Eight Artists Honoured with 2026 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts

On September 16, 2026, eight artists received the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts, celebrating outstanding achievements in Canadian contemporary art. The awards, presented annually, include six recognizing artistic excellence, one for exceptional fine craft, and one for an outstanding contribution to visual or media arts. Each laureate is awarded a bronze medallion and a cash prize of C$25,000.

The recipients represent a broad spectrum of disciplines and regions. Chung-Im Kim, a textile artist and educator based in Cookstown, Ontario, was honoured with the Saidye Bronfman Award, which celebrates craft processes. The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau acquires works from this award’s winner each year.

Roger Lee, an art historian and cultural advocate from Vancouver, received the award for outstanding contribution. His career has significantly influenced Asian and diasporic art history in Canada. Lee is also known for his collection of Yixing teapots, which blend aesthetic inquiry with cultural memory.

Other winners include Faye HeavyShield, a sculptor and installation artist from the Kainai First Nations; Carole Itter, a Vancouver-based artist and filmmaker; Zacharias Kunuk, an Inuk sculptor and filmmaker; Lyne Lapointe, an artist from Québec; Marie-Jeanne Musiol, a Swiss-born photographer and multidisciplinary artist based in Gatineau; and Skawennati, a Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist from Montréal.

Marie-Jeanne Musiol’s work involves photograms and experimental videos that capture luminous plant imprints through electromagnetic fields, forming a virtual energy herbarium in her series The Radiant Forest.

An exhibition showcasing selected works by this year’s winners is scheduled to open on November 7 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This event offers the public an opportunity to engage with the diverse practices and perspectives represented by the laureates.

The Canada Council for the Arts highlighted the importance of these artists in fostering dialogue and a deeper understanding of Canadian society. Their work, deeply rooted in their communities, enriches the cultural landscape and strengthens a sense of belonging across the country.