Portrait of Bill Reid, c.1976. Painting by Chris Hopkins in 2005. (courtesy of the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art)
The Royal Canadian Mint is commemorating the legacy of Haida artist Bill Reid with a new toonie. The $2 coin marks 100 years since Reid's birth. Its inspiration is Xuu.ajii, or grizzly bear, a favourite character Reid often used in his jewelry designs and sculpture. It is an important crest in the Haida Nation and plays a significant role in ancient narratives. "The mint is delighted to add the story of Bill Reid's pivotal role in raising awareness of Haida art, and the traditions and culture it represents to the long list of circulation coins celebrating what makes us proud to be Canadian," Marie Lemay, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, said in a written statement.
Five Toronto-based artists have won Trinity Square Video's 2020 Emerging Digital Artists Award for critical experimentation in digital media. The winners are Jawa El Khash, Kanika Gordon, Alison Postma, Camila Salcedo and Lisa Smolkin. For the first time, all five artists on the short list will receive a $5,000 prize in lieu of announcing a single winner at a private awards ceremony. "The decision to alter this year’s award was inspired in part by the bold actions set forth by other major art awards, both in Canada and internationally, who shifted their structure for this year to better serve the needs of artists during this unprecedented time," Trinty Square Video said in its announcement.
Contemporary Calgary has announced the seven inaugural artists for the six-week Field Trip residency program, which begins later this month at participating galleries. They are Emily Jan, Aga Khan Museum in Toronto; Simone Saunders and Alex Kwong, Contemporary Calgary; Esmaa Mohamoud, Museum London and Visual Arts Centre of Clarington in Ontario; OLUSEYE, the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto; and Caroline Monnet and Joseph Tisiga, Yukon Art Centre in Whitehorse. "The Field Trip artist residency is an opportunity for arts organizations in Canada to listen, learn, respond and create space in a collaborative manner that is meaningful and relevant while advancing work towards inclusion and equity for marginalized populations," Contemporary Calgary said in its release.
The Alberta Society of Artists has opened a new gallery. After the pandemic shut down the society's office and its tiny exhibition space, it says it had a chance to move at no extra cost into a larger gallery space in the same facility. The opening exhibition, The Big Leap, includes work by the society's juried members and runs from Sept. 2 to Oct. 31. The gallery is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Unit 222 of the Crossroads Art Centre at 1235 26 Ave. S.E. in Calgary.
Sources: Royal Canadian Mint, Trinity Square Video, Contemporary Calgary, Alberta Society of Artists