This year’s Copyright Agency | Viscopy John Fries Award, which is a platform for some of the most engaging and experimental works from emerging Australian and New Zealand artists, opened for entries on Monday 3 March.
The annual non-acquisitive award of $10,000 is open to emerging artists of all ages and disciplines, who are Australian or New Zealand citizens or who have been resident in Australia or New Zealand for the 12 months prior to 6 May 2014. In 2014 the entry criteria has been simplified and only requires that entrants self-identify as emerging artists.
For the first time, the Award and Finalists’ Exhibition in August will be held at Galleries UNSW, COFA – the Award’s new venue partner in Paddington, Sydney.
Viscopy director, John Fries Award judge and daughter of the late John Fries, Kath Fries, says the Award has “gone from strength to strength each year with many previous winners and finalists continuing to achieve other significant milestones in their careers. The Exhibition offers a glimpse of what’s occurring at the dynamic ‘emerging’ edge of the contemporary art scene, and heightens our expectations of the future.”
Once again, the Award’s Guest Curator is Sebastian Goldspink, whose experience leading initiatives like Alaska Projects and Art Month has helped to mature the Award to become a significant event in Australia’s arts and cultural calendar.
The 2013 John Fries Award was won by Jess Olivieri and Hayley Forward for their collaborative video work Harlequins Vs Visitors, which the judges described as directly reflecting the spirit of the award.
The award has been 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. The Award’s sponsors include: International Art Services, 10 group, Little Creatures Brewery, and Small Acres Cyder.
Entries close on Monday 5 May.
