Andrew Wright with the BMW Exhibition Prize
The BMW prize of $5,000 acknowledges an outstanding exhibition in CONTACT 2011. The jury, Sheyi Bankale, (Editor and Founder, Next Level Magazine, London, UK) and David Liss, (Artistic Director & Curator, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto) considered both Open and Featured exhibitions in CONTACT 2011 for this prize and based their decision on the caliber and concept of the work, the curatorial vision, and the overall impact of the exhibition. On Tuesday May 31 at the festival closing party Andrew Wright was presented with this inaugural award.
Wright’s innovative new body of work entitled CORONAE presented at Peak Gallery continues his investigation into photographic technologies by interrogating how they depict environments and the world around us. This series of large-scale works contributes to contemporary discourses on cameraless photography, challenging conventional understandings about materials, procedures, and functions.
“Andrew Wright very skillfully challenges the position and perspective of the viewer, who becomes the figure within the ground of his otherworldly images,” said David Liss. “Contemplative and darkly beautiful, Wright’s work is about light—the mechanics and the essence of photography—and can refer metaphorically to illumination, inspiration and the origin of the cosmos.”
Wright's use of photography is decidedly non-conventional as it eschews lyricism and traditional pictorial aims. His conceptual and lens-based practice also involves sculpture, film, installation, outdoor works and prints that probe phenomena, narrative, antique and contemporary technologies. He has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally, with exhibitions at the University of California (Berkeley), Oakville Galleries, Photo Miami, Roam Contemporary (New York), ARCO '05 (Madrid), Presentation House, (Vancouver) and the Art Gallery of Calgary, to name a few. Andrew Wright is represented in Canada by Peak Gallery in Toronto and by Patrick Mikhail Gallery in Ottawa. He is an Assistant Professor of Visual Art at the University of Ottawa.
BMW has been a long time supporter of arts and culture around the world. “From the acclaimed BMW Art Car program, to the upcoming BMW Guggenheim Lab, we are proud to support photography here in Canada”, says Marc Belcourt, Brand Communications Manager for BMW Group Canada. “Through the BMW Exhibition Prize, we are able to recognize the most impactful exhibition within the CONTACT festival. We congratulate Mr. Wright on his work and commend him for his use of innovation and technology to push the boundaries of convention.”
RECENT PRESS
•Donia Almassi's Blog: Review of Andrew Wright's Coron
•Ottawa Citizen, Peter Simpson, June 1, 2011, Andrew Wright wins $5,000 prize at Contact Photo Festival
• BMW Prize Announcement on Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival Site
• Tatar Art Projects, May 26, 2011, Don't lose Contact - Our top picks
•BlogTO: May 25, 2011, Art Agenda: CONTACT reviews of Lynne Cohen, Eldon Garnet, and Andrew Wright•
• Video Interview with ArtSync Opening: Andrew Wright
• Now Magazine's"Must-see Shows", NOW | May 5-12, 2011 | VOL 30 NO 36
• Ottawa Citizen, Peter Simpson, March 14, 2011, 'A holey approach to film studies'
• Maclean's Magazine, Joanne Latimer, March 16, 2011, 'Would Picasso have sold online?
• Guerilla Magazine, Interview with Tony Martins, Feb 21, 2011, Convention submerged in Wright's Still Water'
• Coronae Press Release and Images, Patrick Mikhail Gallery
UPCOMING RELATED EVENTS
• March 25, 2011, Andrew Wright public lecture, University of Regina
• March 30, 2011, Andrew Wright public lecture, Emily Carr University of Art & Design, Vancouver
• April 3, 2011, Andrew Wright public lecture, Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Ottawa
• April 28, 2011, Opening Reception for Peak Gallery exhibition, Toronto
CORONAE
“Andrew Wright very skillfully challenges the position and perspective of the viewer, who becomes the figure within the ground of his otherworldly images. Contemplative and darkly beautiful, Wright’s work is about light—the mechanics and the essence of photography—and can refer metaphorically to illumination, inspiration and the origin of the cosmos.”
April 28 - June 11, 2011 Peak Gallery, Toronto (Feature Exhibition Scotiabank CONTACT Photo)
March 9 - April 9, 2011 Patrick Mikhail Gallery Ottawa
