CONGRATS TO EVERYONE: @OntArtGalleries announces #OAAGawards2018 Winners

Congratulations to the many talented people who received awards from the Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG) last night at the ceremony held at the Harbourfront Centre, Toronto. (view short list)

I was thrilled to see raise a flag: works from the Indigenous Art Collection (Onsite Gallery, Toronto) win for the “Innovation in a Collections-Based Exhibition” category. The exhibition, curated by Ryan Rice, was one of the most important shows of 2017. All the work came from the Indigenous Art Collection at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, “one of the most important and comprehensive art collections of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada and beyond.”

In light of and in tandem with Canada’s 150 commemorations, raise a flag represents alternative discourses and uncovers missing narratives from the framework of a national identity. The works in raise a flag focus on recent acquisitions, obtained from 2000 to 2015, which chronicle recent significant national narratives reflecting upon Canadian heritage, diversity and collective memory. (read more)

As part of the exhibition an excellent educational guide was produced and is available online (download here). The guide was also shortlisted for an award. The exhibition included the work of clients Barry Ace, Carl Beam, Christi Belcourt, Greg A. Hill, and Barry Pottle along with an extensive list of other important Indigenous artists:

Sonny Assu, Rebecca Belmore, Christian Chapman, Dana Claxton, Ruth Cuthand, Wally Dion, David Garneau, Tanya Harnett, Faye HeavyShield, Mark Igloliorte, Jimmy Iqaluq, Elisapee Ishulutaq, Alex Janvier, Piona Keyuakjuk, Myra Kukiiyaut, Rachelle Lafond, Jim Logan, Kayley Mackay, Qavavau Manumie, Ohotaq Mikkigak, Lisa Myers, Nadia Myre, Marianne Nicolson, Lionel Peyachew, Tim Pitsiulak, Annie Pootoogook, Pitaloosie Saila and Tania Willard.

And congratulations to the other deserving short list and award winners whose exhibitions and conferences, that I had the priviledge to visit or participate in, convened spaces for necessary dialogue.

EXHIBITION INSTALLATION & DESIGN AWARD
Open Edition, Heather Anderson and Sandra Dyck, Carleton University Art Gallery

EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR BUDGET OVER $50,000
The Sunshine Eaters, Onsite Gallery

EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR BUDGET OVER $20,000 MONOGRAPHIC
Deanna Bowen: On Trial The Long Doorway, Mercer Union
Maria Hupfield: The One Who Keeps on Giving, The Power Plant

EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR BUDGET UNDER $20,000 MONOGRAPHIC 
Annie Thibault: La chambre des cultures, foraging in time and space, Carleton University Art Gallery

PUBLIC PROGRAM AWARD
Open Space Lab, Carleton University Art Gallery
YAS! Youth Art Symposium/SYMP art Jeunesse, Ottawa Art Gallery|Galerie d’art Ottawa

ABOVE IMAGE: “raise a flag” exhibition with Barry Ace, Rosalie Favell and curator Ryan Rice, works by Sonny Assu on left and Faye HeavyShield behind. Image by Leah Snyder.