1924-1990

Harold Town is a seminal figure in 20th Century Canadian art. Versatile and prolific, Town was a formidable abstract painter, accomplished draughtsman and revolutionary printmaker. The list of his accomplishments is long, but he is probably best known as a founding member of the abstract collective ‘Painters Eleven’ (1953-1960).

Town’s work was featured in many international exhibitions during his lifetime. He also represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1956 and 1964 (at the latter exhibition two of his ‘enigma’ drawings were removed on the orders of an Italian Cardinal).

Selected public collections include: The Tate Gallery, London; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Museum of Modern Art, New York; Le Musee d’Art Contemporain, Montreal; The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.