Retired Mount A prof shortlisted for major photography award

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A retired Mount Allison University professor is in the running for one of Canada’s biggest photography awards.

Fine Arts research professor and visual artist Thaddeus Holownia was recently named to the 2024 Scotiabank Photography Award shortlist. Nicholas Baier, Sara Angelucci, Sara Cwynar, Clara Gutsche, Barry Pottle, Chih-Chien Wang, are the other photographers shortlisted for the award. 

The Scotiabank Photography Award is Canada’s most prestigious annual peer-nominated and peer-reviewed award that acknowledges the outstanding contribution that the winners have made to contemporary art and photography, the award website states.

Holownia said his uncle gave him his first 35 mm camera in 1967. 

“I have never put it down,” he said, noting he moved into using a view camera, a large-format camera where the lens forms an inverted image on a ground-glass screen directly at the film plane.

Some of his early work were portraits, but his true passion was landscape, wildlife and nature.

“I’m in love with looking, and I’m in love with making people aware of their surroundings,” he said, adding he enjoys helping people see things in a new way. “I have a quiet passionate voice that hopefully spreads goodness and beauty out into a world that can be the opposite these days.” 

It took many hours, hard work, and determination to build his recognition and portfolio, he said. Holownia has had a number of exhibitions and has worked with writers on several books including several books with renowned journalist and poet Harry Thurston.

After teaching for 41 years, Holownia retired from Mount A, and spends much of his time pursuing photography projects from his studio in Jolicure.

He has received recognitions such as the Paul Paré Medal from Mount Allison University, Lieutenant Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Visual Arts from artsNB, and the Order of New Brunswick. 

For the Scotiabank Photography Award, he was nominated by Meeka Walsh, who has been the editor of Border Crossings magazine since 1993. Border Crossings explores contemporary Canadian and international art and culture, and Holownia said the publication has published articles on his work and exhibitions. 

“She’s known my work for a very long time,” he said. 

Holownia said it was a reward to hear the Scotiabank Photography Award’s jury to place him on the shortlist. 

“It’s always really, really special to be recognized for what you do, especially in the art world and especially when you live in the east,” said Holownia.

The award winner will be announced this spring, and will receive a $50,000 cash prize, a solo exhibition during the 2025 CONTACT Photography Festival, and a published book of their work distrusted worldwide by art book publisher, Steidle.

Each of the three shortlisted artists will receive a cash prize of $10,000.

Holownia said he and Thurston are also launching a new photography and poetry book called Of a Feather. The book launch and poetry reading, featuring Holownia and Thurston, are scheduled for May 10 at 4 p.m. at the Owens Art Gallery.