The winner of the 2022 Sobey Art Award, one of the world’s most valuable prizes for Canadian visual artists, has been announced at a ceremony at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) this week. Divya Mehra has won the 100,000 Canadian dollar prize, with each of the four shortlisted artists—Krystle Silverfox, Azza El Siddique, Stanley Février and Tyshan Wright—receiving 25,000 CAD. The award is generously supported by the Sobey Art Foundation.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Sobey Art Foundation, I would like to congratulate Divya Mehra, this year’s winner along with all 25 long-listed artists who took part in the 2022 Sobey Art Award,” said Bernard Doucet, Executive Director, Sobey Art Foundation. “We are honoured to celebrate the work, careers and creativity of such a dynamic group of visual artists and hope this award helps connect creative visions to audiences across Canada and around the world.”
“We join our partner, the Sobey Art Foundation in celebrating Divya Mehra as the winner of the 2022 Sobey Art Award,” said Angela Cassie, Interim Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. “We thank all of the incredible artists who created dynamic experiences and allowed for new ways of seeing ourselves and our diverse stories. I thank the jurors for their thoughtful deliberation and for bringing their expertise to this process.”
“The 2022 Sobey Art Award jury found Divya Mehra’s work resoundingly timely and sophisticated in addressing systems of cultural representation, production, and authority. Untethered to any specific medium, the impact of Mehra’s practice extends beyond established constructs of art. Her approach is defined by its sharp wit, disarmingly playful allure, and attentiveness to language and aesthetics. Her most recent explorations turn towards issues of repatriation, ownership, and modes of cultural consumption that fundamentally implicate both institutions and their publics,” stated Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director of Curatorial Initiatives, NGC and Chair of the 2022 Sobey Art Award jury.
“It truly feels surreal to be exhibiting at the National Gallery of Canada with four outstanding and inspiring cultural practitioners from across this country. It’s an honour to receive this award, and I am so grateful to have my practice recognized in this way,” said Divya Mehra.
Divya Mehra incorporates found artifacts and ready-made objects as active signifiers of resistance in a multitude of forms, including photo, video, film, sculpture, print, drawing, performance, installation and advertising. Her works serve as reminders of the difficult realities of displacement, loss, neutrality and oppression.
Recent projects include From India to Canada and back to India (There is nothing I can possess which you cannot take away) (2020), in which Mehra’s research for the exhibition led to the repatriation and institutional deaccession of a looted artifact from India. Mehra holds an MFA from Columbia University
Representing the Prairies and North region, Divya Mehra, the 2022 Sobey Art Award winner, was chosen by a jury of experienced Canadian curators from coast to coast to coast alongside an international juror, who selected 25 artists for the long list—five from each designated region of Canada. Then, one artist from each region was selected for the shortlist, ensuring the breadth of contemporary practices from across the country were represented.
The 2022 Sobey Art Award jury is comprised of: Rui Mateus Amaral, Adjunct Curator, Museum of Comptemporary Art Toronto / John Hampton, Executive Director and CEO, Mackenzie Art Gallery / Elliott Ramsey, Curator, The Polygon Gallery / Laura Ritchie, Director, MSVU Art Gallery / Cheryl Sim, Managing Director and Curator, PHI Foundation for Comptemporary Art / Franklin Sirmans, Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami
Artworks from all five 2022 Sobey Art Award shortlisted artists—including the winner—are currently featured in a dynamic exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada on view until March 12, 2023.
Media contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, bmallet@gallery.ca
