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BMO 1st ART! 2022

a group of wooden and woven figures are suspended in the air through coloured chords.

Works by

Shizuka Yoshimura, Kaela Murphy, Ali Cayetano, Solange Roy, Oakley Rain Wysote Gray, Georgia Dawkin, Ivan Flores, Collin Alexander, Chris Bailey, Avery Mikolic-O’Rourke, Aurora Wolfe, and Sabrina Jin.

a room with white walls has images of black, curled hair on the walls, and a braid traverses the space
a coloured painting show an anonymous man surrounded by mischievous angels and elements from Christianity.
close up of a piece of cake topped with glossy chocolate and strawberries
Two characters sit next to each other; one wears a white gown, the other a black one.
Blond woman stands behind a desk with a plant and a stack of paper; she hold the phone.
A purple textile is suspended in a black background, it reads Against.
in a white space, two piles of bricks uphold a wooden surface over which a group of white ceramic pieces in the form of milk bottles rest.
A drawing of a man sitting on a harbour. Behind him, the water and ships docked.
a highway seen from an elevated perspective. The image is glitchy, as if reconstructed from several fragments.
a geometrical pattern of beads is stitched to a tree's leaf.

BMO 1st ART! 2022

October 26–November 19, 2022
—
Curated by Dawn Cain
—
Justina M. Barnicke Gallery

Celebrating Canada’s New Artists

This exhibition showcases the winning submissions of the 20th annual BMO 1st Art! competition. The twelve artists featured are recent graduates of postsecondary art programs from every province and territory who have been honoured for their talent and exceptional accomplishments. Their inspiring works provide a glimpse into the remarkable range of media and expression being explored by today’s undergrads. They also represent the promise and excitement of Canada’s newest generation of artists.

National Winner
Shizuka Yoshimura (Yukon School of Visual Arts)

Kaela Murphy (University of Alberta)
Ali Cayetano (University of British Columbia)
Solange Roy (University of Manitoba)
Oakley Rain Wysote Gray (New Brunswick College of Craft & Design)
Georgia Dawkin (Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Ivan Flores (NSCAD University)
Collin Alexander (University of Toronto)
Chris Bailey (Holland College)
Avery Mikolic-O’Rourke (Concordia University)
Aurora Wolfe (University of Saskatchewan )
Sabrina Jin (Yukon School of Visual Arts)

Explore the winning works by clicking on the images.

For more information, please visit 1stArt.bmo.com

Virtual Spotlight

View the winning artists’ interviews here.