HK · International contemporary art platformThe winners of the 2026 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts were announced on 16 September. These awards, among Canada’s most prestigious in the arts sector, honour exceptional achievements in visual and media arts, fine crafts, and contributions to contemporary art.
This year’s recipients include a diverse group of artists and cultural figures from various regions and disciplines. The honourees are Chung-Im Kim, a textile artist based in Cookstown, Ontario; Roger Lee, an art historian from Vancouver; Faye HeavyShield, a sculptor and installation artist from the Kainai First Nations; Carole Itter, an artist and filmmaker also from Vancouver; Zacharias Kunuk, an Inuk sculptor and filmmaker; Lyne Lapointe, an artist from Québec; Marie-Jeanne Musiol, a Swiss-born photographer and multidisciplinary artist based in Gatineau, Québec; and Skawennati, a Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist from Montréal.
The awards include up to eight honours each year: six for artistic achievements, one for exceptional fine craft, and one recognising outstanding contributions to contemporary visual arts, media arts, or fine crafts. Each winner receives a bronze medallion and a monetary prize of C$25,000 (approximately US$18,000).
Among the recipients, Roger Lee was recognised with the award for outstanding contribution for his influential work as an art historian and cultural advocate, particularly in Asian and diasporic art history in Canada. His notable collection of Yixing teapots exemplifies his blend of aesthetic inquiry and cultural memory.
Chung-Im Kim received the Saidye Bronfman Award, which celebrates craft processes. The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau acquires works by the Bronfman Award winner annually. Marie-Jeanne Musiol’s work involves photograms and experimental videos that capture luminous plant imprints through electromagnetic fields, forming a virtual energy herbarium in her series The Radiant Forest.
An exhibition showcasing selected works by this year’s winners is scheduled to open at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on 7 November. This event will provide the public an opportunity to engage with the diverse practices and cultural narratives represented by the laureates.
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