On a particularly cold day this winter, I found myself at the musée international d’art naïf in Magog, Quebec. Located in the downtown core of Magog, the museum was an unexpectedly pleasant find.

Naïf (naive) art is often characterized by the artwork conveying a story, characters, and relative disregard for proportions. Additionally, many of the artists are self-taught resulting in a wonderful variety of art styles.

An impressive collection of naïf art

The museum has over 800 art pieces acquired through various donations over the years. It constitutes the largest collection of naïf art in Canada. The museum’s collection spans the world with work coming from Mexico, China, and even Bhutan. The exhibits are not permanent, meaning you are likely to find something new after a few months. The theme during my visit was “colors from around the world”, and it did not disappoint with vibrant paintings adorning the walls.

A personal tour

I was greeted by one of the volunteers who graciously took the time to guide me around the exhibit and share with me the background behind the artworks and introduce me to the artists, and naif art in general. I thought this added so much to the experience and I highly recommend taking advantage of this benefit.

Although the museum is small, all the works have been carefully curated for an impressive visit. I really liked the whimsical nature of the artworks and the attention to detail many artists had.

On the other side, there is a gallery where they have more artworks on display, but these are for sale. I think this is a great place to come and discover local artists.

I was super impressed and the best part was that it is a free activity. I strongly recommend checking out their website because you can search and view their database of 1200 artworks online. www.artnaifmagog.com