By Jennifer Cortez

Photography courtesy of The Aimia | AGO Photography Prize

Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management and owner of Aeroplan, has partnered with The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) for the sixth year to announce the highly anticipated list of 14 finalists from around the world for The Aimia | AGO Photography Prize.

The prize awards more than $85,000 directly to artists working in photography each year and is comprised of an annual exhibition at AGO. The finalists chosen are nominated by leading Canadian and international experts in photography (curators, academics and artists).

The Aimia AGO finalists’ composite.

Here are the 14 artists nominated (four are Canadian):

1. Edgardo Aragón (Mexico)
2. Jessica Eaton (Canada)
3. Em’Kal Eyongakpa (Cameroon)
4. LaToya Ruby Frazier (U.S.)
5. Regina José Galindo (Guatemala)
6. Ron Jude (U.S.)
7. Tomoko Kikuchi (Japan)
8. Emanuel Licha (Canada)
9. Abraham Oghobase (Nigeria)
10. Chino Otsuka (Japan)
11. Erin Shirreff (Canada)
12. Dan Siney (Canada)
13. Efrat Shvily (Israel)
14. Lucie Stahl (Germany)

From this list, a jury of three experts will select four, including at least one Canadian artist. These artists will be announced on Aug. 27, 2013 and will receive a fully funded, six-week residency in Canada. Their work will be exhibited at AGO from Sept. 11, 2013.

The winner of prize will be selected by a public vote inside the AGO exhibition and online at http://www.aimiaagophotographyprize.com. Furthermore, a final announcement will be made at AGO on Nov.7, 2013.

“The 14 nominated artists have diverse practices, but they have made an extraordinary impact in their respective communities,” says Matthew Teitelbaum, AGO’s director and CEO.

“On behalf of Aimia, I would like to congratulate all of the artists who were nominated for the prize this year,” says Vince Timpano, president and CEO of Aimia in Canada.