The next generation of Canadian painters
TORONTO, July 6, 2017 /CNW/ - RBC, in collaboration with Canadian Art, is pleased to announce the jury-selected 15 finalists from among 682 submissions for the 19th annual RBC Canadian Painting Competition. The competition, developed through RBC's Emerging Artists Project, bolsters the careers of young contemporary artists and seeks to inject the vitality and diversity of new talent into Canada's arts landscape.
The 2017 RBC Canadian Painting Competition finalists are:
| Artist |
Title of Work |
| Amanda Boulos |
Duckie Wants Water |
| Angela Teng |
Line Dance (Pink and Black for Mary Heilmann) |
| Ambera Wellmann |
Temper Ripened |
| Cindy Ji Hye Kim |
Conspiracy Theory |
| David Kaarsemaker |
Portage 1 |
| Joani Tremblay |
The Lure of the Local Senses of Place in a Multicentered Society |
| Kizi Spielmann Rose |
Sun and a Tide Pool |
| Laura Payne |
Enneadec II |
| Laura Rokas-Bérubé |
Paint by Number 7 |
| M.E. Sparks |
Hollow Dog |
| Michael Freeman Badour |
Patrick's Boots |
| Teto Elsiddique |
neckrings, a breezy thing |
| Tristan Unrau |
Nun, After Pasolini |
| Veronika Pausova |
Typography |
| Wei Li |
Obsessiveness and excitement, never growing out of them |
"Every year I am impressed by the artistic strength of the artists who enter the competition," says RBC's Curator, Robin Anthony. "The creative diversity and talent of the 2017 finalists is truly rewarding to see. We are honoured to provide these artists with the exposure and confidence that will enable them to grow both in their unique artistic practices and their careers."
RBC's support of the arts is a long-standing priority for the organization, which is among the most active collectors of Canadian contemporary art in the country. The competition is both about recognizing and nurturing the careers of local artists and supporting a thriving Canadian visual arts community.
"RBC's commitment to visual artists and to this competition is truly important to the community. It not only provides much needed financial support for artists, it also offers a tremendous opportunity for artists to exhibit their work at prominent galleries across the country," said David Balzer, Canadian Art's Editor-In Chief and Co-Publisher. "We continue to be impressed by the emerging talent in this country and are thrilled with this year's finalists."
Now in its 19th year, the RBC Canadian Painting Competition will award a total of $85,000 in prize money. The winner will be announced on October 17th, 2017, and all 15 artists will have their work exhibited at The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario from September 1st to October 22nd, 2017. The three winning paintings will be added to RBC's Art Collection along with the winners of the previous 18 competitions. RBC's collection features more than 4,500 works collected since 1929, including original works of art by historical and contemporary Canadian artists.
"I am forever grateful for the support from RBC, Canadian Art and my mentors," said Brian Hunter, winner of the 2016 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. "The competition provided me with tremendous opportunities to connect with my peers and learn from a distinguished group of mentors. Winning has elevated my current work, allowing me to experiment and explore within my art practice."
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We have over 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 35 other countries. For more information, please visit http://www.rbc.com.
RBC awards a total of $85,000 in prize money through the RBC Canadian Painting Competition. The winner receives a cash prize of $25,000. Two honourable mentions each receive $15,000 and the remaining 12 finalists receive $2,500 each. This support is provided in addition to informal mentorship opportunities with the accomplished jury and financial skills development with advisors as part of RBC's commitment to developing emerging artists across the country.
In 2016, RBC supported over 2,000 artists, investing over $4.2 million in 160 organizations in a wide range of art genres. Support is focused on artists in the early stages of their careers through the RBC Emerging Artists Project. Cumulatively, over 7,000 artists are now part of our RBC Emerging Artists alumni.
RBC helps communities prosper, supporting a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. For more information please see: http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/.
Canadian Art
Canadian Art is the preeminent platform for journalism and criticism about art and culture in Canada. The organization's print, digital, educational and programming initiatives deliver smart, accessible ideas, stories and opinions. A national non-profit foundation, Canadian Art develops and supports art writers, and engages with the work of artists, established and new. Most important, Canadian Art empowers diverse audiences to understand, debate and be inspired by art.
SOURCE RBC Royal Bank
Alex Kucharski, Argyle Public Relationships, 416 968-7311 x248
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