Polygon Gallery Announces $1 Million Endowment for Lind Prize

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Philip B. Lind

The Polygon Gallery has announced it has received a $1 million endowment for the Philip B. Lind Emerging Artist Prize.

The donation, from Lind's family, will increase the prize amount to $25,000, making it Canada’s largest prize for emerging visual artists. 

“The Lind Biennial, a collective exhibition of works from shortlisted artists, will also have an extended exhibition term made possible with the new endowment,” according to the news release.

The first biennial exhibition will be on view at The Polygon from Nov. 9, 2024 to Feb. 2, 2025. The winner of the prize will be announced Jan. 23, 2025.

This year's exhibition finalists include Mena El Shazly, Karice Mitchell, Dion Smith-Dokkie, Parumveer Walia, and Casey Wei. They were chosen from a longlist by a panel of jurors that included Grace Deveny, the Art Institute of Chicago's David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Associate Curator, Photography and Media; artist Brian Jungen; and Aram Moshayedi, who is the writer and interim chief curator at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and the current curator-in residence at Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City.

A pioneer in media and telecommunications industry in Canada, Lind helped build Rogers Communications Inc. A major art collector and philanthropist, he was especially dedicated to supporting contemporary photography and BC artists. He died on his 80th birthday, on Aug. 20, 2023.

“Phil was an incredible supporter of the arts whose passion made an indelible mark on many across the country,” says The Polygon Gallery's director Reid Shier, in the release.

“He loved being able to nurture emerging BC artists during pivotal moments in their careers through the Lind Prize. The Polygon Gallery is honoured to be able to steward this prestigious award in his name.”

Source: The Polygon Gallery