News Releases

Toronto, Ont., April 14, 2011 – The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) and BMO Financial Group will present Toronto-based photographer Edward Burtynsky with the MOCCA Award 2011 during a gala event at MOCCA in Toronto this evening.

In naming him as the third recipient of the Award, MOCCA cited the national and international acclaim Mr. Burtynsky has received for extraordinarily unique bodies of work produced over the course of nearly three decades. Combining knowledge of photography, its history and techniques, with an astute perceptual rigour, Burtynsky creates stunning images of sites of some of the heaviest and most essential industrial activities in Canada and around the world. His pictures are admired as much for their aesthetic and formal resolution as they are for the economic, political, social and cultural issues that they raise. The timeliness of Edward Burtynsky’s work strongly resonates with MOCCA’s mandate to present themes and issues pertinent to our times.

To honour Mr. Burtynsky, each guest at the event will receive a limited edition artwork, created specially for the occasion by Edward Burtynsky himself. Guests will also enjoy unique cuisine prepared by internationally-renowned Chef Susur Lee as they preview a series of Burtynsky's most recent photographs. Other highlights will include the premiere of Jennifer Baichwal and Nick de Penciers’ film Four Things You Didn’t Know About Edward Burtynsky.

The MOCCA Award exhibition of Edward Burtynsky's most recent photographs will be on view to the public on Saturday April 16th and Sunday April 17th ONLY!!

Sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: BMO Financial Group
• Platinum Sponsor: Aeroplan

Highlights/Key Facts:

• The biennial, $20,000 award was established by MOCCA in 2007 to honour a Canadian active in the field of visual arts for innovation, accomplishment or contribution over time, or for a specific project that has national or international significance.
• Michael Snow received the MOCCA Award 2007, and Matthew Teitelbaum, Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario received the MOCCA Award in 2009.
• BMO Financial Group has been sponsor of the Award since its inception.

Links/URLs:

• For more information on the MOCCA Award: http://www.moccaaward.ca
• Read full text press release: http://www.moccaaward.ca/media-centre
• For more information on Edward Burtynsky: http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/

Quotes:

• David Liss, Artistic Director & Curator, MOCCA:
  "Through his photography and his many other activities, both in and outside of the art world, Edward has made significant contributions to the culture of our times. MOCCA is honoured to present this Award to Mr. Burtynsky.”
• Gilles G. Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer, Private Client Group, BMO Financial Group – sponsor of the Award:
  “Edward Burtynsky’s spectacular photography helps teach us about the sometimes-troubled relationship between man and nature; as he puts it, his images are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence. BMO is pleased to congratulate Mr. Burtynsky – he is indeed a deserving recipient of this prestigious honour.”

About MOCCA:

The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) was founded from the former Art Gallery of North York in 1999, with the mandate to exhibit, research, collect, and promote innovative art by Canadian and non-Canadian artists whose works engage and reflect the relevant stories of our times. In 2005, MOCCA relocated to the West Queen West Art + Design District in downtown Toronto, in the heart of one of North America’s most dynamic arts communities and functions effectively as a nucleus of energies for cultural production and exchange. Since 2006, MOCCA draws 40,000 visitors annually.

For more Information, visit http://www.mocca.ca/
For ongoing news, please go to http://www.mocca.ca/media-centre/

All programs and activities of the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art are supported by Toronto Culture, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, BMO Financial Group, individual memberships and private donations.

RSS Feed for MOCCA: feed://www.mocca.ca/feed/rss/

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