The City of Montreal and AGAC award the Pierre-Ayot and Louis-Comtois prizes
Congratulations to the winning artists!
The Association of Contemporary Art Galleries (AGAC) and the City of Montreal came together last evening to award the Pierre-Ayot Prize and the Louis-Comtois Prize. More than a hundred people came to celebrate the winners, as well as the four finalist artists during the evening which took place at the Chaufferie du Cœur des sciences at UQAM. This year, the artists Fairies-Violette Sabiri et Yann Pocreau are the winners of the awards for excellence in visual arts.
“The City of Montreal is proud to highlight the exceptional talents of visual arts artists, whether emerging or established. These awards, in tribute to Pierre Ayot and Louis Comtois, are not simple distinctions: they embody our unwavering commitment to creativity and innovation. Each year, we observe with immense pride the transformative impact of this recognition on the careers of the finalists and winners. Our partnership with AGAC is a fundamental pillar of this initiative, and we are determined to continue to support the artistic excellence that makes Montreal a dynamic and inspiring cultural metropolis. », expressed the person responsible for culture, heritage, gastronomy and nightlife within the executive committee, Ericka Alneus.
Fatine-Violette Sabiri wins the Pierre-Ayot prize. This prize aims to support and promote the excellence of new creation in visual arts in Montreal, to promote the diffusion of young Montreal artists. This recognition is accompanied by a grant of $5,000 and a budget of $2,500 for the organization of an individual exhibition.
Yann Pocreau wins the Louis-Comtois prize. This prize aims to consolidate the recognition of a mid-career artist and to highlight the quality of their production in the field of contemporary art in Montreal. This recognition is accompanied by a grant of $7,500 and a budget of $2,500 for the organization of an individual exhibition.
The City of Montreal also acquires a work from each of the winners for its collection of works of art.
The jury responsible for evaluating the applications was made up of five professionals from the field
visual arts: Manel Benchabane (Curator, Stewart Hall Gallery), Anaïs Castro (Assistant Curator, National Gallery of Canada, curator and author), François LeTourneux (Curator and head of cultural action, Museum of Contemporary Art of Montreal), Caroline Monnet (Artist) and Jonathan Shaughnessy (Director, Conservation Initiatives, National Gallery of Canada).
Fairies-Violette Sabiri
Winner of the Pierre-Ayot Prize
“Born in Morocco, Fatine-Violette Sabiri develops a practice combining photography, tactile media and traditional artisanal techniques, in a deeply autobiographical approach. Inspired by everyday encounters and objects, she relies on her intuition to explore personal stories imbued with sensitivity. His work, marked by his migratory experience and his cultural transformation since his arrival in Montreal, reflects an intimate dialogue between identity and memory. The jury praised the sensitivity and elegance with which Sabiri treats the images and objects that she reinterprets, giving her work a poetic and universal depth. Sabiri’s work offers a vibrant and sensitive exploration of contemporary identity narratives. »
The artist is represented by the Eli Kerr Gallery in Montreal.
Let us also highlight the excellence of the work of the two artists who were finalists for the Pierre-Ayot prize, Laila Master et Michaëlle Sergile.
Yann Pocreau
Winner of the Louis-Comtois Prize
“The jury wanted to highlight the exemplary rigor and remarkable constancy of Yann Pocreau, whose prolific career has continuously enriched the Montreal artistic landscape. His work, both visually striking and intellectually stimulating, stands out as a major contribution to contemporary art. Navigating with singular ease between the infinitely large and what can fit in the palm of a hand, Yann Pocreau is interested in wonder as well as in the margins, sensitively exploring forgotten stories and unsuspected beauties. He demonstrates exceptional virtuosity in every project, whether it is his daily artistic practice or his public art works that enrich our urban landscape. His ability to weave links between aesthetics, critical reflection and contemporary concerns gives his work a deep relevance, resonating acutely in the current discourse on art and society. »
The artist is represented by the Blouin Division gallery in Montreal.
Let us also highlight the excellence of the work of the two artists who were finalists for the Louis-Comtois Prize, Kelly Jazvac et Joseph Tisiga.
“Our congratulations to the winning artists! The awards of excellence represent recognition and essential support for local artists. Moreover, AGAC salutes the City of Montreal for its significant commitment to our creators, in particular its desire to place current art at the heart of the Municipal Collection. This partnership with the City of Montreal, which we have proudly maintained for three decades, is a collaboration that is
expensive,” said Anie Deslauriersdirector of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries.
Information
Galleries Association contemporary art (AGAC)
329-372, rue Sainte-Catherine W.
Montreal, QC, H3B 1A2
[email protected]
City of Montreal
Culture department
514-872-6955
Pierre Ayot Prize
Louis Comtois Prize
