Best In Province Awards

Alberta - Mariko McCrae, Calgary, AB

Mariko McCrae’s Willow Tops Golf Shoes continues her investigation into historical precedents and pop culture references in ceramic mediums. Citing the most-popular of the British blue and white patterns that emulated Chinese prototypes—the Willow pattern—she creates a pompous pair of quasi-18th century “golf ” shoes, the type one could imagine Louis XV or King Charles I would covet, complete with ceramic tassels, bringing them to contemporary times with the ubiquitous addition of the Nike symbol. Cleverly conceived, skillfully designed and constructed, the Willow Tops Golf Shoes offer the viewer much to debate, discuss, and explore. - HD

Saskatchewan - Zane Wilcox, Regina, SK

Vessel Deconstruction 4 was awarded the Best in Province Prize for Saskatchewan for its unique balance of simplicity and complexity. The first thing that struck me about the piece was curiosity. What appeared to be a simple cube with an open end inspired all kinds of questions — particularly what is it and what is it made from? Is it a container? An architectural form of some sort? An abstract sculpture? Is the surface cement? Metal? Clay? On closer inspection it became apparent that the cube comes apart into two pristine pieces which only adds to the intrigue.

Zane Wilcox has given us an object of beauty in scale, form, and content. Conceptually the piece references the history of modernist sculpture, trompe l’oeil painting, and also functional earthenware. Each one of these traditions is brought to mind as we take in the object and its meaning or function. - KS

Manitoba - Tibor Bodi, Winnipeg, MB

As one of the most unusual and unexpected submissions, Tibor Bodi’s Voice of America 1956 impressed for its range of materials and overall concept. Made of cast glass, forged steel and metal, this finely crafted object is rich in historical references to a pivotal Cold War event which brought the artist and his family to Canada as refugees from Hungary. The ship, with its military appearance, plays a deceptive role in this work: serving instead as a floating broadcasting station. Used during the Cold War, such a vessel actually carried news about the uprising via the American government’s official overseas radio network, “Voice of America”. Thus, in one work, the personal and the directly historical were melded together in a seamless fashion. As well, I was intrigued by how this sculpture straddled the divide between fine craft and contemporary art. - MBL