An artist from Aamjiwnaang First Nation has received Canada’s richest prize for contemporary visual arts for his take on sculptural beadwork.
Nico Williams recently won the 2024 Sobey Art Award, which includes a prize of $100,000.
"Ten years ago, one of the most influential role models, Nadia Myre, received this prize. I want to send out the same message to all the bush kids out there, we are doing it! Also, I am extremely grateful to all the people who have stood behind my practice since the very beginning," said Williams in a media release. "I wouldn’t be where I am today without you! Chi-miigwech!”
The Anishinaabe artist -- who's currently based in Montreal, Quebec -- was selected as the winner by an independent jury. The committee was comprised of six Canadian artists, all former Sobey Art Award finalists or winners, and an international juror.
"His impeccably precise artworks transform everyday objects to the level of the spectacular and weave personal experiences into broadly relatable narratives," said Director, Curatorial Initiatives at the National Gallery of Canada Jonathan Shaughnessy. "Working with and through community, Williams’ practice challenges the persistence of colonial legacies through the surfacing of collective memory and shared nostalgias.”
Williams was one of six finalists. The five shortlisted artists will each receive $25,000.
Their work will be on display at the National Gallery of Canada, located in Ottawa, until April 6, 2025.
Last year, Williams' work was featured at the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery in Sarnia.
Williams described his work and inspiration in a video posted on the National Gallery of Canada's YouTube page.