The Polygon Gallery is pleased to present an evening with Harry Malcolmson in celebration of his recent publication, Scene: How the 1960s Transformed Canadian Art (UTP Press, 2025). The evening will include a presentation by Malcolmson followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Doors at 6:00pm
Presentation at 6:30pm

The 1960s marked a pivotal moment in Canadian art, and Scene offers a vivid, insider’s perspective on this transformative decade. Malcolmson traces how a dynamic network of artists, galleries, collectors, and critics reshaped the national art landscape and propelled it onto the global stage. Through striking images and engaging essays, the book captures a period of bold experimentation, political upheaval, and cultural change, revealing how artists challenged conventions and redefined what Canadian art could be. Step into the scene and experience Canada’s 1960s art world like never before at this special event—an essential opportunity for anyone interested in art, history, and the forces that continue to shape creative practice today.

About the Author
Harry Malcolmson is an art critic and a prominent collector of art and historical photography. Previously, he worked as a lawyer and was a regular contributor to publications such as the Toronto Telegram, Saturday Night, and Canadian Art. Together with Ann Malcolmson, he assembled The Malcolmson Collection, which spans the history of photography from the 1840s and is regarded as one of the most important collections of historical photography in Canada. In 2009, Presentation House Gallery mounted the first public gallery exhibition from the Malcolmson Collection, curated by Helga Pakasaar, which featured iconic as well as lesser-known photographs, revealing their affection for enigmatic images and experimental approaches to the medium.