The Grange Prize

We have made a couple of changes in our program this year, most notably we will be announcing the winner in November 2010. The $50,000 is given to the artist who receives the highest number of votes so check back often for updates and of course the announcement of the shortlist in May 2010 and the launch of the voting in September!

In the meantime, we will be posting semi regularly about some of the unique aspects of the prize, like the artist residencies. Each year, the Grange Prize provides the nominees with an opportunity to complete a residency in the partner country during the voting period. Last year Lynne Cohen travelled to Cancun, Marco Cruz and Federico Gama spent two weeks in Toronto and Jin Me Yoon spent 12 days in Mexico City. Over the next couple of months we will be sharing some of their stories and giving you some sneak peeks at the work they made while on their residencies.

Wednesday, May 20 7 – 8:30 p.m.
In the contemporary galleries
Free with admission

Mexican artists and Grange Prize nominees Marco A. Cruz and Federico Gama will discuss their work. Each year, The Grange Prize recognizes the work of Canadian and international contemporary photographers, awarding $50,000 CAD to a winner chosen through an online public vote from among two Canadian and two international artists.

Since 1979 Marco A. Cruz has had his photographs published in major newspapers and magazines, most notably LIFE, which featured one of his images from the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. In 1984 Cruz and a group of colleagues created the photographic agency Imagenlatina. Cruz’s series on blind people in Mexico is only one of the many distinguished photo essays he has created during his career. He is currently working on a website that aims to document Mexico City, where he lives and works.

Born in Mexico City in 1963, Federico Gama studied journalism and graphic design. He has been a documentary photographer of urban youth since 1988. He has participated in many solo and group exhibitions in Mexico and internationally. Gama has lectured at conferences, universities and schools of photography. He currently works as freelance photographer for newspapers, magazines and books, while also working on a documentary Gente como Nosotros (People Like Us), to be released in 2009.

Photos: Marco A. Cruz, 2008. Courtesy of the artist © 2009 Marco A. Cruz. Federico Gama, 2008. Courtesy of the artist © 2009 Federico Gama.

Once again the public is invited to help one of 4 fabulous artists take home the 50,000 CAD Grange Prize.   This year we have added a new experience to the mix- an exhibition of the nominees work. This way you can check out the work here online or at the Art Gallery of Ontario and at the Centro de la Imagen in Mexico City before casting your vote.

Once you vote we would love to know what compelled you to go for your pick.   Did the subject matter draw you in?  Was it the style of photography or something you can’t describe?  Share your thoughts here!

The Grange Prize Team

Voting ends at 11:59pm April 3.

The AGO and Aeroplan have partnered to create an exciting new art prize!

The Grange Prize, named in honour of the AGO’s historic home, is an annual award recognizing the work of Canadian and international contemporary photographers. The annual $50,000 prize is among the largest of its kind in Canada, and the only one entirely determined by the public. Each year artists will be selected from across Canada and a different international region; this year China was selected.

The winner of the $50,000 prize will be selected from two Canadian and three international finalists: Raymonde April, Sarah Anne Johnson, Miao Xiaochun, Huang Yan and Liu Zheng. The finalists for the award will be invited to participate in artist-in-residency programs. The winner will also receive an exhibit of his or her work at the Art Gallery of Ontario in spring 2009.

Visit www.thegrangeprize.com to view work by each of the five selected artists and learn more about them. The website has already received more than 2200 hits since voting opened on February 25. More than 700 people – from China, England, the U.S. and across Canada – have cast their votes. Voting continues to April 3. The winner will be announced in Toronto on Thursday April 24.

(From left to right) Raymonde April, Four Friends, Inkjet on Photorag paper, 2004. Sarah Anne Johnson, Morning Meeting, Chromogenic Print/Dye Coupler Print, 2003-2004. Miao Xiaochun, Theatre, C-Print, 2007. Huang Yan, Running – Great Wall Landscape 2, C-Print, 2007. Liu Zheng, Peking Opera, The Web Cage, C-Print, 1997.