TVOntario
Beyond beautiful or garish, surprising or offensive - art is above all powerful. It can change the way we see, feel, and think. Even when its meaning isn’t readily apparent, it sparks our curiosity, trains our analytical minds, and helps us navigate our increasingly visual world.
TVO Arts decodes and demystifies iconic works of Canadian art. By learning about the artists, their backstories, and their diverse perspectives, you’ll discover why and how they create and share their love of art. No art history degree required. We created a series of six short docs that unpack and decode works of art by Canadian artists. Unlike regular art explainers, however, the series asks everyday Canadians how they perceive art through their own unique lived experiences.
The Enemy
Over the last decade, the shift to STEM education has been missing something. The Arts. As a leader in eduction, TVO sought to put the A back in STEAM and ensure the critical thinking of arts education wasn’t forgotten within our high school system — or in our everyday lives.
Canadian art is often viewed through a limited lens, and from limited perspectives — we were challenged to broaden horizons and introduce every day Canadians to the wide tapestry of Canadian art and artists from over the past century, from every style and era.
SEASON ONE
In the inaugural season of TVO Arts, we set out to explore a wide range of exciting works that define the Canadian experience. This season takes viewers on a journey through the masterpieces of the past century, narrated by the captivating Catherine Hernandez. To bring these iconic works to life, we moved beyond the frame by integrating a diverse cast of everyday Canadian perspectives, ensuring the conversation around "fine art" remained grounded and accessible.
Emily Carr, Church in Yuquot Village (Indian Church)
Jeff Wall, A Gust of Wind (After Hokusai)
What is "real" in a world of highly directed imagery? We dive into Wall’s meticulously staged scenes of everyday life to challenge our understanding of the "moment" as captured through the photographic lens.
Kenojuak Ashevak, The Enchanted Owl
We celebrate the artist who catalyzed a movement in Northern Canada. This episode explores how a singular, unique perspective can reshape how the world interprets the environment and spirit of the North.
Kent Monkman, mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Welcoming the Newcomers
Monkman reclaims the majesty and myths of the past. We document his use of monumental visuals to reinterpret the power of original peoples and the complex, shifting relationships to settler narratives.
Camille Turner, Miss Canadiana
A powerful confrontation of identity set against the industrial backdrop of Hamilton. We examine Turner’s performance as Miss Canadiana to see how she challenges expectations of beauty and what it truly means to be "Canadian".
BGL, Canadissimo (Dépanneur)
In trademark BGL style, we step into a world of spectacle and trickery. Using humor and impressive craftsmanship, we look at how this playful installation asks us to question our own culture, memories, and sensory experiences.
SEASON TWO
In our second season producing TVO Arts, we moved from the canvas into the complex layers of identity, resilience, and the supernatural. Each episode explores a singular masterpiece, deconstructing not just the technique, but the profound human stories woven into the medium.
Christi Belcourt, Wisdom of the Universe
Mary Pratt, Jelly Shelf
Pratt had a supernatural ability to find the "visceral" in the domestic. We explore how she transformed a seemingly mundane kitchen scene into an intense, glowing exploration of light, life, and the fleeting nature of the present.
Evan Penny, Old Self (Portrait of the Artist as He Will Become)
What happens when we meet ourselves across time? We dive into the uncanny valley of Penny’s hyper-realistic sculpture, examining the distortions and anachronistic glitches that occur when we try to perceive our own aging process.
Rajni Pererra, Traveller 5
Pererra crafts a sci-fi future where refugees are space explorers. We explore her "imagined fictions," where immigrants adapt to new worlds physically and culturally, turning the struggle of displacement into a cosmic odyssey of resilience.
Esmaa Mohamoud, One of the Boys
A powerful interrogation of the uniforms we wear. We look at the visual tension between masculinity and femininity, specifically how it shapes the identities and expectations of Black youth within the world of athletics.
Max Dean, Raffaelo D'Andrea, Matt Donovan, Robotic Chair
A common chair falls apart and pulls itself back together, over and over again. We document this mechanical metaphor for the eternal human struggle—the quiet, stubborn persistence required to rebuild ourselves after every collapse.
Credits
Director
Co-Producer, Writer
Narrator, S1
Narrator, S2
Animation / Post, S1
Original Theme Music
Animation / Post, S2
Visual Research
Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producer (TVO, S1)
Executive Producer (TVO, S2)