Fourteen outstanding photographers selected through international nomination process

On July 18, the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize, Canada’s leading contemporary photography award, announced the long list of 14 finalists from around the world, submitted by a group of eight international nominators. Formerly known as The Grange Prize, the 50,000 CAD prize honours living artists whose work in photography and video over the past five years has shown extraordinary potential. The nominators are leading Canadian and international experts in photography who have each nominated two artists for the Prize—one from their home countries or regions of expertise and one internationally.

The Aimia | AGO Photography Prize long list includes:

–Edgardo Aragón (Mexico)
Jessica Eaton (Canada)
Em’Kal Eyongakpa (Cameroon)
LaToya Ruby Frazier (U.S.)
Regina José Galindo (Guatemala)
Ron Jude (U.S.)
Tomoko Kikuchi (Japan)
Emanuel Licha (Canada)
Abraham Oghobase (Nigeria)
Chino Otsuka (Japan)
Erin Shirreff (Canada)
Dan Siney (Canada)
Efrat Shvily (Israel)
Lucie Stahl (Germany)

“The 14 nominated artists have diverse practices, but they have made an extraordinary impact in their respective communities,” says Matthew Teitelbaum, Director and CEO of the AGO. “As we enter an exciting new phase for the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize we hold onto our foundation by supporting artists with residency and exhibition programs at home and abroad. I extend sincere congratulations to all nominees; I know that they will all make a valuable contribution to the continuing innovation and growth of photography across the world.”

“On behalf of Aimia, I would like to congratulate all of the artists who were nominated for the prize this year. The Aimia | AGO Photography Prize not only recognizes their immense talent, but also provides those ultimately short-listed with an invaluable opportunity to learn and develop new projects while exploring their talents. It’s extremely rewarding for our company to help foster artists at home and around the world,” says Vince Timpano, President and CEO of Aimia in Canada. “We are honoured to partner with the AGO for the sixth year as we help take one of Canada’s largest and most innovative arts prize programs to new heights.”

The prestigious group of nominators for the 2013 Aimia | AGO Photography Prize includes:

–Yael Bartana, internationally acclaimed artist
–Jennifer Blessing, Senior Curator, Photography, Guggenheim Museum, New York
–Karen Irvine, Curator and Associate Director, Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College, Chicago
–Michiko Kasahara, Chief Curator, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography
–Mark Lanctôt, Curator, Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal
–Helga Pakasaar, Curator, Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver
–José Roca, Adjunct Curator, Latin American Art, Tate
–Bisi Silva, Director, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria

From the list of 14 artists, a jury of three experts headed by Lead Juror Elizabeth Smith, AGO Executive Director of Curatorial Affairs, will select a short list of four artists, including at least one Canadian artist. These artists will receive a fully funded six-week residency in Canada and their work will be exhibited at the AGO beginning September 11, 2013. The winner will be selected by public vote inside the exhibition and online (with online voting beginning August 27, 2013). The winner, who will be announced on November 7, 2013, receives 50,000 CAD.

About the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize
The Aimia | AGO Photography Prize is Canada’s leading photography prize and one of the largest arts and culture prize programs in the world. The prize awards more than 85,000 CAD directly to artists working in photography each year, and is comprised of an annual exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), an online exhibition at AimiaAGOPhotographyPrize.com, international artist residencies, public programming, as well as an extensive national scholarship program.

www.aimiaagophotographyprize.com