Steven K. Tucker Announced as 2021 Recipient of the 401 Richmond Career Launcher Prize
401 Richmond is pleased to announce Steven K. Tucker as the recipient of the 2021 Career Launcher Prize. Awarded annually, the prize provides an exceptional opportunity to occupy a coveted 500 square foot studio for a full year at one of Canada’s most dynamic arts facilities. The recipient is chosen from a Toronto-wide competition by a panel of visual arts professionals. The Career Launcher Prize has been presented annually since 2000 as a way of providing support for research and experimentation at a critical time in an emerging artist’s career.
“Steven Tucker’s practice is a dynamic intersection of textile artisanry and the sculptural realm,” says the 2021 Career Launcher Prize Jury. “His assemblages are an intertwining of disparate materials and approaches, highlighted by a skillful and often daring use of colour. As a recent graduate and exciting emerging voice, we look forward to seeing Steven’s practice develop over the next year, as he becomes one of the newest members of the 401 Richmond community.”
“I am immensely honoured and grateful to be the recipient of this year’s 401 Richmond Career Launcher Prize. After a year of working in relative isolation, I can’t think of anything more enriching and beneficial to my practice than creating in a space that is home to such a unique and diverse community of arts professionals. Occupying this 500 square foot studio in such a dynamic facility for an entire year will allow me to embrace my process and lean into experimentation in an unprecedented way, and I look forward to expanding the boundaries of my work.”
Steven joins the 401 Richmond community in Studio 260 this September through to August 2022.
Steven K. Tucker
Steven’s endeavours explore chaos, organisation, and intuition through sculptural assemblages that unite disparate techniques, including rug tufting, woodwork, painting, and direct sculpture. In 2021 he completed an Honours Bachelor of Craft and Design specializing in textiles from Sheridan College. A process-oriented maker, Stephen’s growing visual language draws upon modularity, connection and rupture to create objects seemingly engaged in active metamorphoses.
Past Recipients
Sarah Blagg (2000); Angie Nishikihama (2001); Sarah Lowry (2002); Emma Shankland (2003); Kristine Moran (2004); Emmy Skensved (2005); Adam Brandejs (2006); Gareth Bate (2007); Nikki Woolsey (2008); Angela Noussis (2009); Winnie Truong (2010); Chelsea Jamieson (2011); Graham Curry (2012); Kerry Zentner (2013); Erin MacKeen (2014); Kelly Uyeda (2016); Ellen Bleiwas (2017); Carol Cheong (2018); Miles Ingrassia (2019); Emily DiCarlo (2020)
Image credit: Steven K. Tucker, Detail: Extropic, 2021, wool, cotton, fibreglass, polyurethane, acrylic, steel, 132 x 70 x 84 in.