2022 Boston And Atlanta Artadia Awardees Announced

The recipients of the 2022 Boston Artadia Awards are Stephen Hamilton, the Liberty Specialty Markets Artadia Award recipient, Napoleon Jones-Henderson, and Shantel Miller. The 2022 Boston Artadia Awards were also supported by the Paul and Edith Babson Foundation, the Meraki Artist Award, the Artadia Board of Directors, Artadia Council Members, anonymous funders, and individual donors across the country.

The 2022 Boston Artadia Award application was open to visual artists working in any visual media, at any stage in their career, who have been living and working within Allston, Arlington, Belmont, Beverly, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Dedham, Everett, Fall River, Gloucester, Lawrence, Lexington, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Milton, Nahant, New Bedford, Newton, Peabody, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Somerville, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn for a minimum of two years.

The decision was reached after an extensive two-tiered jurying process culminating in virtual studio visits with jurors Daniel Byers, John R. Barbara Robinson Family Director, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts; and Martina Tanga, Curatorial Research Associate at MFA Boston.

Juror Martina Tanga commented on Artadia's return to Boston: "It's very exciting to have Artadia in our city of Boston, and it is an honor to serve as the inaugural juror for this Award. The endorsement of artistic practice this Award gives artists is transformative for the awardees and those nominated. We have such creative energy in the city, and I am so grateful that Artadia gives our artists national and international prominence."

In addition to Hamilton, Jones-Henderson, and Miller, this year's finalists for the Award included Harry Gould Harvey IV, Ben Sloat, and Jessica Tam. The finalists were selected by Daniel Byers, John R. and Barbara Robinson Family Director, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts; Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Curator, California African American Museum (CAAM); and Bianca Morán, an independent curator based in New York City.

The recipients of the 2022 Atlanta Artadia Awards are Kelly Taylor Mitchell, Ato Ribeiro, and José Ibarra Rizo.

The 2022 Atlanta Artadia Awards were supported by the Tim and Lauren Schrager Family Foundation, the Artadia Board of Directors, Artadia Council Members, and individual donors across the country. The 2022 Atlanta Artadia Awards application was open to visual artists working in any visual media, at any stage in their career, who have been living and working within Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton counties for a minimum of two years.

The jurying process included virtual studio visits with jurors Veronica Kessenich, Executive Director, Atlanta Contemporary; and Rehema C. Barber, Chief Curator, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

Juror Veronica Kessenich reflected on the awards process: "Having the opportunity to be a juror for the 2022 Atlanta Artadia Awards uniquely champions what I know to be true: Atlanta forges exceptional talent." On the effect of the award, she stated, "It is our collective hope that this award comes at a pivotal moment and affords the opportunity to champion ancestors, give voice to communities, and advance artistic craftsmanship."

In addition to Mitchell, Ribeiro, and Rizo, this year's finalists for the Award included Jessica Caldas, María Korol, and Hasani Sahlehe selected by Rosario Güiraldes, Associate Curator, The Drawing Center; Sarah Kennel, Aaron Siskind Curator of Photography and Director of the Raysor Center, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; and Veronica Kessenich, Executive Director, Atlanta Contemporary.