Update: A Tribute Exhibition to John Little’s career
We are proud to confirm the dates for our exhibition JOHN LITTLE: CITY LIFE from 1951. The exhibition will be featured at our gallery in Montreal from November 4 to 18, and in Toronto from November 25 until December 9.
This exhibition and accompanying text in tribute to John Little's career is the only one he has authorized since his last one man exhibition at Continental Galleries more than 30 years ago. The show in Toronto will mark the first important presentation of his work in that city. In a letter from John Little he titled "ENDORSEMENT", he wrote with characteristic modesty:
Perhaps I had a feeling that I have been lucky so far and maybe this is pushing the envelope...but Alan, whatever obtains, you have my blessing. You and Jonathan and Craig...and Helen! I only ask that you delete the cumbersome 'Geoffrey Caruthers' from my name.
John Little photographed in 1994 - Copyright Alan Klinkhoff Gallery
Little, who retired from painting in 2015, is the leading Canadian urban artist of his day. Although Montreal and Quebec City are his painting places, his message is relevant to urban areas throughout North America in the era of post-WWII suburbanization and their subsequent, often misguided, "renewal". He is a Canadian original in a narrative sometimes broached by Americans Reginald Marsh, Edward Hopper and John Sloan. We are inclined to consider John Little as the "Jane Jacobs of Canadian painting".
For more than 45 years the Klinkhoff family has been hosting retrospective-style exhibitions to celebrate important artists. Previous artists featured include Maurice Cullen, Clarence Gagnon, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, M.A. Fortin, Prudence Heward and Kathleen Morris, to name a selection. In 2016 Alan Klinkhoff gallery hosted a retrospective of Fine Art & Hockey coinciding with the World Cup of Hockey and the 100th season of the NHL.
