A pair of artists based in Sackville and New Zealand have been longlisted for the Sobey Art Award, one of Canada\u2019s most generous art prizes.<\/p>\n
Miranda Bellamy<\/a> and Amanda Fauteux <\/a>are partners and artistic collaborators who split their time between Sackville and New Zealand. Last summer, the pair exhibited their work Terrarium<\/em><\/a> at the Owens Art Gallery in Sackville, curated by director Emily Falvey.<\/p>\n Falvey says she felt the Terrarium<\/em> exhibition was \u201cso well done that it would probably have a good chance with the Sobey award. So we all agreed that we would kind of pursue that together.\u201d Falvey wrote a letter of support for Bellamy and Fauteux, and then last week, the award foundation announced the pair made the longlist of 25 Canadian artists<\/a>, five from each of five regions across the country.<\/p>\n Fauteux and Bellamy\u2019s collaboration is remarkable, says Falvey. \u201cThey bring out the best in each other,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s such a wonderful, creative partnership that they have, and their approach to the subject of inter-species collaboration and working with plants is just very unique and thoughtful.\u201d<\/p>\n In Terrarium, the pair created two bodies of work, one based in New Zealand, and the other in Sackville. They recorded electrochemical signals from plants in habitats that have been \u201cprofoundly altered\u201d by human activity and translated those signals into sounds and images. The result is a video installation and series of sandstone sculptures that was shown at the Owens last summer.<\/p>\n One set of plant recordings were made in Kawau Island, New Zealand, the site of a former copper mine which had been transformed into a sort of \u201cbotanical zoo\u201d by colonial governor Sir George Grey in the 1860s. Another set were made in and around the Pickard Quarry in Sackville.<\/p>\n Sandstone for the sculptures originated in the quarry, and was retrieved from demolished Mount Allison buildings. Into it, Bellamy and Fauteux carved \u201ca pattern that was a reflection of what the plants are telling them, essentially,\u201d says Falvey.<\/p>\n The electrochemical recordings give the work a distinct science-art crossover perspective. \u201cThey will be the first to say that they\u2019re not scientists,\u201d says Falvey, \u201cbut at the same time, there\u2019s definitely an intersection. And I know that there were folks in the biology department that were really interested in what they were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n In June, the Sobey Art Foundation will announce their short list for the prize, choosing one artist from each geographical region. Then in November, the ultimate $100,000 prize winner will be announced. Short listed artists will receive a $25,000 prize, and be featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa in the fall. Long listed artists will receive $10,000.<\/p>\n Falvey says the recognition of five Atlantic artists is welcome, but she also notes the many artists working in the region that are not recognized in the prize process. \u201cThere are lots of artists working here, really great artists who aren\u2019t on the list,\u201d says Falvey. \u201cThat can be discouraging\u2026 I want to validate everyone who\u2019s brave enough to have a practice and pursue that practice.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2023 Sobey Art Award longlisted artists are:<\/p>\n Atlantic<\/a>: Quebec<\/a>: Ontario<\/a>:
\nMiranda Bellamy and Amanda Fauteux
\nS\u00e9amus Gallagher
\nWill Gill
\nAlan Syliboy
\nAislinn Thomas<\/p>\n
\nAnahita Norouzi
\nGenevi\u00e8ve & Matthieu
\nLaura Acosta and Santiago Tavera
\narkadi lavoie lachapelle
\nRen\u00e9e Condo<\/p>\n
\nAlvin Luong
\nBarry Ace
\nMich\u00e8le Pearson Clarke
\nPejvak (Felix Kalmenson and Rouzbeh Akhbari)
\nRah Eleh<\/p>\n