Image: Tina Havelock Stevens, Thunderhead (2016)

Copyright Agency | Viscopy today announced the 12 finalists for the John Fries Award 2017. The award, curated by interdisciplinary artist, academic and curator, Consuelo Cavaniglia, is an annual $10,000 art award recognising the talents of early career visual artists from Australia and New Zealand. The award winner will be announced at the exhibition opening on 10 August 2017. Each finalist will present multiple works in the exhibition, open to the public at Sydney’s UNSW Galleries from 11 August – 2 September 2017.

Now in its eighth year, the annual award is a platform for some of the most engaging and experimental works from the next wave of contemporary artists in the region. The award was established by the Fries family in 2010 in memory of former Viscopy director and honorary treasurer, John Fries, who made a remarkable contribution to the life and success of the organisation.

The 2017 John Fries Award winner will be determined by a panel of guest judges: Consuelo Cavaniglia, Guest Curator of JFA 2017-2018; Melanie Oliver, Senior Curator and Programs Manager at The Dowse Art Museum, Wellington; Clothilde Bullen, Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Museum of Contemporary Art; Fiona Lowry, multi-award winning artist (Archibald Prize, Moran Prize, Fleurieu Landscape Prize); and Kath Fries, artist, Viscopy board member, Chair of the John Fries Award committee and daughter of the late John Fries.