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The Power Plant is currently open with exhibitions Emmanuel Osahor: _To dream of other places_ and Shelagh Keeley: _Film Notebooks 1985-2017_.

This fall, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery presents two deeply resonant solo exhibitions by Vuntut Gwitchin artist **Jeneen Frei Njootli** and American artist **Lucy Raven**. With distinct yet interconnected perspectives, both artists share an interest in the production of lens-based representations and histories of land relations, past and present. Frei Njootli reclaims Indigenous narratives from the distortions of art history, media, and museological display by using culturally-resonant materials to create unique works. Raven traces the ecological and cultural transformations wrought by colonial infrastructure in a monumental film installation that is part of a film trilogy that pushes the medium to new heights. The exhibitions will be on view from **November 7, 2025, to March 22, 2026**, and admission is free. 

"This season, we are presenting two accomplished artists who in their work challenge the conventions of medium-specificity in representations of the land and of the people who live on it. Lucy Raven's slowed-down epic of the postindustrial frontier reveals how landscapes have been shaped by extractive economies, while Jeneen Frei Njootli’s materially innovative works challenge and reimagine how Indigenous presences are represented. Together, these exhibitions are an invitation to reflect on how land carries the stories of those who live on it."

—Adelina Vlas, Artistic Director 

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**Jeneen Frei Njootli: _The skies closed themselves when we averted our gaze_**  
  
**Curators**  
Frances Loeffler, Curator of Exhibitions and Sarah Edo, TD Curatorial Fellow
 
Jeneen Frei Njootli lives and works in their Vuntut Gwitchin homelands in Old Crow, Yukon. There is an industrial and photo-adjacent focus in their practice, which incorporates culturally intimate materials that manifest in sculpture, regalia, performance, and sound. _The skies closed themselves when we averted our gaze_ brings together a broad range of Frei Njootli’s materially diverse works—some exhibited here for the first time—to consider how representations of Indigenous life are produced and consumed.  

In a number of works, the artist has printed images onto sheets of steel, a material that speaks of land, labour, and industry, as well as the history of contemporary art, from Land art to Minimalism. Steel is a material marked by its durability but also by its live reaction to the environment. Liable to rust, any image it captures—a figure in a landscape or a northern wild rose skillfully rendered in beadwork—will change over time. These are artworks that suggest concealment as a means of safeguarding; erasure registered as loss but also protection. The artist takes the same approach with several textile-based works. Objects evoking life on the land have been wrapped in fabric or cast in resin. In the gallery, they are seen, but only through outlines, residues, and traces.  

These works cite a long lineage of artists working intentionally with materials that evoke specific personal and political references, from David Hammons to James Luna. In Frei Njootli’s case, they relate directly to the community they live and work in—the self-governing Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation—speaking of ancestral memory, the transfer of knowledge systems, labour, love, kinship, and land relations. 

**Jeneen Frei Njootli** (b. 1988, White Horse, Yukon) lives and works in Old Crow, Yukon, on their Vuntut Gwitchin homelands. Their work has been shown internationally in solo and group exhibitions at venues including Frac des Pays de la Loire (2023–24), CCS Bard Hessel Museum (2023), New Museum Triennial (2021–22), McMichael Canadian Art Collection (2020–21), Vancouver Art Gallery (2016–18), and the Toronto Biennial of Art (2020). Njootli holds an MFA from the University of British Columbia and a BFA from Emily Carr University, and is represented by Macaulay & Co. Fine Art, Vancouver.


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**Lucy Raven: _Murderers Bar_**  
  
**Guest Curators**  
Julia Paoli, Director & Curator, The Vega Foundation with Kate Whiteway, Assistant Curator, The Vega Foundation. Developed in dialogue with the Curatorial team at The Power Plant.
 
Every year since 2022, The Vega Foundation has organized an exhibition together with The Power Plant. Through this annual collaboration, both organizations bring their international reach to strengthen the presentation and appreciation of artists’ film and video in Canada. This year, we are thrilled to co-present Lucy Raven’s newest work _Murderers Bar_ (2025) which was co-commissioned and jointly acquired by The Vega Foundation and the Vancouver Art Gallery. This is the latest work in Raven’s series The Drumfire, alongside _Ready Mix_ (2021) and _Demolition of a Wall (Album 1)_ and _Demolition of a Wall (Album 2)_ (both 2022). These works explore themes of material state change, pressure, force, and cycles of violence. They investigate the development of photographic and moving image technologies and apparatuses whose resultant images were integral to the surveying, seizure, exploitation, development, and advertisement of the “Western frontier."
 
_Murderers Bar_ is set against the backdrop of the largest dam removal project in North American history along the Klamath River, a landmark in river restoration led by the Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Klamath Tribes, Modoc Nation, and the Shasta Indian Nation. Through a combination of aerial and underwater imaging, the film follows water and sediment surging through the former reservoir, reclaiming a river channel dammed for over a century. Raven’s lens emphasizes the dynamics of flow, resistance, and release, highlighting the tension between industrial control and ecological freedom.

The title of the work, _Murderers Bar_, refers to a colloquial name given to the site along the Klamath River in reference to the settler violence that occurred there; the area was later renamed “Happy Camp” by settlers. In the naming and shaping of the work, Raven pinpoints the violence, abstraction, and erasure that has long dictated the use and transformation of this site.

The dam, the immense reservoir behind it, and the river now coursing through both, are transformed through the duration of the work. _Murderers Bar_ finds its form from the release of water at a colossal scale, a fluid dynamics that has shaped the physical and the imaged/imagined Western United States. The moving image is accompanied by a dynamic, quadraphonic soundtrack scored by Raven’s frequent collaborator, the composer and percussionist Deantoni Parks.

_Murderers Bar_ is co-commissioned and jointly acquired by The Vega Foundation and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

This exhibition is organized and developed by The Vega Foundation and The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. The Vega Foundation provides critical support for artists’ film and video through meaningful investments in the production of ambitious new work, collaborations with Canadian and international institutions, and the stewardship of a growing collection. For more information, please visit [www.thevegafoundation.com](https://www.thevegafoundation.com/). 

**Lucy Raven** (b. 1977, Tucson, Arizona) lives and works in New York City. She received a BFA in Studio Art and a BA in Art History from the University of Arizona (2000) and an MFA from Bard College (2008). Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin, Remai Modern, Serpentine Galleries London, Dia Chelsea, and the Hammer Museum. Raven’s films and photographs appear in collections including MoMA, the Guggenheim, LACMA, Tate Britain, and the Whitney Museum. She has participated in the Whitney Biennial (2012, 2022), the Montreal Biennial (2016), and the Dhaka Art Summit (2018), and teaches at the Cooper Union School of Art. 

**About The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery ** 

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted to contemporary art, ideas, and conversations. Located at Harbourfront Centre on Toronto’s waterfront, The Power Plant is a vital forum for the creative culture of our time, sharing inspiring and transformative experiences with audiences through free admission to exhibitions and public programs. The Power Plant is guided by the commitment to provide a platform for artists from diverse backgrounds, drawing attention to pressing issues and connecting communities in Canada and worldwide through contemporary art. For more information, please visit [thepowerplant.org](https://www.thepowerplant.org/).

If you are interested in attending the Press Preview, would like to request an interview, or receive advanced images and the artist’s biographies, please email **media@thepowerplant.org**. 

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Two solo exhibitions at The Power Plant engage with histories of representation while reflecting on land relations

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The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is excited to announce the appointment of **Carolyn Vesely** as its first Chief Executive Officer and **Adelina Vlas** as Artistic Director, ushering in a new era of leadership for one of Canada’s leading contemporary art institutions.

These appointments come at a transformative moment as The Power Plant moves toward full independence after nearly four decades as part of Harbourfront Centre. The gallery’s new leadership structure—introducing its first CEO and establishing the new role of Artistic Director as a leadership position—signals a strong commitment to operational autonomy, curatorial excellence, and long-term sustainability. 
 
Founded in 1987, The Power Plant has played a vital role in Canada’s cultural landscape, presenting contemporary art by artists from Canada and around the world. Throughout its history, the gallery has remained dedicated to creating an open platform for ambitious art, critical dialogue, and meaningful public engagement. With free admission to exhibitions, public programs, and educational publications, The Power Plant continues to make contemporary art accessible to all. 

This year also marks a major governance milestone: for the first time in its history, The Power Plant’s Board of Directors is fully independent. New bylaws adopted unanimously by the Board made it possible to appoint its own members, select senior leadership, and oversee the gallery’s finances and strategic direction. While the gallery will continue its valued relationship with Harbourfront Centre—including rent-free use of its iconic waterfront home—this structural change positions The Power Plant to define and drive its future with clarity and confidence.

“Carolyn’s leadership has been essential to The Power Plant’s transformation,” said Paul Boniferro, President and Chair of the Board. “Her clarity of purpose, sector expertise, and collaborative approach have given us the confidence to move forward independently with vision and strength.”

Vesely, a nationally respected arts leader with more than 30 years of experience, first joined The Power Plant as Interim Executive Director before being appointed to the permanent role in 2024. Her promotion to Chief Executive Officer reflects a broader evolution in the gallery’s management and strategic direction.

Previously, Vesely served as CEO of the Ontario Arts Council, and has led major public art institutions in British Columbia and Ontario. Her deep expertise in strategic planning, policy development, and arts sector advocacy has been instrumental in shaping The Power Plant’s future.

At the core of this new chapter is a heightened focus on artistic vision. The new role of Artistic Director ensures The Power Plant’s curatorial program is not only critically rigorous but also publicly resonant and globally connected.

Adelina Vlas has been appointed to this role, reporting to CEO, Carolyn Vesely. A widely respected curator, Vlas began her career at The Power Plant as a curatorial apprentice in 2001 and returned in 2022 as Head of Curatorial Affairs after two decades of work in Canada and abroad. She now leads exhibitions and public programs with an expanded mandate.


“The Power Plant has always been about community, curiosity, and creative dialogue,” said Vesely. “Adelina embodies those values. She understands the soul of this organization and brings the vision and experience needed to lead its artistic future with insight and compassion.”

Vlas has curated significant exhibitions at The Power Plant, including _Emmanuel Osahor: To dream of other places; Shelagh Keeley: Film Notebooks 1985–2017; Jen Aitken: The Same Thing Looks Different_; and _Meriem Bennani: Life on the CAPS_. Prior to returning, she was Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, where she led major exhibitions, such as _Haegue Yang: Emergence, Hito Steyerl: This Is The Future and Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors_. She holds an MA in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art in London and an MA in Art History from York University.

As The Power Plant embarks on this transformative chapter, Vesely and Vlas represent the combined leadership needed to guide its future, balancing strong institutional stewardship with a bold and thoughtful artistic vision. Their appointments reinforce The Power Plant’s enduring commitment to art, artists and community, while sustaining vibrant cultural dialogue both in Canada and internationally.


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The Power Plant announces new leadership, marking defining moment for future of independent art institution

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is delighted to announce our upcoming exhibition season with two solo presentations by Toronto-based artists **Emmanuel Osahor** and **Shelagh Keeley**. Through immersive installations that use either traditional mediums or moving images, both artists consider the complex histories and uses of gardens as built environments. Through his layered paintings, Osahor invites visitors to contemplate beauty in the seclusion of a night garden, while Keeley’s film notebooks trace the artist’s journey and her continued efforts to bring forward the intricacies and contradictions of the world we live in. The exhibitions will run from **April 11 to September 14**, 2025. Admission is free. 

“With this upcoming season, spanning from spring to fall, we are thrilled to present two exhibitions that carry us into other worlds, both imaginary and real, where we can contemplate beauty and reflect on the place and role gardens hold in our lives, especially at difficult times. The work of these two accomplished artists will, without doubt, resonate with our audiences at a moment when the promise of spring turns into 
the profusion of summer, and when the fragile balance of our world is in a continuous negotiation.” 

—Adelina Vlas, Head of Curatorial Affairs

The new exhibition season will be animated by engaging, free public programs, including thematic talks, workshops, and tours. We’re also excited to welcome families and kids aged 7-12 for an engaging new series of creative Power Kids workshops on select Sundays. Visit The Power Plant’s **[Event Calendar](https://www.thepowerplant.org/whats-on/calendar)** on our website for programming details.

Emmanuel Osahor, Room for two, 2023. Oil on canvas. Photo: Joseph Hartman.

**Emmanuel Osahor: _To dream of other places_**  
  
**Curator**  
Adelina Vlas, Head of Curatorial Affairs
 
Emmanuel Osahor’s practice focuses on beauty as a necessity for survival, respite, and sanctuary. Known primarily for his paintings of lush, verdant gardenscapes—inspired by real and imagined locations—these works meditate upon the complicated histories of these sites that entail the domestication of lands, plants, and individuals alike. _To dream of other places_ is the artist’s first major solo presentation in his home city of Toronto and includes paintings, drawings, prints, ceramic sculptures, and a new, site-specific photographic wallpaper. Conceived as a night garden, the exhibition presents Osahor’s work in a unique environment intended to immerse the viewer in a contemplative space where feelings of delight and sorrow coexist as reflections of human experience. The artist’s poetic yet critical approach to a subject that has been well represented throughout art history reflects a practice that is profoundly engaged with beauty, painting, and the everyday at a time when meaningful encounters with art are needed more than ever. 

Shelagh Keeley, still from Jardim do Ultramar / The Colonial Garden, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016. Film, 180 min. Thanks to the Museu Coleção Berardo, Lisbon, Portugal and ifa-Galerie Stuttgart, Germany. Courtesy the artist.

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**Shelagh Keeley: _Film Notebooks 1985-2017_**  
  
**Curator**  
Adelina Vlas, Head of Curatorial Affairs  
  
At the core of Shelagh Keeley’s work is a drawing practice based on an intuitive and embodied response to readings and research in poetry, politics, cinema, and architecture. The artist applies the same approach to her work with film, where the moving image becomes a drawing notebook, a travel journal, an opportunity to bring the viewer into the spaces experienced by the artist and mediated through the lens of the hand-held camera. Since 1985, Keeley has documented on film her encounters with gardens and uniquely built environments around the world. The resulting film notebooks quietly, yet poignantly, reveal the layered histories and contexts that created them at different moments in time. From the flamboyant artificiality of a desert oasis in Las Vegas to the discipline of a Zen Garden in Kyoto, and from a colonial garden in Lisbon to the largest European zoological-botanical garden in Stuttgart, the films invite us to contemplate the complexity and intangible essence–_genius loci_ or spirit of the place–Keeley felt in these places. Filmed while walking for hours at a time as a _flâneuse_, the moving image notebooks present an invitation for the viewer to become the artist as she draws with the camera, investigating and uncovering the visceral, hidden layers of these locations.   

**About The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery ** 

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted to contemporary art, ideas, and conversations. Located at Harbourfront Centre on Toronto’s waterfront, The Power Plant is a vital forum for the creative culture of our time, sharing inspiring and transformative experiences with audiences through free admission to exhibitions and public programs. The Power Plant is guided by the commitment to provide a platform for artists from diverse backgrounds, drawing attention to pressing issues and connecting communities in Canada and worldwide through contemporary art. For more information, please visit **[thepowerplant.org](https://www.thepowerplant.org/)**. 

If you are interested in attending the Press Preview, would like to request an interview, or receive advanced images and the artist’s biographies, please email **media@thepowerplant.org**. 

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The Power Plant’s new season offers contemplative and immersive exhibitions that reflect on our complex relationships with gardens

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Discover The Power Plant Archives

Emmanuel Osahor: To dream of other places

To dream of other places

Shelagh Keeley: Film Notebooks 1985-2017

Film Notebooks 1985-2017

On View

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Welcome to The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery

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Give the gift of art

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Taking inspiration from Shelagh Keeley’s captivating artist books, participants will journey on a nature walk taking videos of interesting foliage and gardens creating their own video notebooks to document their journey.

Registration for this workshop will open four weeks ahead of the event.

_All of our public programs are free, thanks to generous support from BMO—and from visitors like you. We invite you to Pay What You Can to help keep events like this accessible to all._ 

_Because of your generosity, everyone can experience art._

The Power Plant