On July 1st, 96 West Arts gathered artists, collectors, patrons, and cultural leaders at David Zwirner in London for an exclusive Canada Day curatorial tour and drinks reception. The evening brought together members of our London chapter and international friends of Canadian art to celebrate Canadian creativity, build diaspora connections, and experience a landmark exhibition in an intimate setting.

The event centered on My Moody Muse, a major presentation of works by renowned Vancouver-based artist Steven Shearer. Marking Shearer’s first solo exhibition in the United Kingdom in nearly twenty years, the presentation brought together new figurative oil paintings, significant loans of recent works, and a selection of drawings exploring his ongoing engagement with portraiture.

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About the Exhibition: My Moody Muse

Steven Shearer has long cultivated an aura of mystery around both himself and his work. His figures, drawn from popular and underground culture, art history, memory, fantasy, and synthesized digital processes, rarely offer straightforward readings, inviting viewers to project their own interpretations and reflections onto the canvas.

While Shearer’s early practice often mused on youth and its subcultural expressions, My Moody Muse presents a notable shift toward a more emotionally exposed tenor. Some works depict youthful figures whose beauty feels almost mythic and suspended outside of time, while others confront aging and psychic weight directly. Together, the collection forms a meditation on impermanence, marking one of the most resonant developments in the artist’s practice to date.

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Celebrating Community & Canadian Talent

Guests were treated to an insightful private tour led by David Zwirner Senior Director and exhibition curator, James Green, who offered deep context into Shearer's technical process, historical references, and conceptual evolution. Following the tour, guests raised a glass to Canada Day and enjoyed an evening of lively conversation surrounded by Shearer's evocative portraiture.

A heartfelt thank you to James, Sara, Aoife, and the entire team at David Zwirner for hosting us so graciously, and to everyone in our community who joined us to mark this auspicious occasion.

We look forward to sharing more moments of connection and international collaboration in the months ahead as we continue to champion Canadian visual arts across the global stage.

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Photography by Hannah Goldsmith / @goldsmith_studio.