The word trophy conjures up images of mini statuettes of various athletic poses gathering dust on a rec room shelf. While tacky, these plastic objects are a stand-in for powerful experiences; they embody victory and ability and make tangible the achievements of competition and winning. Similarly, the work of the four Trophy artists examine the ways in which we infuse objects with particular significance and challenge our expectations around what is considered culturally valuable.
Artist Bios
Susan Detwiler
Susan Detwiler was born in Augusta, Georgia and currently lives in a rural area of southern Ontario. She received her BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1987 and recently completed an MFA at the University of Guelph. Susan works in sculpture and installation. She has exhibited her work in both Canada and the United States.
David Diviney
David Diviney currently lives and works in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He received his BFA from Tyler School of Art of Temple University in 1995 and recently completed an MFA at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as well as studies at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts. He has exhibited in Canada, the United States, Iceland and Germany.
Anitra Hamilton
Anitra Hamilton is a Toronto-based artist. This is her second time showing at YYZ. Her work has been shown at artist-run centres as well as public galleries locally and nationally. Her most recent solo shows include War Museum at Robert Langen Gallery at Wilfred Laurier University and Smarty Pants at ZSA ZSA Gallery in Toronto. She also writes reviews for Lola Magazine. She would like to acknowledge support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.
Derek Sullivan
Derek Sullivan has taken to fashioning bits of suburbia, industrial design, Gulliver’s travels, contemporary architecture and consumer waste into his own fictional, critical world. He received his BFA from York University, and is currently completing an MFA at the University of Guelph.
Photo credit: Peter MacCallum