03 Jul 2012

This content is tagged as Visual arts .

NEWS

2012 John Fries Memorial Prize finalists announced

Twenty finalists have been announced for the 2012 John Fries Memorial Prize for emerging visual artists. The artists are: Cyrus Tang; Owen Leong; Nathan Taylor; Georgina Cue; Marc Standing; Kate Shaw; Fiona Jack; Carolyn V Watson; Paul Yore; Kittey Malarvie; Jacqueline Bradley; Phil James; Catherine Hockey; Adrian Spurr; Jacob Leary; Adam Laerkesen; George Shaw; Wanda Gillespie; Cath Robinson and Cigdem Aydemir.

The finalists were chosen by Art Gallery of New South Wales Curator of Australian Art, Wayne Tunnicliffe, artist Bronwyn Bancroft and artist and Viscopy board member, Kath Fries.The quality of this year’s entrants was very high, the judges said, and the prize attracted four times more entrants than last year. 

“We are delighted that the John Fries Memorial Prize has continued to attract such high quality entrants.  Now in its third year, the 2012 Prize has become increasingly competitive and will present quite a challenge for the judges, “says Alida Stanley, Copyright Agency|Viscopy Membership Director said.

The finalists worked across a range of mediums, including painting, photography, installation, video, sound art, textiles and sculpture.

“The 2012 John Fries Memorial Prize finalists’ exhibition will be a bold exhibition showcasing artworks that comment on issues relevant to the contemporary society in which we live. Each artist is exploratory within their chosen medium and fearless in the topics they navigate,” said JFMP guest curator, Venita Poblocki. 

The winner and recipient of the $10,000 prize will be announced on a special opening evening on 14 August. 

The John Fries Memorial Prize is open to emerging Australian and New Zealand artists of all ages and disciplines who are not held in a regional, state, territory or national public art collection.  The annual, non-acquisitive prize is donated by the Fries family in memory of former Viscopy director and honorary treasurer, John Fries, who made a remarkable contribution to the life and success of Viscopy.

For further information contact Copyright Agency|Viscopy
E: jfmp@viscopy.org.au | curator@viscopy.org.au
W: http://www.viscopy.org.au/current-exhibition
Venita Poblocki:  0412 985 248