Sobey Art Award shortlist announced

HALIFAX, NS – An exhibition showcasing the five outstanding artists vying for Canada's pre-eminent contemporary art award is set to open at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA).

The $50,000 Sobey Art Award winner will be announced November 16 in a special 10th Anniversary gala at MOCCA, but contemporary art enthusiasts will be able to view works by the shortlisted artists beginning October 24 when the exhibition opens to the public. A launch party will be held on October 27 from 8-10pm.

This year's shortlisted artists are:

    • Gareth Moore - West Coast and Yukon; 

    • Jason de Haan - Prairies and the North; 

    • Derek Sullivan - Ontario; 

    • Raphaëlle de Groot – Québec;

    • Eleanor King – Atlantic.

The 2012 exhibition features sculpture, installation, and film among other work by the five artists in nomination for the Award and is curated by Sarah Fillmore, Curator of the Sobey Art Award and Chief Curator at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. A fully-illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition.

Sarah Fillmore, Curator of the 2012 Sobey Art Award says:

"The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Sobey Art Award are pleased to be working with the exceptional team at MOCCA for this 10th anniversary of the Sobey Art Award. As with past years, the exhibition is a tangible way for people to get a sense of the individual practices of each of the five shortlisted artists. This exhibition showcases some of the most interesting practices in Canada today."

Julia Ouellette, Chair, MOCCA Board of Directors says:

"We are deeply honoured and delighted to present the Sobey Art Award 10th anniversary exhibition. This is MOCCA's third presentation of the Sobey Art Award exhibition and we're excited to showcase extraordinary work by some of Canada's leading artists."

Each year the Sobey Art Award is judged by an independent Curatorial Panel. The panel for the 2012 Sobey Art Award is:

    • David Diviney, Curator of Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, NS; 

    • Louise Déry, Director, Galerie de l'UQAM, QC; 

    • David Liss, Artistic Director & Curator, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, ON; 

    • Ryan Doherty, Curator, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, AB; 

    • Bruce Grenville, Senior Curator, Vancouver Art Gallery, BC.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sobey Art Award, MOCCA's fall program will also include: National Gallery of Canada at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art exhibition Past Sobey Award Winners | A selection from the National Gallery of Canada Collection, showcasing selected work of four past Sobey Art Award winners: Daniel Barrow (2010), Tim Lee (2008), Michel de Broin (2007) and Annie Pootoogook (2006). Drawn from the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Past Sobey Award Winners runs from November 9 to December 30, 2012, and is organized by the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and the National Gallery of Canada.

The Sobey Art Award is the pre-eminent award for contemporary Canadian art. Established in 2002, the Sobey Art Award celebrates new advances in contemporary art with the intention of inspiring public interest and shining a spotlight on the best of this country's young artists. A total of $70,000 is awarded each year to Canadian artists age 40 or under. The prize fund of $50,000 is awarded to the winner with $5,000 being awarded to each of the other shortlisted artists.

Previous winners include: Daniel Young and Christian Giroux, Daniel Barrow, David Altmejd, Tim Lee, Michel de Broin, Annie Pootoogook, Jean-Pierre Gauthier and Brian Jungen.

The Sobey Art Award is administered by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on behalf of the Sobey Art Foundation. The annual Award is sponsored by the Sobey Art Foundation and art transportation sponsor, Total Transportation Solutions Inc. The official hotel of the 10th anniversary of the Sobey Art Award is the Gladstone Hotel.