Montreal artist awarded $50,000 and book deal with Steidl

TORONTO, May 18 /CNW/ - Montreal artist Lynne Cohen was presented with the first Scotiabank Photography Award at a ceremony held this evening at Scotia Plaza in Toronto.  The $50,000 award and book deal with art photography publisher Steidl, is Canada's largest contemporary photography award for an established Canadian artist.

"For me, it is an honour to have been nominated and selected to receive the Scotiabank Photography Award in its first year," says Ms. Cohen.  "Canada is a leader in the world of art photography, and has become even more prominent in the art world over the last four decades, and this prize can only solidify and contribute to its leading position."

Lynne Cohen captures domestic and institutional interior spaces - from living rooms to spas, to retirement homes, laboratories, shooting ranges, showrooms, military installations and factories.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada and around the world.  Ms. Cohen is represented in more than 50 public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada; the Australian National Gallery, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Canada Council Art Bank.

The Scotiabank Photography Award also includes a curated photography exhibition to be showcased at the 2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.  The Steidl publication will be launched at the Festival.

"Lynne mines the cultural geography of our times," says Jane Nokes Scotiabank Photography Award Executive Director and Director of Corporate Archives and Fine Art for Scotiabank Group. "Lynne's commitment to her art, her global vision, and her extraordinary oeuvre make her the perfect selection as the first winner of the Scotiabank Photography Award."

The Scotiabank Photography Award was founded by the Scotiabank Group represented by Jane Nokes, as well as Canadian photo artist Edward Burtynsky, Chair of the Award jury panel. Members of this year's jury panel were William A. Ewing, director of Curatorial Projects Thames & Hudson; Marie-Josée Jean, director of VOX, centre de l'image contemporaine; and Karen Love, manager of Curatorial Affairs at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Lynne Cohen was one of three shortlisted artists nominated by experts from across Canada. The two other shortlisted artists, Roy Arden from Vancouver and Robin Collyer from Toronto, each received a $5,000.

For more information on the Scotiabank Photography Award, please visit www.scotiabankphotoaward.com.

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, 'Bright Future.' Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $44 million annually to community causes around the world over the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

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