November 2025 to January 11, 2026
Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation Hall
Included with admission. Free for Gardiner Friends.

Glamour, glitter, and razor-sharp wit collide in the singular ceramic art of Jeannot Blackburn. Active in the 1980s and 90s, Blackburn’s art emerged out of Montreal’s queer demimonde during the rise and uncontrolled spread of AIDS. Blackburn’s cast of tragic heroes and heroines—rendered with exacting craftsmanship and embellished with reflective paint and the occasional blade—cultivated melodrama and pathos, forging a distinctly queer visual language that pushed the boundaries of the medium.

His life and career cut short by AIDS, Blackburn’s contributions have been largely forgotten by the contemporary art world. This exhibition, showcasing never-before-seen works from the artist’s archive, reclaims his place as a significant and original Canadian talent.