Pepón Osorio, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Community Art, and Tyler alum Edgar Heap of Birds (MFA '79) have been honored as 2024 Awards in Art recipients by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the organization announced in a press release. 

Since 1942, the awards have been selected annually by Arts and Letters members. The 2024 awards, totaling $125,000, were granted to eleven established and emerging artists.

A visionary multimedia artist, educator, and activist who creates conceptual artworks that explore Indigenous identity and experience, Heap of Birds is the recipient of a $10,000 Arts and Letters Award to honor and encourage creative work.

Known for provocative, large-scale installations that merge conceptual art and community dynamics, Osorio is the recipient of a Jacob Lawrence Award. The $10,000 prize recognizes extraordinary achievement in the visual arts.

"I'm so honored to receive the Jacob Lawrence Award in recognition of my extraordinary achievement in the visual arts," Osorio said. "This year, I’m in the company of artists that I admire. Thank you to the members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for this recognition and support!"

The art awards will be presented alongside the architecture, literature, and music awards at Arts and Letters’s annual Ceremonial in May 2024.