Overview

William Kurelek (1927–1977) is a beloved figure in Canadian art, a revered Ukrainian-Canadian painter whose works express his deeply felt immigrant experience and his compassionate vision of humanity. In 1975, he created a suite of 16 jewel-toned paintings titled Jewish Life in Canada in homage to his Jewish art dealer and friend Avrom Isaacs and as a gesture across the cultural divide. Relying on archival documents and photographs from communities across the country, Kurelek foregrounded the role of tradition, community, and family at the core of the Jewish experience in mid-twentieth century Canada. He portrayed Prairie farm colonies; businesses and schools in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg; and celebrations of festivals and community events at home and in the synagogue. William Kurelek: Jewish Life in Canada includes essays by McMichael Chief Curator Sarah Milroy considering Kurelek’s articulation of the Canadian ideal of multiculturalism and by Executive Director Ian A.C. Dejardin exploring Kurelek’s distinctive framing strategies. The book also includes pieces by David S. Koffman on Jewish life in 1970s Canada and John Geoghegan on Kurelek’s use of photographic sources, as well as an artistic response by Ukrainian Canadian artist Natalka Husar. The volume features more than 50 images, including reproductions of the full suite of Kurelek paintings as well as previously unpublished archival source material, offering a complete record of Kurelek’s working process.

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9781773103198

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"""Kurelek paints a vivid and vibrant picture of Canada's Jewish community across the land."" - Michael Greenstein - Miramichi Reader - 20230911"

"""Kurelek paints a vivid and vibrant picture of Canada's Jewish community across the land."""

“Kurelek paints a vivid and vibrant picture of Canada’s Jewish community across the land.” -- Michael Greenstein * <i>Miramichi Reader</i> *

Author Information

Sarah Milroy is Executive Director and Chief Curator at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. A highly respected art writer and exhibition curator, she has contributed to more than a dozen books on art, including Generations: The Sobey Family & Canadian Art, A Like Vision: The Group of Seven & Tom Thomson, and From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia.

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