Nadia Myre Claims $50,000 Sobey Art Prize

Nadia Myre has been awarded the 2014 Sobey Art Prize. Photo: Cape Breton Post

The prestigious, $50,000 Canadian Sobey Visual Art Prize was awarded to the Quebec-based artist Nadia Myre, CBC reported. The artist, who is a member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, accepted the award from the previous winner Duane Linklater at a gala event at the Winnipeg Art Gallery last week.

“Myre has built a distinctive visual vocabulary by translating her experience and that of others into works that employ traditional crafts within a contemporary multidisciplinary practice,” commented the jury in a statement. “Her artwork creates a symbolic image of wounding and resilience that conveys something deeply human while addressing urgent social concerns.”

Explaining her practice to CBC she said “I would describe myself as a visual activist. A lot of the work that I’m making has a political base, and as a conceptual artist, I’m trying to say something.”

The Sobey Art Prize is annually awarded by the Sobey Art Foundation and honors Canadian contemporary emerging artists under the age of 40. The winner is chosen from a five-person shortlist. Past winners include Raphaelle de Groot, David Altmejd, Tim Lee, and Annie Pootoogook.

The shortlisted artist’s works will be on display at the Winnipeg Art Gallery until January 18, 2015.


Follow Artnet News on Facebook:


Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.
Article topics