Atlantic nominee Lisa Lipton (right) & friend Credit: Adria Young

Last night at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax and Canada’s artists and art patrons gathered for the announcement of this year’s Sobey Art Award winner, a $50,000 prize that recognizes the best in contemporary Canadian art each year since 2002. Born in Tehran, raised in Toronto, representing Ontario, Abbas Akhavan was awarded the prize among his competitors Raymond Boisjoly (West Coast), Sarah Anne Johnson (Prairies/North), Jon Rafman (Quebec) and Lisa Lipton (Atlantic) AKA Frankie. According to the jury, Akhavan’s work is rich in “generosity and empathy” in both domestic and natural spheres. Each artist’s work is on view at the AGNS until January as part of the Sobey Art Award Shortlist Exhibition. I took photos.

The 2015 Sobey Art Award finalists Credit: Adria Young

2015 Sobey Art Award winner Abbas Akhavan Credit: Adria Young

Atlantic nominee Lisa Lipton (right) & friend Credit: Adria Young

Patrons at the AGNS Credit: Adria Young

Credit: Adria Young

Kate Walchuk (Anna Leonowens Gallery) & Coast copy editor Laura Kenins Credit: Adria Young

Hugh Stewart, Melanie Colosimo (director, Anna Leonowens Gallery) & Sarah Fillmore (chief curator, AGNS) Credit: Adria Young

Halifax Liberal MP Andy Fillmore & Jennifer Fraser (BDCBC) Credit: Adria Young

Coast cartoonist Paul Hammond (left) & friends Credit: Adria Young

Fred Fountain CM & Andrew Neville Credit: Adria Young

Hannah Guinan (centre; director, Khyber Centre for the Arts) & friends Credit: Adria Young

Andrew Mazzerole & Allison Higgins Credit: Adria Young

Paul Pettigrew (AGNS Young Patrons Circle) & other guy Credit: Adria Young

Merray Gerges, Emerging Critical Art Writer-in-Residence, AGNS/VANS Credit: Adria Young

Danika Vandersteen & Scott Grundy Credit: Adria Young

2014 Sobey winner Nadia Myre & 2015 Sobey winner Abbas Akhavan Credit: Adria Young

Shortlist Exhibition Credit: Adria Young

Shortlist Exhibition (Abbas Akhavan) Credit: Adria Young

Shortlist Exhibition (Abbas Akhavan) Credit: Adria Young

Shortlist Exhibition (Lisa Lipton) #greysville Credit: Adria Young

Shortlist Exhibition (Lisa Lipton) #greysville Credit: Adria Young

DJ Festive Special (Andrew Neville), after-party at The Seahorse Credit: Adria Young

It’s me in a bathroom, after-party at The Seahorse. Credit: Adria Young

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