The exhibit is the elaborate, ever-expanding, work-in-progress of renowned Canadian cartoonist Seth.

Lisa Hunter, collections manager at the museum, said even if you’ve never before seen Seth's work, Dominion City will make you feel like you've already walked its quaint streets and poked into its inviting shops.

“Dominion is a model city that echoes life in a small, urban post-war Canadian community,” said Ms. Hunter. “The homes, shops and civic buildings will feel very familiar to anyone who has gone about their daily business in a small Ontario city or town. The unique Ontario architecture, the names and types of businesses, the often quirky pairing of one place with another -all of these things will feel very familiar to the visitor.”

Developed over the past decade, Dominion City takes Seth’s distinct vision of urban spaces off the printed page and into the format of an installation that presents both the artist’s growing collection of model buildings and offers glimpses of the community’s residents. As with all of Seth’s works, Dominion City is infused with melancholy and an air of ambiguous nostalgia, tinged with a healthy dose of cynical humour.

Dominion City sits seemingly frozen on the cusp of the 1960’s and fades into the voracious urban ‘renewal’ of the 1960s and ’70s. It embodies the confidence of many Canadian cities in the post-Depression and Second World War era when the North American economy expanded, manufacturing spread and many cities were characterized by a level of civic engagement unheard of today.

Based in Guelph, Seth is known internationally for his rich narrative comics and graphic novels, including Palookaville, Clyde Fans, Bannock, Beans and Black Tea and Wimbledon Green. His books have been translated into five languages and his comic strips have been commissioned by publications as revered as the New York Times.

Sections of Dominion City have been previously exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ontario, MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, Phoenix Art Museum and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

To complement the Dominion City exhibit in the lower level of Dundas’ museum, the main gallery area will become home to Small Town Tales — Welcome to Dundas. It is the first in a series of planned exhibitions under the banner of Small Town Tales. The exhibitions will consider life in a small community from a variety of perspectives. Each installment will explore the people and places that make Dundas the unique home for generations of families.

Welcome to Dundas! takes a close look at some of the one-of-a-kind businesses and experiences that one would have encountered on a walk though the Valley Town during different periods of history.

Ms. Hunter said a special feature of Welcome to Dundas! is an extraordinary film made in 1947 to celebrate the town’s centennial.

“It is is a remarkable window on our town at this time, with fascinating footage of a celebratory parade, glimpses of the Driving Park, King Street, a beauty contest and much more,” she said.

The sixty-plus models in Dominion City are presented alongside character sketches of some of its citizens; a large, multi-panel illustration of "the perfect parade," drawn from the city's "archival record;" and a reading area well-stocked with several of Seth's books.

Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to take a seat in a small theatre adjacent to the gallery, and settle in to watch a selection of National Film Board shorts, selected by Seth.

A special public program is also planned entitled Seth in Conversation with Andrew Hunter, director/curator, University of Waterloo. The illustrated talk takes place Friday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p. m., in the auditorium of Dundas Town Hall, a building much like one that would be found in the City of Dominion. Seth's work will be discussed within the context of some of his influences in the cartooning world, both historical and contemporary. The conversation will be illustrated by a slide show that includes the work of a variety of Canadian and international cartoonists.

Dominion City is on exhibit at the Dundas Museum & Archives, Feb. 6 to March 31, 139 Park St. W. Call 905-627-7412, e-mail mail@dundasmuseum.ca or log onto dundasmuseum.ca .

The museum is open Monday to Friday, 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p. m. Admission by donation.