Roald Nasgaard Lecture

Join us on Wednesday, September 25th for a night with esteemed art scholar, curator, and writer Dr. Roald Nasgaard, who will be presenting an insightful lecture exploring the evolution and relevance of abstract art.

As a leading authority and passionate advocate for abstract art, Dr. Nasgaard brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. His unique perspectives promise to enlighten and inspire, offering a deeper understanding of how abstract art remains vital and important.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the most distinguished voices in abstract art. Dr. Nasgaard is traveling from Toronto for this exclusive lecture, we highly encourage you not to miss this exceptional occasion. We look forward to seeing you.

Doors open at 6:45 PM. Lecture begins at 7:30 PM.

About Dr. Roald Nasgaard

Roald Nasgaard, OC (born October 14, 1941), is an esteemed art scholar, curator, and writer, recognized as a champion of contemporary Canadian and abstract art. A recipient of multiple accolades, including Officer of the Order of Canada (2012), Nasgaard has had a distinguished career spanning academia and curatorial leadership. He is Professor Emeritus of Art History at Florida State University, where he chaired the art department from 1995 to 2006 and taught until 2011. Prior to his tenure at Florida State, he began his academic career at the University of Guelph (1971-1975) and went on to become a pivotal figure at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, serving as curator of contemporary art (1975-1978), chief curator (1978-1989), and deputy director and chief curator (1989-1993).

During his time at the AGO, Nasgaard curated numerous landmark exhibitions, including The Mystic North (1984), a groundbreaking study of Symbolist landscape painting, and Gerhard Richter: Paintings (1988), the artist’s first North American retrospective. His collaboration with Germano Celant on The European Iceberg: Creativity in Germany and Italy Today (1985) remains a significant achievement, showcasing international contemporary art. Nasgaard’s leadership at the AGO was instrumental in expanding the gallery’s permanent collection and bringing increased attention to Canadian artists such as Yves Gaucher, Garry Neill Kennedy, Peter Kolisnyk, and Ron Martin through solo exhibitions.

In addition to his curatorial achievements, Nasgaard has authored several acclaimed publications. His *Abstract Painting in Canada* (2007) is widely regarded as the definitive text on the subject, tracing the history of the movement from the 1920s to the early twenty-first century. Other notable works include The Mystic North: Symbolist Landscape Painting in Northern Europe and North America, 1890–1940 (1984), The Automatiste Revolution: Montreal 1941–1960 (2009), and The Plasticiens and Beyond: Montreal, 1955–1970 (2013), all of which were accompanied by major exhibitions that received widespread acclaim.

Nasgaard’s more recent curatorial projects include *Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh, and More* (2016), co-curated with the Musée d'Orsay, and *Higher States: Lawren Harris and His American Contemporaries* (2017), held at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Glenbow Museum.His curatorial work continues to resonate within the art world, earning him prestigious awards such as the Ontario Art Galleries Association Curatorial Writing Award (1991) for his essay in Individualités: 14 Contemporary Artists from France, and multiple Canada Council fellowships.

Roald Nasgaard's contributions as a scholar, curator, and advocate for abstract and contemporary art have profoundly shaped Canadian art history, establishing him as one of its most influential figures.