Shary Boyle, 2005. Image: sharyboyle.com

The Sobey Art Award is now in it’s 4th year. It is a $50,000 prize awarded every year to an artist 39 years old or younger who has shown their work in Canada in the past 18 months.

A panel of curatorial advisors from each of five regions (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and the North, and West Coast), develops the list, consisting of five artists from each region. The panel then meets and chooses one representative from each region to be included on the national shortlist. The panel selects the winner.

The award, previously a bi-annual event, has now gone annual.

BRIAN JUNGEN won the first prize, in 2002. Click HERE for more on Jungen.

Brian Jungen, Untitled, 2006. Custom painted Vaughn 5500 Pro goalie mask. Image: artmetropole.com

JEAN-PIERRE GAUTHIER won the next prize in 2004. Click HERE for more on Gauthier.

Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Tribute to a Barking Dog, 2004. Image: jackshainman.com

ANNIE POOTOOGOOK won last year. Click HERE for more on Pootoogook’s work.

Annie Pootoogook, Windy Day. Image: burdickgallery.com

WHO WILL WIN THIS YEAR’S SOBEY ART AWARD?

The 2007 shortlisted artists are:

JEAN-DENIS BOUDREAU – Atlantic region. Read the artist’s blog HERE.

A work by Jean-Denis Boudreau. Image:jboud.blogspot.com

MICHEL DE BROIN – Quebec. Check the artist’s website HERE.

Michel de Broin, the model, installation and final product of Superficial, 2004 in Alsace, France.
Image: micheldebroin.org

SHARY BOYLE – Ontario. Check the artist’s website HERE.

A projection piece by Shary Boyle. Image: sharyboyle.com

RACHELLE VIADER KNOWLES – Prairies and the North. Check the artist’s website HERE.

Rachelle Viader Knowles, You Pull Me Apart, 2005. Image: uregina.ca

RON TERADA – West Coast. More on the artist HERE.

Ron Terada, Concrete Language, 2006 (Photograph). Image: catrionajeffries.com

Why is the Sobey award significant to you?

These prizes are helpful for collectors when looking at artist’s work.

It means, first that a number of art professionals from the artist’s region think highly enough of the artist’s work to recommend him or her for the longlist, and second that the deciding jury have weighed this artist’s work off against a selection of Canada’s most interesting work.

A prize like the Sobey adds critical weight to the artist’s work and gives the artist much needed money to produce more work.

The winner will be announced tonight, at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
Stay tuned to see who wins.