Calgary-based Inuvialuk artist Kablusiak named winner of $100,000 Sobey Art Award

A Yellowknife born, Calgary-based Inuvialuk artist has been named the winner of the $100,000 Sobey Art Award four years after being shortlisted for the honour for the first time. Kablusiak, who is professionally known under only one name, is shown in a handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Kablusiak

A Yellowknife born, Calgary-based Inuvialuk artist has been named the winner of the Sobey Art Award four years after being shortlisted for the honour for the first time.

The multidisciplinary artist Kablusiak, who is known professionally under only one name, was awarded the $100,000 prize at an evening gala in Ottawa hosted by the National Gallery of Canada and the Sobey Art Foundation.

Award Jury Chair Jonathan Shaughnessy describes Kablusiak's work as "fearless and unapologetic," adding the artist "confounds old categories" with work that explores the experiences of "being looked at without being seen." 

Kablusiak first made the short list for the award in 2019. 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Kablusiak (@kablusiak)

Four runners-up — Gabrielle L'Hirondelle Hill, Seamus Gallagher, Anahita Norouzi and Michele Pearson Clarke — all received $25,000 prizes. 

Works by all five shortlisted artists will be part of an exhibition at the national gallery from Oct. 13 to March 3, 2024.

The short list was chosen by an independent jury consisting of curators from five regions across Canada, as well as an international juror.

The Sobey Art Award was created in 2002 with funding from the Sobey Art Foundation and has been jointly administered by the foundation and national gallery since 2016.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2023.