Hortense Gordon (1886–1961) was an important figure in Canadian modern art. Towards the New traces Gordon’s artistic  evolution—from her early traditional influences to her embrace of abstraction later in life. Throughout her career, she remained committed to staying current in both her painting and teaching. Despite resistance from her husband and the art establishment, she taught design and abstract principles for decades before adopting them in her own practice. Renowned American abstract expressionist teacher, Hans Hofmann, wrote that Gordon was “…always directed towards the future and progress in life and art.”

As a founding—and the oldest—member of Painters Eleven, Gordon valued the group’s shared energy and experimentation with abstraction. This exhibition highlights her stylistic transformations and tireless pursuit of the new, celebrating her lasting impact on Canadian art.