Announcing the Recipients of the 2019 Awards for Canadian Visual Artists and Curators

Bachelor of Fine Arts student Annie Beach and alumna Niamh Dooley [BFA (Hons)/17] from the University of Manitoba were announced on Oct. 17 as two of the recipients of the Hnatyshyn Foundation Awards for Canadian Visual Artists and Curators.

The William and Meredith Saunderson Prizes of $5,000 each for three young artists go to Annie Beach, Evin Collis and Niamh Dooley.

Annie Beach is a visual artist who is currently acquiring a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with Honours at the University of Manitoba’s School of Art. Beach is Cree and Saulteaux iskwew, with family from Peguis First Nation, Treaty 1. Her body of work addresses the over-sexualization of Indigenous women, and challenges these ideas with sex- and body-positive work. Her work also addresses stereotypes relating to Indigenous identity through counteraction, exaggeration and humour.

Niamh Dooley is an Oji-Cree and Irish contemporary artist based in Winnipeg, Treaty 1 territory. She is a band member of St. Theresa Point First Nation in Treaty 5 territory of Manitoba, but grew up in Treaty 3 territory in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in 2017.