Anthony Gebrehiwot, The Power of a Hug, from the series From Boys to Men: The Road to Healing, 2020. Courtesy of the artist
Anthony Gebrehiwot awarded the 2021 Gattuso Prize
The Gattuso Prize of $5,000 acknowledges an outstanding artist in the Juried Call Exhibition program of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. Juried Call Exhibitions are selected to be part of the Festival through a submission process and are independently organized by artists, venues, and organizations across the city.
The jury, comprising Emilie Croning (independent curator) and Solana Cain (photo editor and independent curator), based their decision on the calibre and concept of the work and the overall impact and presentation of the exhibition.
“Exhibited at an attention-demanding scale in public vitrines at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus, Anthony Gebrehiwot’s From Boys to Men: The Road to Healing is a striking body of work. Gebrehiwot’s storytelling is vibrant both in portraiture and impact. Gebrehiwot’s work pushes back at monolithic representations of Black men and boldly challenges toxic masculinity by offering ways to care, break cycles, and grow. This body of work serves as a reflection of Gebrehiwot’s self-discovery as an emerging artist, and his commitment to his community, strengthened by the shift from private to public spaces.”
Anthony Gebrehiwot is an award-winning visual artist and community leader whose creative lens re-visions photography as an ongoing dialogue of social change between subject and society. Gebrehiwot seeks to communicate without language in an intimate and vulnerable way. Through photography, he portrays the vocabulary of race, masculinity, history, perception, and vulnerability. Gebrehiwot has exhibited at various galleries and festivals, including Nuit Blanche 2017 and 2019, CONTACT Gallery, and Margin of Eras Gallery. He founded XVXY Photo in 2014, focusing on studio portraiture.
From Boys to Men: The Road to Healing is presented by Doris McCarthy Gallery in the Instructional Centre Vitrines, and is on view through August 12, 2022.
CONTACT gratefully acknowledges the generous support and contributions of La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso. The Foundation demonstrates strong leadership and influences innovation across all charitable sectors in Canada including health care, culture and the arts.
Past Winners
2020
Aaron Jones, Closed Fist, Open Palm, Zalucky Contemporary
2019
Sophie Sabet, I Almost Didn’t Feel You Leave, Bradley Museum
2018
Shadi Harouni and Elise Rasmussen, With an instinct for justice, Doris McCarthy Gallery
2017
Sandra Brewster, It’s all a blur…, Georgia Scherman Projects
2016
Lee Henderson, Never Letting Us Take Breath, Zalucky Contemporary
2015
Jimmy Limit, Surplus, Clint Roenisch Gallery
2014
Nadia Belerique, Have You Seen This Man, Daniel Faria Gallery
2013
Marlene Creates, selected works from 30 years, 1982-2012, Paul Petro Contemporary Art
2012
Lise Beaudry, Sur la glace / Walking on Ice, Art Gallery Of Mississauga
2011
Andrew Wright, CORONAE, Peak Gallery