Clara Gutsche
Clara Gutsche has been named the winner of the 14th annual Scotiabank Photography Award.
Gutsche, who lives in Montreal, will receive $50,000 and a solo exhibition during the 2025 Contact Photography Festival. Art book publisher Steidl will also publish a book of her work, to be distributed around the world.
“Clara’s art explores the depths of personal relationships and the intersection of culture and urban landscapes through a unique and powerful photographic perspective,” says Laura Curtis Ferrera, Chief Marketing Officer, Scotiabank, in a news release.
Co-founded by Scotiabank and Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, the award recognizes the work of established mid-to-late career artists. Its goal is to recognize and accelerate artists’ careers as they reach the next level of national and international recognition.
“Clara Gutsche has been a dedicated practitioner of the medium of photography in a classical way,” says Burtynsky, also the jury’s chair. “She embeds herself in a community over time and, with a gentle and caring eye, begins to reveal the character of the community she has focused on.”
Montreal's Nicolas Baier and Nova Scotia’s Thaddeus Holownia were also finalists this year. Each will receive a cash prize of $10,000.
This year's jury included:
- Edward Burtynsky, artist, jury chair
- Stéphane Aquin, Director, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
- Andrea Kunard, Senior Curator of Photography, National Gallery of Canada
- Gaëlle Morel, Exhibition Curator at the Toronto Image Centre (TIC)
Ken Lum was the winner of the 2023 Scotiabank Photography Award. He currently has a solo exhibition on now at the Toronto Image Centre through Aug. 3.
Source: Scotiabank
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