Canadian landscape painting holds a special place in the country's artistic heritage, evolving dramatically over the past century to reflect changing cultural attitudes, artistic movements, and perspectives on the natural environment. From the pioneering work of the Group of Seven to contemporary interpretations, this evolution tells a fascinating story about Canadian identity and our relationship with the land.
The Group of Seven: Pioneers of a National Style
The story of modern Canadian landscape art begins in earnest with the Group of Seven. Formed in 1920, these artists—Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, and Frederick Varley—set out to create a distinctively Canadian art form that captured the rugged wilderness of the country's northern landscapes.
Rejecting European traditions that seemed unsuited to depicting Canada's unique terrain, they developed bold, stylized approaches characterized by vibrant colors, strong compositional structures, and an emphasis on the untamed power of nature. Their paintings celebrated the Canadian Shield, the forests of Ontario, and the Arctic landscapes as emblems of national identity and spirit.
Expanding the Vision: Indigenous Perspectives and Regional Voices
While the Group of Seven established a powerful visual language for Canadian landscape painting, this initially excluded important voices. Emily Carr, though not officially part of the group, expanded this vision through her paintings of British Columbia's coastal forests and Indigenous villages. Her work serves as a bridge between the Group's aesthetic and a more inclusive approach to Canadian landscape art.
The mid-20th century saw a greater recognition of Indigenous artists and their unique relationships with the land. Artists like Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, and Alex Janvier brought spiritual and cultural dimensions to landscape representation that had been absent from earlier works. Their art emphasized interconnection, ancestral knowledge, and living traditions rather than uninhabited wilderness.
Simultaneously, regional artistic centers emerged across Canada, each developing distinctive approaches to their local geographies. Quebec artists like Jean Paul Lemieux created stark, poetic landscapes of the St. Lawrence lowlands, while Prairie painters like William Kurelek depicted the vast horizontal planes of the wheat fields with both realism and spiritual symbolism.
Contemporary Approaches: Environmental Consciousness and Technological Mediation
Contemporary Canadian landscape artists work in a time of environmental crisis, when our relationship with nature is increasingly complex and troubled. Many have moved away from traditional romantic depictions toward works that address climate change, resource extraction, and the human impact on wilderness.
Edward Burtynsky's large-scale photographs document industrial landscapes and environmental degradation with a disturbing beauty. Kent Monkman reappropriates romantic landscape traditions to insert Indigenous narratives and critique colonial perspectives. Digital artists create immersive environmental experiences that respond to viewers and change over time.
Today's landscape art often operates at the intersection of environmental activism, cultural reclamation, and technological innovation. Some artists work directly with natural materials, creating ephemeral installations that decompose back into the landscape. Others use satellite imagery, data visualization, or virtual reality to represent landscapes in ways the Group of Seven could never have imagined.
The Continuing Relevance of Landscape Art
Despite these transformations—or perhaps because of them—landscape art remains central to Canadian cultural identity. As a country defined in part by its vast natural spaces, Canadians continue to process their relationship with the land through visual art. Each generation brings new techniques, concerns, and cultural perspectives to this tradition.
The evolution of Canadian landscape painting reflects our evolving national identity: from colonial outpost to independent nation with its own artistic vocabulary, to a multicultural society grappling with environmental challenges and the legacies of colonialism. Throughout these changes, the land itself remains a constant presence and inspiration, connecting contemporary artists to those who painted the first distinctively Canadian landscapes a century ago.
At Geo Canada Art Gallery, we celebrate this rich tradition by showcasing works by both established and emerging artists who continue to interpret Canada's diverse landscapes through their unique creative visions. We invite you to explore our collection and discover how today's artists are carrying forward—and transforming—this essential aspect of Canadian art.
