Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships
September 20, 2025 – February 15, 2026
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Here's what's going on at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.
Exhibitions on Now
Par Nair: the place from my grandma’s dreams
October 4, 2025 - November 30, 2025
In this exhibition, local artist Par Nair presents paintings and embroidered artworks inspired by the garden outside her family home in the region of Kerala in India. For many years, Nair’s mother has tended the garden, nurtured its growth, and savoured the fruit it bears with her family. Her mother and grandmother continue to enjoy […]
Georgia Fullerton: Being In and Moving Through
August 16, 2025 - January 11, 2026
Georgia Fullerton’s art tells a deeply personal story of healing, transformation, and self-discovery. Through her art, she has navigated trauma, embraced change, and pursued personal growth. Now, as an expressive arts therapist, Fullerton helps others uncover the transformative potential of creative expression. In 2010, Fullerton survived intimate partner violence — a pivotal event that profoundly […]
Homage
September 6, 2025 - August 23, 2026
Paying homage is more than an act of reverence—it is a gesture rooted in respect and a way to acknowledge influence and inspiration. Artists often engage with the past to make sense of the present: responding to those who shaped them, the histories they’ve inherited, and the cultural forces that continue to shape our world. […]
Hortense Gordon: Towards the New
September 6, 2025 - March 1, 2026
Hortense Gordon (1886–1961) was an important figure in Canadian modern art. Trained at the Hamilton Art School, Gordon spent her early career making ceramics and painting traditional landscapes, but it was her later embrace of abstraction that defines her legacy. Gordon returned to teach art at the Hamilton Technical and Art School and married fellow […]
Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships
September 20, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships continues artist Ekow Nimako’s afrofuturistic reimagining of ancient African kingdoms. Using LEGO bricks as his medium, Nimako explores the mysterious fourteenth century sea voyage of Mansa Abu Bakr II, predecessor of Mansa Musa, ruler of the ancient Mali Empire. According to legends, Abu Bakr II was an intrepid […]
Wish You Were Here!
June 21, 2025 - January 11, 2026
In the early 20th century, sending a postcard was an affordable and quick way to connect with loved ones. Often costing just a halfpenny— half the price of a letter —postcards offered a simple yet effective way to share news, greetings, and sentiments. This exhibition features historical postcards from Oshawa, drawn from the Thomas Bouckley […]
What's New
RMG Friday: Bright and Merry
November 14, 2025
Join us for the final RMG Friday of the year! In the spirit of the Bright and Merry Market happening in downtown Oshawa, we’re hosting a festive evening filled with music, creative art activities, and warm beverages. While you’re at the Gallery, explore our exhibitions, or drop by the RMG Shop to find unique gifts […]
Winter Exhibitions Opening Reception
November 15, 2025
Join us as we celebrate the opening of three exciting installations at the gallery with guided tours, musical performances, and refreshments. Artists and curators will be in attendance. Inside, we’re pleased to present Olivia Whetung: inawendiwok, a solo exhibition touring from The Art Gallery of Mississauga. In The Backyard, we’re excited to launch two public […]
Events
OPG Sunday: Creative Castles
Nov 9, 2025, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
In the StudioLet’s take inspiration from Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships by creating our very own treasure maps. Using the ideas of voyaging and fantasy, we will create our own diverse and epic worlds. In the Isabel GalleryInspired by the fantastical architectural landscapes evident in Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships, we […]
PA Day Camp: November 2025
Nov 14, 2025, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
PA Day camp is all about creativity and art adventuring!Campers are encouraged to interact with art in fun and playful ways as they share their thoughts, and express their ideas through art. We will get hands on with some messy and imaginative art making activities that will truly inspire all budding artists. Ages 5-10$50 Members/ […]
Learn to Bead: Peyote Stitch Workshop with Olivia Whetung
Nov 22, 2025, 1:00 PM - Dec 6, 2025, 4:00 PM
This two-part workshop is presented alongside Olivia Whetung: inawendiwok and will teach beginner and advanced-beginner geometric peyote stitch skills. In the first workshop (Nov 22), participants will learn basic peyote stitch including flat even-count peyote and even-count tubular peyote. This session will focus on learning the skills and producing test swatches rather than producing a […]
RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program
The RBC Emerging Artist Residency is a paid residency opportunity for emerging artists supported by the RBC Foundation’s Emerging Artist Project. The residency package presents artists with opportunities for professional growth, exhibition experience, and collaboration with RMG staff.
Annual Giving Campaign: YOUR Public Art Gallery: Where Art Meets Heart
At The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, creativity isn’t just something you see; it’s something you feel, share, and live. Every week, our galleries and studios fill with laughter, discovery, and connection as people of all ages come together to learn, create, and heal through art.
From first brushstrokes to bold new ideas, the RMG is where creativity begins in Durham Region. As your public art gallery, we believe art is more than culture; it’s care. It’s how we gather, grow, and build healthier communities.
Check us out on Google Arts & Culture
Explore our Permanent Collection in an interactive and fun way and be sure to check out our first Online Exhibition Story about Isabel McLaughlin and Alexandra Luke, two women artists and collectors who were instrumental to the history and development of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.