LOOK2026 Art Auction Returns with Major Canadian Works at Contemporary Calgary
Contemporary Calgary is preparing for its flagship fundraising event, the LOOK2026 Art Auction, which organizers anticipate will generate more than $1.2 million for the gallery. The auction features an impressive collection of 88 items, including significant works by renowned Canadian artists such as L.L. FitzGerald of the Group of Seven, Maxwell Bates, and Chris Cran.
Philanthropist's Generous Donation Sets Stage
The auction's momentum began with a remarkable act of philanthropy. In 2023, gallery CEO David Leinster received a call from board member and arts patron John Lacey, who donated Jean Paul Riopelle's Vesperales, valued at $250,000, to the LOOK2023 auction. This year, Lacey continued his support by offering another prized possession.
"He called me and said, 'David, what's happening with the auction this year? I'm fresh out of Riopelles,'" Leinster recalls. "He said, 'But I do have a Group of Seven...'"
Highlight: L.L. FitzGerald's Early Prairie Landscape
The centerpiece of this year's auction is Birch Woods, an oil-on-board painting created by L.L. (Lionel Lemoine) FitzGerald between 1912 and 1915. FitzGerald, who joined the Group of Seven in 1932, was the only member based in Western Canada. This early work demonstrates his initial attempts to apply impressionist techniques to depictions of the Prairie landscape, valued at $12,000.
"Of course, many people have heard of the Group of Seven," Leinster says. "I've long been a fan of the Group of Seven's work and what it has done to put Canadian art on the map, historically. So it's a real coup for us to have a work like that come to auction."
Diverse Collection from Canadian and International Artists
The auction showcases a wide range of contemporary and historical works:
- Maxwell Bates' 1978 oil on canvas Party with Masks, valued at $45,000
- Chris Cran's distinctive paintings
- Paola Pivi's new silk work Free Humans, valued at $24,000, from the Italian multimedia artist who had her first Canadian solo exhibit at Contemporary Calgary in 2024
- Faye HeavyShield's 2026 acrylic and porcupine-quill piece Pierce, valued at $14,000
- Caroline Monnet's photograph Ikwewak (Women), Alanis, valued at $25,000
- Marcel Dzama's works from the Winnipeg artist
Event Details and Curatorial Vision
The FitzGerald piece and other highlights will be part of the live auction on May 2 during the LOOK2026 gala in Contemporary Calgary's Dome theatre. Meanwhile, all 88 works are currently on public display at the gallery, with silent auction bidding open since April 2.
This year's gala carries the theme Off the Path, curated by local artist duo DaveandJenn (Jennifer Saleik and David Foy). Their 2024 multilayered sculpture, Did I Find the Fountain Or Did The Fountain Find Me, created with materials including cloisonné, glass enamel on copper, and freshwater pearls, is also available in the live auction.
The auction includes works from artists who have recently exhibited at Contemporary Calgary, such as Calgary painter Erik Olson, Toronto's Winnie Truong, Calgary's Alana Bartol, and Winnipeg's Marcel Dzama.
With this diverse collection spanning from historical Group of Seven works to contemporary multimedia pieces, LOOK2026 represents a significant moment for Canadian art philanthropy and public engagement with visual arts in Calgary.
