2021 Sobey Art Award exhibition

Inspiring new works from five of Canada’s leading emerging visual artists promise to energize and challenge visitors to the National Gallery of Canada starting on October 8, 2021 in the 2021 Sobey Art Award exhibition, on view until February 20, 2022.

The Sobey Art Award exhibition is the first chance for contemporary art-lovers to get an up-close viewing of artworks created by the five shortlisted artists of the 2021 Sobey Art Award—with some works having been created or re-imagined over the summer just in time for the October opening.

Together, the five artists featured—Gabi Doa, (West Coast and Yukon), Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory (Prairies and North), Rajni Perera (Ontario), Lorna Bauer (Quebec), and Rémi Belliveau (Atlantic)—represent every region across Canada. Their combined work spans a dynamic range of artistic mediums—photography, sculpture, performance, painting, and video installations.

“In their works, the artists explore ideas and prescient issues ranging from climate change and sustainability, the global refugee crisis and shared cultural memories. They also share their visions for possible and imagined futures. I am honoured to be a part of this innovative exhibition of such talented emerging Canadian artists.” said Josée Drouin-Brisebois, Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Canada.

“I want to personally congratulate these five inspiring artists shortlisted for the 2021 Sobey Art Award,” said Rob Sobey, Chair, Sobey Art Foundation. “For 20 years the Sobey Art Foundation has been proud to support Canadian visual artists through this award, and we are excited to celebrate their exceptional work at the National Gallery of Canada. The breadth of contemporary practices from across the country are well represented.”

“These five shortlisted artists come from every region in Canada and the strength and future of contemporary art,” said Dr. Sasha Suda, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. “We’re honoured and excited to connect Canadians to these brilliant artists and to celebrate their work in this dynamic in-person exhibition at the Gallery.”

Globally recognized as one of the world’s most generous privately funded prizes for contemporary visual artists, the Sobey Art Award celebrates the careers of emerging Canadian artists of all ages through financial support, an exhibition highlighting the practices of the five shortlisted artists, as well as national and international recognition.

Presented annually, the Sobey Art Award provides significant financial recognition and professional support to some of Canada’s most exciting emerging artists.  The 400,000 CAD prize money is divided among the 25 nominated artists: 100,000 CAD for the winner, 25,000 CAD for the four shortlisted finalists, and 10,000 CAD each for the longlisted artists.

This year the Sobey Art Award opened the competition to emerging artists of all ages across Canada and received a record number of nominations. A jury of experienced curators, including two international jurors, selected 25 artists from the submitted nominations – five from each designated region of Canada – for the longlist. One artist from each region was then selected by the jury for the shortlist.

The winner of the Sobey Art Award will be announced at a gala hosted at the National Gallery of Canada on November 6, 2021. The 2021 Sobey Art Award exhibition the Gallery is presented with the support of the Sobey Art Foundation.

Learn more about the Sobey Art Foundation here and the National Gallery of Canada at gallery.ca .

For media inquiries only, please contact: 

Josée-Britanie Mallet
Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada
bmallet@gallery.ca

Denise Siele
Senior Manager, Communications, National Gallery of Canada
dsiele@gallery.ca

Bernard Doucet
Executive Director, The Sobey Art Foundation
Bernard.doucet@sobeys.com