We are pleased to announce that Bau-Xi Gallery | Dufferin will be hosting a reception for "Post-Painterly Abstractions," an exhibition by distinguished Canadian painter Kenneth Lochhead (1926–2006). The reception will take place on Saturday, October 26th from 2 pm – 4 pm at Bau-Xi Gallery’s flagship location in Toronto, 1384 Dufferin Street.

The exhibition showcases paintings created during the early 1960s, a pivotal period in Lochhead’s career as an abstract artist. During this time, Lochhead’s work expanded upon the Colour-Field painting movement, utilizing large areas of flat, solid color arranged in contemplative formations to foster a dialogue between the composition and the canvas.

Born in Ottawa in 1926, Kenneth Lochhead had a life-long love affair with painting, which continued until his death in 2006. Throughout his career, he expressed this passion in different ways, one of which was the monumental colour-field paintings of the 1960s and early 70s.

Lochhead studied art at Queen's University, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Barnes Foundation. He was appointed Director of the School of Art at the University of Saskatchewan in 1950, a position he held until 1964. In 1955, he initiated the Emma Lake Artists' Workshop, where he worked alongside Abstract Expressionist painters and renowned art critic Clement Greenberg. The inspiration and knowledge he gained from these workshops catalyzed his evolution into Colour-Field painting in 1962. These non-referential works reflect the New York aesthetic imparted by workshop leaders, including American artists Barnett Newman and Kenneth Noland. Lochhead was also a member of the Regina Five, made up of the most well-known Prairie-based painters (Arthur McKay, Douglas Morton, Ted Godwin, and Ronald Bloore) of the 1960s.

In 1964, Clement Greenberg selected Lochhead’s work for his curated exhibition "Post-Painterly Abstraction," which also featured artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, and Kenneth Noland. The show marked a new era of abstraction, characterized by linear forms, minimal detail, and bold colors.

Kenneth Lochhead passed away on July 15, 2006, but his profound influence on Canadian art endures through his paintings and many years of teaching.