A photographer whose work documents and celebrates homoeroticism is among the winners of the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts.
Evergon, 77, says he hoped to eventually receive one of the Excellence in the Arts awards, but he remains “stunned” that it actually happened. Over the course of his career, now in its fifth decade, the artist whose real name is Albert Jay Lunt says he’s seen attitudes towards his work evolve alongside perceptions of the LGBTQ community.
Some works that were outrageous 40 or 50 years ago aren’t today, he said in a phone interview ahead of Tuesday’s announcement.
A retrospective of the work of the Montreal artist is presented at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec, in Quebec. The museum describes his art as bold and carnal, exploring questions of cultural, bodily and identity diversity.
His portfolio includes photos of men, some of which veer into pornography, as well as nude self-portraits.
He also produced a series of nude photographs of his octogenarian mother, which, according to the National Museum of Fine Arts, “renew the representation of the aging body in a way few artists have done”.
“She was the one who challenged me: ‘I want the pictures to be made of me now. I’m 80, I want them now,” he recalled.
His mother died several years ago, he says, and he regrets that she is not here to witness this recognition of his work.
This year’s list of eight winners also includes David Garneau, who won the Outstanding Contribution Award.
His paintings and drawings speak to the experience of Indigenous men in North America and explore his own Métis identity and family history.
In addition, sculptor Grace Nickel won the Saidye-Bronfman Prize, which rewards the best crafts.
Other recipients include the FASTWÜRMS collective, Germaine Koh, Tim Whiten, Shannon Walsh and Nettie Wild.
Winners receive a $25,000 scholarship.
