Contemporary Art Purchase Program

Cultural Spaces & Places

HRM's Contemporary Visual Art Purchase Program

Please be advised the Contemporary Visual Art Purchase Program is currently under review. This review process will create an equitable and transparent awards process that will support the diverse practices of artists within HRM. For more information please visit the Culture Awards Review.

The Contemporary Visual Art Purchase Program is open to HRM-based, emerging and mid-career, 2D visual artists. The works of the winner and two honourable mentions are purchased as part of HRM’s permanent art collection and displayed in HRM public buildings as part of a developing program to showcase the work of local contemporary artists. Short-listed exhibitors are paid an honorarium for their participation.

2011
2010
2009

For more information about the program:

Jamie Maclellan
HRM Public Art Facilitator
490-1039
maclelaj@halifax.ca

2011

A public exhibition of the short-listed works for HRM's 3rd Annual Contemporary Visual Art Purchase Program took place at Halifax Hall, Halifax City Hall, September 1-October 15, 2011.

Short-listed artists were:

Scott Bertram
Aimée Henny Brown
Valerie Salez
Yorodeo (Seth Smith and Paul Hammond)
Juan Ortiz-apuy

Winner of the 3rd Annual HRM Contemporary Visual Art Purchase Program was Juan Ortiz-apuy for his work entitled Species of Spaces (Sentence). Honourable mentions were awarded to Aimée Henny Brown for her series Western Pulp, and Scott Bertram for his painting May.

Scott Bertram

Bertrum: May, 2010

Scott Bertram
May, 2010
Acrylic on canvas, 183 X 152 cm

Bertrum: Grey

Scott Bertram
GPB Grey 1, 2011
Acrylic on canvas, 122 X 92 cm

Bertrum: Subject to Change

Scott Bertram
Subject To Change 1, 2010
Acrylic on canvas, 183 X 152 cm

Aimée Henny Brown

Brown: Western Pulp

Aimée Henny Brown
Western Pulp, part 1, 2011
Digital inkjet prints, gold leaf, each 33 X 38 cm

Brown: Catlow

Aimée Henny Brown
Catlow(from series Western Pulp, Part I of II), 2011

Digital inkjet prints, gold leaf, each 33 X 38 cm

Brown: Chancy

Aimée Henny Brown
Chancy, 2011

Digital inkjet prints, gold leaf, each 33 X 38 cm

Brown: Sunset Graze

Aimée Henny Brown
Sunset Graze (detail), 2011
Digital inkjet prints, gold leaf, each 33 X 38 cm

Valerie Salez

Salez: Impossible column 2

Valerie Salez
Impossible column 1, 2010
Photo collage, 58 X 81 cm

Salez: Impossible column 1

Valerie Salez
Impossible column 2, 2010
Photo collage, 58 X 81 cm

Yorodeo

Yorodeo: Half-Duke of Izu

Yorodeo
Half-Duke of Izu, 2010
Anaglyphic 3D screen-print on paper, edition of 50, 12 x 18 cm

Yorodeo: Township of Bookside

Yorodeo
Township of Bookside, 2011
Anaglyphic 3D screen-print on paper, edition of 30, 51 X 66 cm

Yorodeo: Lady Bellina

Yorodeo
Lady Bellina, 2010
Anaglyphic 3D screen-print on paper, edition of 50, 12 x 18 cm

Juan Ortiz-apuy

Juan: From 10 to 1

Juan Ortiz-apuy
Species of Spaces (From 10 to 1), 2010
Inkjet print, 152 X 102 cm

Sentence

Juan Ortiz-apuy
Species of Spaces (Sentence), 2010
Inkjet print, 152 X 102 cm

Juan: The Void

Juan Ortiz-apuy
Species of Spaces (The Void), 2010
Inkjet print, 152 X 102 cm

2010

Mayor Peter Kelly is pleased to announce Aaron Weldon as the winner of the 2nd Annual HRM Contemporary Visual Art Award for his work entitled Tuesday.

Tuesday by Aaron Weldon

Aaron Weldon
Tuesday
oil and acrylic on linen
36"x48"
2010

Kyle Monchuk and Jessica Hein received honourable mentions for their submissions.

Last year's winner was Mark Stebbins for his painting Datamine. Mark has just been announced as one of fifteen semi-finalists for this year's RBC Painting Award, a national purchase award program sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada.

An exhibition of the short-listed works runs until July 29, 2010, at the Nova Scotia Archives, Chase Exhibit Room.

Jessica Hein

Untitled (cell)
Graphite, acrylic
24"x 24"
2010

Kyle Monchuk

Future History I
paper collage
20"x 24" (framed)
2010

2009

Winner Announced for Mayor’s Award of Distinction, Contemporary Visual Art

(Tuesday, June 23, 2009) - Mayor Peter Kelly is pleased to announce Mark Stebbins as the winner of the inaugural Mayor's Award of Distinction, Contemporary Visual Art for his work entitled Datamine.

“I would like to thank all of the artists who took the time and effort to submit to this process ,” said Mayor Kelly. “The wealth of artistic talent in our municipality is undeniable, and this talent was certainly on display in the range of submissions we received. I would like to offer my congratulations to all of the shortlisted artists, to Mark Stebbins, the winner, and to Jonathan Johnson and Daniel Hutchinson who received honourable mentions.”

The contest was open to HRM-based, emerging and mid-career, 2D visual artists. The works of the winner and two honourable mentions will be purchased as part of HRM’s permanent art collection and displayed in public locations across the municipality. The short-listed exhibitors will be paid an honorarium for their participation.

“HRM will be honoured to house these incredible artworks and will display them proudly,” said Kelly. “It is my sincere hope that this distinction will contribute to the artists’ ongoing professional development and success.”

2009 Shortlisted Artists