Toronto-born photographer Moyra Davey, left, is one of four artists nominated for the $50,000 Grange Prize, Canada’s richest award for contemporary photography. Davey was on hand at the AGO yesterday for a public talk and the unveiling of an exhibition of the nominees’ work (the other photographers are Josh Brand, Kristan Horton and Leslie Hewitt).
Although she now lives in New York City, Davey says, “I love Toronto; when I come back I’m just flooded with memories.” She’s been working at Toronto Image Works printing a major new piece as part of a residency that comes with the Grange Prize nomination.
Prior to the public talk, AGO curator Sophie Hackett led a media preview of the work on display here in Toronto; a tandem exhibit will be mounted at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College beginning October 8.
An interesting wrinkle with the Grange Prize is that the winner is selected via public voting, which can be done online. “In the first two years of the prize I felt like you could place bets as to who might be the ultimate winner,” said Hackett at yesterday’s preview, “but this year I really feel like it’s anybody’s game.”
The nominees who don’t get to cash the big cheque receive a consolation prize of $5,000 each, a nice bonus to go along with the recognition and the residencies. The winner will be announced November 3.
Hackett, pictured left with program partner, Aeroplan’s Alden Hadwen (in red), says she hopes the Grange Prize will one day rival Britain’s Turner Prize for contemporary art in terms of prestige and name recognition. Each year, the Grange Prize pairs Canada with one other country – China in 2008, Mexico in 2009 and now the USA; a jury whittles a long list down to two photographers from each nation.
Will Davey, below, be disappointed if she doesn’t win the $50,000 award? “I feel very honoured by the nomination,” she says sincerely. “Seeing my work in the AGO is great.”
Photos by Christopher Jones
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