner of University Avenue and Dundas Street West in Toronto. These carvings, entitled Sending and Receiving, are based on the theme of communication, each featuring a nude figure floating languorously on the limestone façade. A stone's throw from the AGO; the building is currently under construction, but the maquettes for these carvings are now a part of the AGO collection.
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Elizabeth Wyn Wood is organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario.
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ABOUT ELIZABETH WYN WOOD
Elizabeth Wyn Wood (1903-1966) was a Canadian sculptor and art educator celebrated for her simplified designs, natural forms, and experimentation with materials. Born outside of Orillia, she graduated from the Ontario College of Art (now OCADU) in 1927. A founding member of the Sculptors' Society of Canada, she was part of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the Ontario Society of Artists. For more than 20 years, Wood taught at Central Technical School in Toronto. Her many public commissions can be found across Ontario, and her work is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada.
ABOUT MAX MARA
Founded in 1951 by the late visionary Achille Maramotti, Max Mara is one of the highest expressions of Italian luxury and style. A contemporary collection of ready-to-wear and accessories for today’s powerful women. Recognized for its timeless designs and its luxurious fabrics, Max Mara is revered for the classification of the absolute coat, sharp suiting, and modern accessories. Max Mara is distributed in 2,300 locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. The Max Mara Fashion Group counts nine different brands. The company remains privately held and managed by the Maramotti family.
ABOUT THE AGO
An architectural landmark, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is one of the largest art museums in North America. The AGO Collection of more than 120,000 works of art ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art to significant works by Indigenous and Canadian artists and European masterpieces. The AGO presents wide-ranging exhibitions and programs, including solo exhibitions and acquisitions by diverse and underrepresented artists from around the world. When it opens in 2027, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will present modern and contemporary art from Toronto and the world. With its groundbreaking Annual Pass program, the AGO is one of the most affordable and accessible attractions in the GTA. Visit ago.ca to learn more.
The AGO is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts, and generous contributions from AGO Members, donors, and private-sector partners.
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