Shizuka Yoshimura, "Transient Shine," no date
wood, hemp cordage, steel, copper, glass vessels, 27" × 70" × 12"
Shizuka Yoshimura, a student at the Yukon School of Visual Arts in Dawson City, is the national winner of the BMO 1st Art! contest.
Yoshimura, who takes home $15,000, won for Transient Shine, a sculptural installation made from wood, hemp cordage, metal and glass vessels.
The competition celebrates the creativity of art school students graduating from post-secondary institutions across Canada.
Eleven regional winners each receive $7,500. They are:
- Kaela Murphy, University of Lethbridge, Alberta
- Ali Cayetano, University of British Columbia
- Solange Roy, University of Manitoba
- Oakley Rain Wysote Gray, New Brunswick College of Craft & Design
- Georgia Dawkin, Grenfell campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Ivan Flores, NSCAD University, Nova Scotia
- Collin Alexander, University of Toronto, Ontario
- Chris Bailey, Holland College, Prince Edward Island
- Avery Mikolic-O’Rourke, Concordia University, Quebec
- Aurora Wolfe, University of Saskatchewan
- Sabrina Jin, Yukon School of Visual Arts
A total of 345 graduating students were recommended by deans and instructors from 110 undergraduate art programs across the country.
The contest considers a range of work, including time-based media such as video, film, audio and computer technologies, as well as drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, and installation works.
After two years of virtual events, the contest is moving to an in-person exhibition by all 12 winners, complemented by online material, at the University of Toronto Art Museum from Oct. 26 to Nov. 19.
"This year we are delighted to welcome everyone back to the gallery to see these extraordinary works of art," said Dawn Cain, curator of the BMO's art collection. "Since the first exhibition in 2003, BMO 1st Art has been a showcase of unique projects by exceptional undergraduate students across Canada. The level of talent this competition draws involves some difficult decisions for our judges."
Winners were chosen by a committee composed of Emily Falencki, an artist and educator in Nova Scotia; Sequoia Miller, chief curator of the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art in Toronto; Michelle Jacques, chief curator of the Remai Modern in Saskatoon; and Anne-Marie St-Jean Aubre, curator of contemporary art at the Musée d’art de Joliette in Quebec.
Source: BMO 1st Art!