Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works

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Estate of Erica Rutherford / CARCC Ottawa 2025

Erica Rutherford, 'The Reunion', 1997. Oil on Canvas, 56.7" × 60.6" (collection of the Rutherford Family, Prince Edward Island)

Members of the media are invited to attend a special preview of the exhibition Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works on Wednesday, June 11 at 11 a.m. EDT on Zoom OR in person.

Erica Rutherford (b. Edinburgh, 1923 – d. Charlottetown, 2008) was a British-Canadian artist who made her home in rural Prince Edward Island, following gender transition in the mid-1970s. Rutherford was one of the first openly transgender visual artists in Canada. Her works explore themes of persona and gender, home and landscape. They are inspired by her life, which was shaped by the search for identity and community.

The exhibition brings more than 100 works together from her different lives as a film producer, designer for the theatre, book illustrator, painter, photographer and more.

This is the first solo exhibition by a Prince Edward Island artist at the NGC. Erica Rutherford was also the first Prince Edward Island artist to be featured at the prestigious La Biennale di Venezia in 2024. The 60th edition of the international art exhibition “Foreigners Everywhere”, showcased five of her paintings which will be on display in the exhibition.

Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works will officially open to the public on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 5 p.m., and will run until October 13, 2025.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

20-minute presentation followed by a question period on Zoom and in person: 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EDT

Photo op and interviews in the exhibition space: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. EDT

Telephone/Zoom interviews for media from across Canada: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EDT

To attend online: Zoom link provided upon registration.

To RSVP or book an interview: media@gallery.ca by 4:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.