Born on the West Bay of Manitoulin Island in Ontario, John Eric Laford was a celebrated Anishinaabe Canadian artist who passed away in 2021. Laford was inspired by the Ojibwe legends and stories of his elders on Manitoulin Island. Laford was the grandson of hereditary chief Dominic Migwans and Anne Commando. 

In this exhibition visitors to the gallery will enjoy Laford's interpreted visions, stories and legends of his elders through the artist's incredibly dynamic and visually striking paintings.  Laford used various materials including paper, birch bark, canvas, pine, cedar, and pipestone, as surfaces to depict his stories in paint. The artist's works are poignant studies of all creation, including the spirits, elders, animals and plants. 

John Eric Laford's paintings have been collected and exhibited by The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, The Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia, The Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Institute of Contemporary Art, P.S.I., New York, as well as several public art museums in Europe.

Exhibition runs from July 13 - Sept. 14, 2024.