University of Guelph Prof. Emma Nishimura has received Norway’s prestigious Queen Sonja Print Award. The international award honours graphic art in all its many expressions and techniques.
Nishimura, a professor in the School of Fine Art and Music, was chosen by a jury of international artists, curators and writers. She was selected from a field of 42 artists from around the world, with submissions coming from curators, museum directors and artists.
She received the award this week during a special event at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Calling her work “exquisite and thorough,” the jury recognized Nishimura’s work for its quality and exploration of the themes of memory and the interpretation of history.
Also noted was her blending of traditional and contemporary techniques, including etchings, archival pigment prints, drawings and audio pieces. Nishimura’s works incorporate collected stories, inherited narratives, geography and family photos.
Works by Nishimura exist in public and private collections and have been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has taught printmaking at U of G since 2016.
The Queen Sonja Print Award is considered the world’s leading award for graphic arts art and is distributed every other year. Originally, it was a part of the Nordic Prize but became an international award in 2016.