Artist Christian Chapman Nominated for 2025 Sobey Art Awards
May 13, 2025
Date: May 13, 2025
Subject: Artist Christian Chapman Nominated for 2025 Sobey Art Awards
Where: Thunder Bay Art Gallery, 1080 Keewatin St. Thunder Bay, ON
Christian Chapman, Fort William First Nation artist, has been long listed for the 2025 Sobey Art Award, one of Canada’s pre-eminent prize for contemporary visual artists.
“The news came as a welcomed surprise.” Chapman said, “I appreciate the Thunder Bay Art Gallery for their efforts in nominating me for the Sobey. A huge cheers to everyone who made the long list.”
When asked about Chapman’s nomination and recognition, Executive Director, Matthew R. Hills, a former Sobey Award juror responded “the Sobey Art Award recognizes the most important and groundbreaking artists in our country. Christian is a leader in our community and an integral part of the vitality of contemporary art in northern Ontario. He is a nationally respected artist, whose work speaks with insight and care to the specificities of making art in Anemki Wajiw. The vision of the Sobey Art Foundation in presenting the Sobey Award through the National Gallery of Canada draws important attention to the critical work of artists in our society. Time and time again, we have seen the power of the Sobey Art Award to transform artistic careers and provide a platform for some of the most critically important artists and contemporary art of our time. It is very gratifying for our gallery to see Christian, a profoundly respected member of our community and someone who we are proud to work with, receive this type of acknowledgement on the national stage.”
Created in 2002, the Sobey Art Award is an initiative of the Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) and organized and presented by the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). The Award propels the careers of artists through financial support and recognition in Canada and beyond. Presented annually, this pre-eminent award celebrates Canada’s most exciting artists and provides significant financial recognition.
Christian Chapman is an Anishinaabe artist from Fort William First Nation, Ontario. He creates two-dimensional mixed-media artwork that fuses elements of painting, drawing, and printmaking. The act of storytelling has been an important part of his life: it has informed him of his culture by shaping his identity, personal experiences, and worldview. Recent exhibitions include Run to the Hills! (2023) and Ziibaaska’iganagooday (2023). He has received numerous awards, including the York Wilson Endowment Award (2022), Hnatyshyn Foundation Reveal Art National Award (2017), and the Ontario Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts: Emerging Artist of the Year (2016).
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is proud to play a small part in Chapman’s success as an accomplished artist. In 2010, the Gallery presented his first solo exhibition, Don’t Eat the Fish & Other Cautionary Tales and most recently, Ziibaaska’iganagoodayan – The Jingle Dress, a series of 11 large-scale portraits, winner of the 2022 York Wilson Endowment Award. His work has been part of numerous group shows, juried exhibitions, and community-based projects. With key works represented in the collection, the Gallery is thrilled to present a comprehensive and large-scale survey of Chapman’s work in our new Waterfront Gallery.
For more information, images and interview availability please contact:
Image 1: Christian Chapman, Good Friends, 2024. Acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of the artist.
Image 2: Photo of artist Christian Chapman, courtesy of the artist.