Bridie Lunney has been named as the winner of the 5th John Fries Award for Emerging Art.
The Melbourne artist unanimously won both the award and $10,000 for her sculptural-performance work, This Endless Becoming at the official opening of the prize’s finalists' exhibition at Sydney's UNSW Galleries.
The award’s guest curator and judge Sebastian Goldspink had plenty of praise for Lunney and her fellow entrants: “The prize this year attracted an incredible diversity of entries and artists. Bridie’s work is immediately strong in the way it uses, adapts and interacts with the space. It can be viewed in two ways, either in its performance state, featuring a sleeping man and an active woman (James Lunney and Lily Paskas), or without the human element."
Runners up Kate Scardifield and Tim Bruniges’ were also recognised for their pieces, Garland and Mirrors.
All entries will remain on show at the UNSW Galleries until 6 Sep.
