This summer, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) welcomes the return of acclaimed American artist Dawoud Bey with a thought-provoking exhibition that examines the connections between landscape, memory, and the Black diasporic experience. Presented in partnership with the 2026 Toronto Biennial of Art, Dawoud Bey: Material Histories, Living Landscapes opens July 24, 2026, in the Murray Frum Gallery on Level 2.

Curated by Allison Glenn, Curator of the 2026 Toronto Biennial of Art, the site-specific installation brings together 23 photographs, a two-channel film, and four African sculptures from the AGO Collection. Together, these works create a dialogue between Africa and North America while exploring how histories of displacement, migration, and resilience continue to shape contemporary life.

Reimagining Historical Journeys

Born in Queens, New York, in 1953, Bey has spent decades examining the Black experience through photography and film. His work frequently investigates how historical events continue to influence present-day realities.

Visitors are first greeted by a monumental image from Bey’s celebrated series Night Coming Tenderly, Black. The photograph reimagines the landscapes of rural Ohio as they may have appeared to enslaved people travelling through darkness along the Underground Railroad. The absence of visible figures encourages viewers to consider the courage, uncertainty, and determination associated with those journeys.

Positioned near African objects from the AGO Collection, the work creates a visual connection between North America and West Africa, highlighting the broader histories that link the two continents.

Landscapes as Witnesses

The exhibition also features photographs from Bey’s series In This Here Place and Stony the Road. These images depict locations tied to slavery and forced migration throughout the United States.

Dense forests, tangled vegetation, and haunting natural environments become silent witnesses to histories that are often overlooked. Through carefully composed black-and-white photographs, Bey encourages viewers to reflect on the enduring presence of the past within contemporary landscapes.

The installation’s intimate arrangement intensifies feelings of confinement and reflection, drawing audiences into spaces marked by memory and historical significance.

An Immersive Film Experience

At the centre of the exhibition is 350,000 (2023), a two-channel film that reimagines the journey taken by hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans along Virginia’s Richmond Slave Trail during the nineteenth century.

Filmed from a first-person perspective, the work immerses viewers in dense foliage and narrow pathways. A powerful soundtrack featuring breath, rhythm, and body percussion heightens the emotional impact, creating a deeply engaging experience that bridges history and the present.

On View Through Spring 2027

Dawoud Bey: Material Histories, Living Landscapes remains on display through Spring 2027. The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to engage with powerful works that examine memory, displacement, and identity while encouraging deeper conversations about the lasting influence of history on contemporary society.