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“McLean has always used his surrounding environment as inspiration for his work. By walking around London, and after a long separation from the place where he grew up, McLean had a new outlook on the importance of his roots, his family and local history. McLean also, through the drawings, provides his thoughts on aging and time passing.”
McLean was born in London and attended H.B. Beal secondary school before earning a degree from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver.
Since 1994, McLean has exhibited nationally and internationally including shows at the Vancouver Art Gallery, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in Venice, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Loyal Gallery in Malmo, Sweden, and at Richard Heller Gallery in Santa Monica.
In 2012, McLean had a solo exhibition, If You Can Read My Mind, at Western University’s McIntosh and his work was included in Museum London’s L.O. Today group show featuring seven artists and collaborators. In 2004, McLean was chosen by Maclean’s Magazine as one of the top 10 artists to watch in Canada. In 2013, McLean was the only Canadian artist selected by Canadian Art Magazine to collaborate with Smart Canada to paint on a smart car that travelled across Canada.
His work is held in major collections across North America including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, National Gallery of Canada, Vancouver Art Gallery, BMO Collection, TD Bank and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Twitter.com/JoeBatLFPress
If you go
What: Jason McLean’s Shoe Inn.
When: Until Nov. 28 with virtual and in-person interviews Saturday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. by appointment (call 519-439-0451).
Where: Michael Gibson Gallery, online at gibsongallery.com or 157 Carling St.
