Melaw Nakehk’o named finalist for Sobey Art Award

Melaw Nakehk’o, a multidisciplinary Dene and Dënesųłiné artist, is one of six shortlisted artists for the 2026 Sobey Art Award.

“The outpouring of support and love that I’ve been receiving since the announcement feels really good,” Nakehk’o told Cabin Radio.

“You don’t really ever know who’s seeing your work, like I didn’t even know that people knew that I was an artist.”

Nakehk’o said the Sobey Art Award is “the top award for contemporary artists in Canada.”

The winning artist will receive $100,000 while the remaining shortlisted artists will receive $25,000. The artists who made it on to the longlist will each receive $10,000.

Nakehk’o, who is from Łíídlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation and lives in Yellowknife, fuses contemporary art with traditional techniques and materials from the North like hide tanning, beadwork and tufting.

She said she uses art as a way to understand and express her feelings about “huge issues that are going on” like climate change and the declining caribou population.

“Using the techniques and materials from my culture, my ancestors, things that my grandmother and my mentors have taught me, I’m able to express our feelings about how things are rapidly changing,” said Nakehk’o.

She said the recognition from being shortlisted for the Sobey Art Award will help her access more funding opportunities.

“I live and work out of the North, and we don’t really have that much support for the type of art that I do,” Nakehk’o said.

Nakehk’o’s journey to the Sobey Art Awards started when she participated in Arctic XR in 2022, a 360-degree digital media arts project created by Indigenous artists that was displayed in the Sámi pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale de Venezia.

Through the project, Nakehk’o met Heather Igloliorte, a professor at the University of Victoria and the curator of Arctic XR.

Igloliorte approached Nakehk’o in January to ask if she could nominate her for the Sobey Art Award.

Nakehk’o is shortlisted alongside BC artist and professor Samuel Roy-Bois, Métis and Cree artist Audie Murray, photographer and sculptor Lotus L Kang, Anishinaabe and French artist Caroline Monnet, and Wolastokew artist and metalsmith Shane Perley-Dutcher.

Each artist represents a different region of Canada. Nakehk’o represents the circumpolar North.

“I’m really grateful for the community up here and the support and love,” said Nakehk’o.

“I hope that I make y’all proud.”

Artwork from the six finalists will be displayed in the National Art Gallery in Ottawa from September 4, 2026 to January 4, 2027. The winner of the 2026 Sobey Art Award will be announced November 14, 2026.

Jasmine Nasogaluak contributed reporting.