Northern Image Photographers Exhibition 2025

The Mann Art Gallery, Prince Albert Council for the Arts and Margo Fournier Arts Centre's John V. Hicks Gallery were delighted to host the opening reception of the Annual Northern Image Photographers Exhibition last evening. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the remarkable creativity and dedication of this long-standing photography group. Your presence and support help make events like this possible, and it was wonderful to see the community come together to honour the artists’ work.

This year’s exhibition is built around the theme of “Correspondence,” inspiring members to explore ideas of communication, connection, and exchange through their lenses. The results are as diverse as they are powerful, with thoughtful interpretations ranging from the deeply personal to the universally shared. A cornerstone of the fall arts season, this exhibition consistently demonstrates both technical skill and creative vision, reaffirming the Northern Image Photographers’ important place in our community.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Geoff Payton Memorial/Best in Show Award, which was given to Message to Heaven by Agnes L’Heureux.

Message to Heaven, Agnes L'Heureux, Annual Northern Image Photographers Exhibition, 2025, Hicks Gallery

I considered several criteria in selecting this piece: composition, balance of visual elements, technical execution—including focus, depth of field, exposure, and lighting—as well as originality, creativity, and emotional impact. Message to Heaven excelled across all of these areas.

The photograph combines multiple textures and subjects into a composition that is both striking and precise. A dark background isolates the central objects, personal photographs and artifacts; allowing their significance to shine through. Careful attention to sharpness and focus creates immediacy, while subtle use of light and shadow adds depth and texture, evoking both memory and longing.

Beyond its technical excellence, the piece resonates on a profound conceptual level. In response to this year’s theme of “Correspondence,” L’Heureux offers a deeply human interpretation: the universal desire to communicate with loved ones who are no longer with us. The photograph captures not just a single moment, but layers of memory and reflection, a correspondence across time.

The Northern Image Photographers Exhibition is on view at the John V. Hicks Gallery in the Arts Centre until September 23, and we encourage everyone to take the opportunity to see it in person.

We extend our deepest thanks to our funders—the City of Prince Albert, the Prince Albert Council for the Arts, Sask Lotteries, and SaskCulture—for their continued support, as well as to the photographers for their hard work and commitment to their craft.

— Leah Henderson

Guest Curator