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See This: Atom Egoyan says this Canadian painter is 'amazing'

Every now and then, we ask interesting people to tell us about a piece of art that rocked their world. This time round, director Atom Egoyan told us about the Stephen Andrews retrospective at the AGO

Every now and then, we ask interesting people to tell us about a piece of art that recently rocked their world

Jon Sufrin · CBC Arts ·
Stephen Andrews. X-Men at Union, 2013. Oil on canvas. 243.8 x 182.9 cm. Collection of Salah J. Bachir and Jacob Yerex. (Art Gallery of Ontario)

Director Atom Egoyan on the Stephen Andrews retrospective at the Art Gallery of Ontario:

I've been following his work for a really long time, and I think he's one of the most important mid-career painters in Toronto.- Atom Egoyan

The Stephen Andrews exhibit at the AGO is very compelling. I've been following his work for a really long time, and I think he's one of the most important mid-career painters in Toronto. He used to do smaller, more intimate pieces, and he's shifted to really epic, wonderfully oversized canvasses, and I think it's amazing to see his work on that scale.

Stephen Andrews. Auditorium, 2009-2015. Oil on canvas. 72 x 95 3/4". Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. (Art Gallery of Ontario)

In particular, there's a canvas study he did for his mural at the Trump Tower, and it's huge, and it's really affecting to see it against the wall. I wasn't aware that he did ceramics, but there's a whole room that's dedicated to his personal sketches and studies and ceramic work, and it's amazing.

Stephen Andrews. Heaven, 2012. Oil on canvas. 243.8 x 182.9 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario; Purchased with the assistance of the Janet and Michael Scott Endowment Fund for Acquisitions of Contemporary Art, 2013. (Art Gallery of Ontario)

There's a brilliant interview with him in that room as well, and he's a super smart guy, and I just love hearing him talk. This is his first major retrospective at the AGO, and I think everyone should support it.

Atom Egoyan is a prominent Canadian film and stage director. He has received two Academy Award nominations and multiple awards for his work, including the Cannes Grand Prix for The Sweet Hereafter.