The Henry was pleased to present the inaugural exhibition celebrating a new award for artists based in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. The Brink spotlights the work of an artist in the early stages of a promising professional career and honors the recipient for his or her innovative work. Along with an exhibition at the Henry Art Gallery, the artist receives a prize of $12,500; additionally, a work by the artist will be acquired for the museum’s permanent collection. The 2009 winner, Isabelle Pauwels, created a new work to premiere at the Henry.

In her video installations, Isabelle Pauwels tackles reality TV, talk shows, and the documentary, often beginning with her personal experiences or surroundings for inspiration. As she describes it, “my work attempts to interrupt the audience’s familiar reading of a genre in order to alter its expectations of what content should do, and what its reaction should be.” Born in Belgium, Pauwels is a graduate of Emily Carr Institute and earned her MFA in 2006 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

John and Shari Behnke, long-time Henry Art Gallery benefactors and Seattle art supporters have established The Brink award as a means to remind artists that their ongoing presence and their profession are essential to the Pacific Northwest’s dynamic cultural landscape. The Brink complements the Henry Art Gallery’s role as a catalyst for the creation of new work, while simultaneously demonstrating the museum’s commitment to artists working in our region.