OTTAWA.- The National Gallery of Canada launched today a free mobile application highlighting 52 remarkable artworks from its collection of Canadian art. Art lovers will now be able to browse rich, exclusive content right in the palm of their hand, with in-depth descriptions of each work, artists’ biographies, video interviews with artists, and much more. Sponsored by Bell, the application is available on iOS or Android tablets and phones. Users can share images through e-cards, Facebook and Twitter.

“New technologies are helping to make the visual arts more universally accessible. Browsing the National Gallery’s Canadian art collection with our new mobile application offers a deepened experience for our visitors,” said NGC director Marc Mayer. “Moreover, thanks to Bell, those who are unable to enjoy these artworks in person can now access them from wherever they are.”

Featured works range from historical sculptures to modern and conceptual paintings by a number of artists, notably Laurent Amiot, François Baillairgé, John Boyle, Alex Colville, Greg Curnoe, Théophile Hamel, Robert Harris, Paul Kane, Ron Martin, Daphne Odjig, Jean Paul Riopelle, Michael Snow, Claude Tousignant, and Robert R. Whale. The “details” feature allows users to zoom in on specific areas of each work and gain deeper insight into the artist’s ideas and methods.

Visual arts lovers can also take a behind-the-scenes look at the Gallery through conversations with the Gallery’s professional staff, and discover a wide selection of images – including photographs of artists, and conservation and restoration procedures – a glossary of art terms, and maps showing locations where artists’ lived, worked or had studios. The Audio, Video, Details, Map and Share features in the application require WiFi or Network access.